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GUDBRA ND VIGFUSS ON 


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HENRY FROWDE 


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~ CORPVS POETICVM BOREALE — 







‘ THE POETRY 


OF THE OPES TN 


EDITED 
CLASSIFIED AND TRANSLATED 


WITH 


INTRODUCTION, EXCURSUS, AND NOTES 


4 BY 
GUDBRAND VIGFUSSON, M.A. 
. Ne 
F. YORK POWELL, M.A. 


VOL. I 
EDDIC POETRY 


Orfory 
AT THE CLARENDON PRESS 
M DCCCLXXXIII 


>. 
_ [All rights reserved | 








CONTENTS. 


VOLUME IL EDDIC POEMS. 


oe INTRODUCTION, PAGE 
ee § 1. Decadence of the Old Learning in Iceland . ; : : xvii 
z _ § 2. Revival—Amgrim the Leamed, etc. . ; ‘ . : xx 
§ 3. Bishop Bryniolf, etc. . - F ‘ ‘ ; a Xxii 
| § 4. The word Edda, History of— 

ea mc Pn BW 26495. ke a OR yA Pe oo sored 
i b. In and after a.p, 1642 ‘ ‘ : 0 «=> Rien 
= § 5. Icelandic Diplomatics . ‘ ‘ 4 . ‘ : . XXxxvii 
i § 6. ‘MSS. used in these volumes , es Tae xli 
4 § 7. Old Teutonic Poems, Lombard, Geta English, etc. erg ee 
Ss § 8. Place and Date of Eddic Songs . ‘ P 7 j J lvi 
a § 9. Classification of Eddic Songs . td ive ite on oo ee 
a § 10. Collection of Eddic Songs, when sieidas . ‘ ‘ oe ee 
a § 11. Citations of Eddic Songs . : ; i he 
q § 12. The origin and objects of Court homer 5 : i . xxx 
i § 13. State of Text and of Court Poetry j : ; ; . lxxxii 
i § 14. Textual Emendations . : : . ; : . [xxxvili 
§ 15. Former Editions and Comnaistnites ; ; : x ; xcli 


§ 16. The true position and value of the Prose Edda . S°: SeviE 
§ 17. Some mythologic aspects of Old Northern Poetry . ci 
§ 18. Spelling and arrangement of this Edition . : ‘ 3 cvii 
§ 19. The Translation, its purport and design . : ; SR 
§ 20. The growth and aims of the present Edition . : .  CXviii 





Appendage to Introduction. Final Readings, etc. . 4 : . -Cxxi¥ 


BOOK I. OLDEST NORTHERN POETRY. 


§ 1. Old Ethic Poems. See notes, p. 459. 

The Guest’s Wisdom [G.W.] . ; Meas : 2 
Song of Saws [S.S.] . ; : ‘ Ee ; 14 
The Lesson of Loddfafni [Less. }. : ‘ ae . 16 
Fragment ofa Lost Lay . ; ; : ; : 20 
_ §2. Mythical Ensamples. See notes, p. 463. 

Bs. Woden’s Love Lessons [Love Less] . . «© «. . 20 
§ 3. The Old Ritual. See notes, p. 466. 3 

3 Hava-mal—The High One’s Lesson[Havam.] . . . 23 
, _ Fragments of a Spell Song [Spell S.] . ’ : ¢ ‘ 29 
§ 4. Old Heroic Teaching. See notes, p. 469. 

a — The Old Play of the Wolsungs [O. W®P1.] pe: 30 


vi CONTENTS. 


§ 5. The Oldest Epics. See notes, p. 472. 
Atla-kvida in Groenlenzka—The Old Lay of Atli [Akv.] 


Hambdis-mal—The Old Lay of Hamtheow [Hamé.] 
Lay of Theodrick the Goth. ‘ ‘ ; ; 


BOOK II. EARLIEST WESTERN POEMS. 


§1. Didactic Mythology. See notes, p. 478. 
Vafprudnis-mal—The Lesson of Wafthrudni [Vpm.] 
Grimnis-mal—The Sayings of the Hooded One [Grimn.] 


Mnemonic Verses relating to Mythology : ° 
Alviss-mal—The Wisdom of Allwise the Dwarf [Alvm.} 
King Heidrek’s Riddles [Riddles] . ; é z 


The Lay of Swipday and Menglad [Swipd. Mi] 

§ 2. The Western Islands’ Aristophanes. See notes, p. 486. 
Loka-senna—The Flyting of Loki [Lokas., Ls.]_ . . 
The Lay of Skirni—Skirvis-mal_ . ‘ ; 
Harbards-lidd—The Lay of Hoarbeard [Harb] 
The Flyting of Ivar and Woden [Flyt. Iv.] 

§ 3. Mythic Fragments. See notes, p. 489. 


Fragments of lost Mythological Poems—Heimdallar-galdr— 
Lays of Niord and Skadi—Balder—Thor and Garfred, etc. 


BOOK III. EARLY WESTERN EPICS. 


§ 1. The Helgi Poet. See notes, p. 489, and introd., p. cxxx. 
The Hete1 Triocy— 
Helgi and Sigrin. First Helga-kviéa [Helgi 4 
Helgi and Swava [Helgi ii] . 
Helgi and Kara—Karo-lidé [Helgi an ‘ i 


Volsunga-kvida in Forna—Old Tale of the Wolsungs [Volsky.] 


Helgi and Sigran (fragment) [Helgi i. b.] ; ‘ 
, Lay of Atli and Rimegerd the Giantess [Rimeg.] 
The Western Wolsung-Lay [W. W. L.] . 
Hialmar’s Death-Song [Hialm. D.] 
he Waking of Angantheow [Wak.] 
§ 2. The Ballad Poet. See notes, p. 496. 
The Lay of Weyland [Volskv.] , 
pryms-kvida—The Lay of Thrym [pkyv., bom, ] 
Balder’s Doom [Doom] . : 
Grotta-songr—The Mill-Song [Grott.] é , 
Biarka-mal in Forno—The Old Lay of Biarki iia). 
Fragments of a Lost Lay of Rolf Kraki . 
Fragment of Hildibrand’s Lost Lay 
§ 3. The Sibyl’s Poet. See notes, vol. ii, p. 642. 
Volo-Spa—The Sibyl’s Prophecy [Vsp.]} 
See Reconstructed Text, vol. ii, p. 621. 
: See also Short Wolospa [Sh. Vsp.], vol. ii, p. 629. 


131 
144 
148 
150 
151 
151 
155 
159 
163 


168 
175 
181 


184 
188 


190 


Tg9e 


192 








A 


CONTENTS. vii 





§ 4. The Christian Poet. See notes, p. 508, PAGE 
Sdélar-li63—The Sun-song [Sol.] . ‘ : : ; . 202 
The Christian’s Wisdom (Chr. W.] : 2 ; ‘ eee | | 


. BOOK IV. EARLY HISTORIC POEMS, 
§ 1. The Hymi Poet. See notes, pp. 511-514, and introd., p. xx. 
Hymis-kvida—Lay of Hymi[Hym.] . ; ‘ ‘ . 219 
§ 2. Genealogical Lays. See notes, vol. ii, p. 515, and vol. i, p. 514. 
Hyndlo-lidé and Volo-spa in Skamma—Lay of Hyndla [Hyndl.] 
For Reconstruction of Hyndla’s Lay, see vol. ii, pp.515-517. 
For Reconstruction of Short Wolospa [an Or ae 
poem], see vol. ii, p. 629. ; » 8485 
Rigs-pula—The Lay of Righ [Rigsm.} See neti, “ whe . 234 
Ynglinga-tal—The Generations of the Ynglings [Yt., Yngl.] . 242 ——= 
For Ynglinga-tal, restored, see vol. ii, p. 655. See also 
notes, vol. i, p. 520. 
Haleygja-tal—The Generations of the ey Earls lpia ], cp. 
vol. ii, ExcursusIV_. 251i 
For Haleygja-tal, pateenit see vai ii, p. 657. 
§ 3. Barly Encomia. See notes, p. 529. 


Zz SS es eee ae eee ke ee ee ee ee 
. ere r* . ~ 4 a = Pox Pr 


Hornklofi’s Raven-song [Hornkl.] . ‘ ; . 254 

Eiriks-mal—The Dirge of King Eric [Eirm. + A 259 

Hakonar-mal—The Dirge of Hakon Atthelstan’s F ilo 
[Hakm.] . ‘ ; : . : . 262 

Egil Skallagrimsson. See elk p- iat 

H6fud-lausn—The Head-ransom Bie - se ot Je 

Arinbiorn’s Lay [Ad.] . ‘ : ; , Re 2 | 

Sona-torrek—The Sons’ Wreck [Sonat] : . 276 


For Reconstruction of Sona-torrek, see pp. 62 thal 
Sigtryge’s Poet. See notes, p. 553. 
Darradar-lid6j—The Layof Darts[Darr.}] . . . . 28% 
BOOK V. THE LATEST EPICS. 
Sigfred’s Ballad Poet. See notes, p. 556. 





| The Lay of Gripi [Grip.]} P PaO. alc share 

. The Brunhild Poet. See notes, p. ses. 
The Long Lay of Brunhild [L.B.L.] . ; , - 293 
Fragment of a Short Brunhild Lay [Short Brunh, # > Rae: - 306 
Oddrinar-gratr—Lamentation of Ordrun [Oddr.] . : - 309 
Fragments from Lost Lays ofthe Lacuna . : ‘ |. he 


The Gudrun Poet. See notes, p. 559. 
Gudrinar-kvida in Forna—The Old Lay of Gudrun Be G. se: 315 
The Ordeal of Gudrun [Ord.] . ee ei 332 
Guérinar-kvida—The Tale of Gudrun [Gkv.]} Viti oe 2 aie 
Treg-r6f Guérinar—Gudrun’s Chain of Woe [Tregr.] . . 328 
The Atli Poet. See notes, p, 562. 
Atla-mal in Groenlenzko—The Greenland ‘cin of Atli sa ; 331 
Fragment of an Atli Lay Hd SEF on ee 347 





Vili CONTENTS. 


§ 5. The Huns’ Cycle. See notes, p. 565. 
Hlod and Angantheow’s Lay [Hlod and Ang.]_ . 
Fragment of an Angantheow Lay . ; ; ; 
§ 6. Heroic Muster Rolls. See notes, p. 567. 


Fragment of a Starkad Lay . ‘ ‘ ‘ 
BOOK VI. SCHOLIA. 
§ 1. Ditties. 
_ Mythical, Ghosts, Dreams 
Historical and Anecdotic : ; : ‘ 
Epigrammatic : ° 


Ditties on Runic ae 5 in ander and coway 


§ 2. Torf-Einar Metre. 
Wicking Songs [Wick. Cp. ix. 2, § 6, 7] 
APPENDIX TO VOL. I. 
A. Duplicate or Double Texts : 
B. Extracts of Songs from Saxo Crsbinintions, 
C. The Lost Lays of the Lacuna ee from the Welvanans 
Paraphrase ; : ‘ ; 


ADDENDA : ; é : 5 : . : 


EXCURSUS. 


I, BELIEFS AND WORSHIP.OF THE ANCIENT NORTHMEN. 
The Temple and Sacrifice—Sortilege, Divination — Ancestor 
Worship—Vows and Oaths—Demoniacal Possession—The 
Calendar . : : . ‘ ‘ . . . . 


Il, ON THE NORTHERN AND OLD TEUTONIC METRES. 

Definition and Notation—The Czdmonian or Old Long Line— 
Dialogue-metre—Western or Helgi Poets’ or Cynewolf’s Short 
Epic-metre—Northern or Ynglinga Short Epic-metre—Turf- 
Einar-metre—Krakomal-line—The Line of Bragi—The Regular 
Court-metre—The LEight-measured Court-metre—Four-mea- 
sured .Court-metres of Thormod and of Sighvat—Spondaic 
Shiver-metre — Echo-metre — Docked-metres — End-rhyme — 
Burdens—The Drapa or Encomium—The Flokk or Ode—The 
Stal or ee ee wre or Fa fetus in its Metrical 


aspect . . : . : . . ‘ 
NOTES to text of the Zddic Poems * é 
Nores on Battap Portry 4 < ‘ ‘ . 
SoNA-TORREK RECONSTRUCTED . , - 
Note on Runes, Tune-stone, Runes 9, ff . ; 3 ‘ * 
Mythic Poetical Gradus (cp. vol. ii, p. 618) 
Errata. ° ° : ‘ F ‘ ‘ - : 


401 


432 
459 
501 
544 
572 
574 
576 








CONTENTS, ix 


VOLUME II. COURT POEMS. 


BOOK VII. HEATHEN POETRY IN COURT-METRE. 


PAGE 
§ 1. Mythical Court Poems. Shield Song type (10th century). See 
notes, p. 563. 
Bragi’s Shield-Lay (Ragnars-drapa) [Bragi] . ; 2 
Thiodwolf’s Haust-long— Harvest Lay or et Hast 9 
Eilif Gudrunsson’s pors-drapa [pd.] , ; 17 
» . LayonChrist . ; ae 
Ulf Uggason’s Hius-drapa (The Lay of the Hiowtel [Husd.] aoe | 
Mythical Fragments in Court-metre, by Olvi Hnufa, Eystein 
Valdason, Vetrlidi, porbiorn Disar-skald, Gamli (all on 
Thor, fragments). . ‘ : ; ao os ae 
§ 2. Royal Court Poems (before a.p. 970). See notes, p. 6s, 
Hornklofi’s Glym-drapa . ; ’ : ¥ . . tae 
Guthorm Sindri’s Hakonar-drapa . , : ; ile’ ee 
Cormac Ogmundsson’s Sigroedar-drapa (Korm. ‘ a 
Eywind’s Improvisations ; . = an 
The Sons of Gundhild and their Poets (A.D. 910-976) 
Glum Geirason’s Grafeldar-drapa . .  . ‘ on 
Earl Hakon’s Poets (976-995). 
Einarr Skalaglam’s Vellekla, ox Lack Lucre [Vell.] ; ea 
” Fragments ofa later Drapa_. : a 
Tindr Hallkelsson ‘ , . P j : ‘ : - 49 
porleifr Raudfeldarson . ‘ , “ . , : ox Ba 
porolfr Muér . 7 : ‘ ‘ ‘ . ‘ : <= oe 
Eilifr . : ; : ‘ ; ; Se 
Eyiolfr Dada-skald’s Bandia-tedichh : : Se, ‘ bie) 
§ 3. Poems of Incident (before a.p. 1000). See notes, p. 570. 
Satlor Poets. 
Hafgerdinga-drapa, or Seawalls’ Song. ere a s Abas 
Svein’s Nordseta-drapa (Norset Song) . . .  . - 54 
Snzebiorn . . : F ‘ . ° : Figeee F 
Ormr Raineyjar-ekald é ‘ : ‘ ‘ ’ ; ee 
Icelandic Poets. 
Hromund and his Sons . ‘ r _ ° ‘ cee 
Thorarin the Black’s Méhlidinga-visor ; ; ‘ ‘ a BY 
Ord (Oddr) and the Sons of Hialti—Illuga-drapa . : ot? ae 
Volo-Stein’s Ogmundar-drdpa. . . « « . . 62 
Steinpdérr ; ; . : : : ° ‘ : ia 


SE alt Ty br ae been, ane eC en 





x CONTENTS. 


§ 4. Improvisations. See notes, P- 573- _ PAGE 
Cormak’s Stray Verses . ; : : : ; ‘ ily 
Holmgongo-Bersi_ . : 3 : ; pty : _: on 
Egil’s Improvisations. 8 - . es, 
Viga-Glum and his Fellows Crs, Viet : : : a 
Havarér Halti , ee SP La 
Satires by Icelanders. ; : a re a ‘ ae 


BOOK VIII. CHRISTIAN COURT POETRY. 


; §1. Olaf Tryggwason (995-1001). See notes, p. 574. 
a 3 “Hallfredr Vandrzeda-scald : 

1. Olafs-drapa, or Olaf’s Dirge mane ey ead - ge 

2. The Older Praise of Olaf . : 3 es 

3. On Earl Rognwald (or Earl Hakon on. ; + 

4. On EarlEric . ° , ee : . 96 

5. Improvisations . R petit . ; gras : 

Earl Eric Hakonsson (1000-1014). seg 

Bialiddes Ousiaiek eo) 5 Se A |. ae 

Skuli porsteinsson . : : ; : 3 ‘ é .' 102 

ra Thorrodr Kolbeinsson : : Ree 

1. Eireks-drapa ‘ . nis) a eee - 1a 

2. Dirgeon Gunlaug .. ‘ ‘ fcikoe . 166 ae 


3. Lausa-visor oct iat. glace Anke ee 
The Lithsmen’s Song. ne 
Biorn the Hitdale Champion (NiBvisa, Grémage-fim) +i oe 
Gunlaug Snakestongue : 


1. Praise on Aithelred . : a ten ie OS ee 

2. Praise on Sigtryg, King of Dublin . . -. «| III < 

3. Improvisations . : F : . : . Ili 
Hrafn Onundarson (Skald-Hrafn) : « ‘ ; A . tt 
Gretti the Strong . : F F rm te ‘ o.) EE 
Gestr porhallason . ° : é : ° . . Se 
porm6ér Trefilsson’s ae : Cy hae So ha 
Skapti péroddsson’s Kristz-drapa . 2 : r : . Ty 
§ 2. St. Olaf and Cnut (1015-1040). See notes, p. 579. ay 
Sighvat the Poet: Sal 
1. The First. Praise of Olaf [Sighvati] . . . .. 124. 

2.. Nesja-visor [Sigh. ii] . ‘ ; on. tase | 

3. Austrfarar-visor, or Eastern Travel Verses [Sigh. iii] . 129 

_ 4. Vestrfarar-visor, 07 Western Travel Verses [Sigh. iv] . 133 

5. Tog-drapa, or Stretch-Song on King Caut [Sigh. vy] . 135 

6. Dirge on Erling [Sigh. vi] . ; ee 

7. Olafs Drépa—Olaf’s Dirge [Sigh. vii} Se 

8. Pilgrimage, etc. (Sigh. viii] se 

g. Magnus and Anstrid [Sigh. ix] . : . 144 

10, Bersoglis-visor—The Plain-speaking Vdiad [Sigh. x) 14 

11, Lauta-vigor (Sigh: xi}... Se ke 








7 
‘ 
4) » 
4 

’ 


er > 


CONTENTS. 


Othere the Black (Ottarr Svarti) : 


x 
2. 
3- 
4: 


H6fud-lausn, on St. Olaf 
Knitz-drapa 

On Olaf the King of Swedes 
Improvisations 


Thorarinn Praisetongue (Lattenguys 


I. 


Tog-drapa, on King Cnut . 
H6fud-lausn (Head- -ransom), on King Cnut 


2 

3. Glelogns-kvida—Shrine Song 
Hallvard Hareks-blesi’s Knutz-drapa 
Biarni Gullbra’s Kalfs-flokkr . ‘ : : 
pordér Sidreksson ; 


I. 


2. 
3 


Rdda-drapa—The Road Song. ‘ 
On Thoralf Skolmsson , : 
An unknown Song 


Gizur Gullbrarskald [Goldbrow’s Poet] « 
Skald-Refr : 


I. 
2. 


3 
4: 


On Thorstein Egilsson? . 
Dirge on Gizur Gullbrar-skald 
Of a Voyage ‘ 
Riddle 


Minor Fragments of the age ie St. Olaf: 
Bersi Skald-Torfoson (on St. Olaf and on Klong) 
Iokull Bardarson ° , ; . 
Harekr or pidtto 
The Poets at Stiklastad 
Bryniolfr Ulfaldi . 
Skald-Helgi ‘ ‘ : 
Tryggva-flokkr : Meas ie ; 
Olafr Helgi : 
pormdér Relbrinanskald teoulbrens Poet) 


§ 3. The Court Poetry of Magnus and Harold Hardrede (the Orkney 
Earls, Sweyn Estrithsson), (1040-1070), See notes, p. 592. 


Arnorr Iarla-skald (Earls’ Poet) : 


I. 
. Magnus-drapa [Arnor ii] 

. Praise of Harold [Arnor iii] 

. Erfi-drapa on King Harold [Amor iv] 

. Rognvaldz-drapa (Earl of Orkney) [Arnor v} 
. porfinnz-drapa (Earl of Orkney) [Amor vi]. 
. Dirge on Hermund [Arnor vii] . 

. Dirge on Gelli [Armor viii] . 


cosr AM Rh WwW Wb 


Hrynhenda [Arnor i] . 


9: Improvisations [Arnor ix] . 
piodolfr Arnorsson : 


I. 
2. 


3: 


Magnus-flokkr [Thiod. i] 
Visor [Thiod. ii] : 
Sex-stefja—Six Stave, on Kins Harold [T bisa. iii) 


xI 


PAGE 
152 
155 
157 
157 


159 
160 
160 
161 
163 


165 
165 
166 
166 


166 
167 
167 
168 


169 
170 
170 
170 
171 
171 
171 
172 
172 


186 


IgI 
192 
193 
194 


xii CONTENTS. 


4-9. Visor and Improvisations [Thiod. iv-ix] . 


10. Rimhenda on Harold [Thiod. x] 


113 Comic Improvisations [Thiod. xi] 


Oddr Kikina-skaid . 

Bolverkr . 

Valgarér a4 Velli 

Tilugi Bryndola-skald 
- Grani the Poet 

porarinn Skeggjason 


. 


Sneeglo-Halli, ov Halli Stridi . ; 


porleik Fagri’s Flokk on King Sweyn 


Stuf the Blind’s Stufa on King Harold . 


Steinn Herdisarson: 
1. Nizar visor . 
2. Olafs-drapa . 


porkell Skallason’s Valbid(-flokkr es Waltheow) 


Haraldz-stikki 


» 


Occastonal Verses and Taapeowtsasien: 


King Harold Hardrede: 


1. Mansongr 
2. Lausa-visor. 


3. King, Thiodolf, and Fisher . 


Ulfr Stallari 


§ 4. King Eric the Good of Cina ena itébiihe Rareten poe 
his Sons (1093-1130). See notes, p. 598. 


Markus Skeggjason : 


1. Hrynhenda, oy Eiriks-drapa Haass, 


2. On St. Knut 
3. Christ-drapa 
4. Of a Voyage 
5. Some Libel . 
Gisl Illugisson 
Biorn Kreppil-hendi 
Thorkell Hamar-skald 


Stray Verses (Anon., King Magnus, the N orman Knight ‘King 


and Kali) 
Hallddérr Skvaldri . 
porvaldr Bléndo-skaid 
Thorarinn Stuttfeld 


Einarr Sciilason’s Siguréar-drapa 

§ 5. The Gilchrist Family and Later Kings (the Gillung Court 
Poets), (1130-1200). See notes, p. 600, 

Ivarr Ingimundarson’s ee [Ivar] 


Halidérr Skvaldri . 


Einarr Sculason [Einar]: 


1. Tog-drapa . 
2. Haraldz-drapa 


° 


e 


. 


6 


° 


. 


~ 


° 





CONTENTS. 

3. Eysteins-drapa Rimhend 

4. Praise on Four Brothers 

5. Dirge on Sigurd . 

6. Fragments . . 

7. Elvar-visor on Gregorius 

8. Lay on an Axe 

g. Love-song . . . 
Bodvarr Halti. eRe er ty Te 
Kolli Pridi_. nile pe Sim ‘ 
porbiérn Skakka-skald 
Asgrimr Ketilsson . , 


Styrkarr Oddason ‘ 
Kleengr Biskop . . : 


Occasional Verses (Earl Rognwald, ‘Binar Sealason, ets) 
§ 6. Twelfth-century Poems on Past Events. 


Geisli, by Einar Sculason [Geisli] 
Hallar Steinarr : 
1. Rek-stefja [Rekst.]  . 
2. A Love-song 
3. On Skald-Helgi . 


Iomsyikinga-drapa, by Bishop Biarni of re Fscaseee) 


. 


See notes, p. 602. 


Bua-drapa . 

haiti is Ceiealcgy of the ee ae Norway (Kont 7 , pe 
vol. ii, Excursus IV ° . 

Odd-midér 


§ 7. Scraps of Court Poster. ‘See nok: Pp. aN 


Eilifr Kulna-Sveinn 


Unclassed Fragments and Rooseite (Mythical, “Historical, 


Satirical, Legendary) 


Verses of the Saga Editors (Gisli race: ete.) (Gisli] . 


BOOK IX. EPIGONIC POETRY. 


§ 1. The Ragnar Cycle. See notes, p. 606, 
Kraku-mal [Krak. and Krakom.] . 


Ragnar Lodbrok, Anslaug, and Ragnar’s Sotts . 


Last Fragments : 


I, 2. From Flatey-bok and Arrow-Ord’s Saga . 


3. From Fridtheow’s Saga 
4. From Wiglund’s Saga. 
5. The Giantess and the Fisherman 


6, 7. From Ragnar’s Saga and Half’s Saga, see ia Bk. vi, $a 


8. From Gautrick’s Saga. 
9-11. From Rolf Kraki’s Saga 
12. From Bard’s Saga 
§ 2. Proverbs and Saws. See notes, p. 607. 
The Proverb-Poem [Malsh.] . 
The Song of the Runes [Run.] 





Xiv CONTENTS. 


BOOK X. MEDIZZVAL AND BOOK POETRY. 


§ 1. Merlinus Spa—The Prophecy of Merlin, by Gunlaug the 
Benedictine, c. 1200. [Merl.] See notes, p. 608 . : . oa 


§ 2. Last Poems in Old Metre. See notes, p. 609. 


Volsa-foersla : ; ‘ : . . e . - 381 
Grettis-foersla : 382 
Skaufhala-bolkr, by Einar Fostri (The Life of ofReynard[Skauf h. ] 383 
The Fairy Metre and its uSe . : : . 384 


§ 3. Danz ok Visor. . 
1. Icelandic Danz (Ballad), Fragments and Refrains ‘ . a8 


2. Faroic ‘ Vuigengur’ or Burdens . so reat Saas > ee 
§ 4. Rimur. See notes, p. 610. 

Olafs-Rima, by Einar Gilsson,c.1360 [OL RJ] . ~. «. 393 

Skida-Rima, by Einar Fostri, c. 1450 [Skid.] {a 

One Hundred Icelandic Rhyme-Ditties . : . ; - 408 
§ 5. Index Poems. See notes, p. 612. . a 


1. Islendinga-drapa, by Hauk Valdisarson . . : - 419 
2. porkell Elvara-skald . ‘ FF Nireg Leia tly ; .. 
3- pormdér Olafsson . eile te Te ee eee . 431 
4. By an unknown Author . ; , ; . H - aa 
§ 6. Thulor, or Rhymed Glossaries. See notes, p. 613. 
I. Mythical, Personal: - 


Sea Kings, Kings, Dwarves, Giants, Giantesses, Woden, 
Sons of Woden, Names of the Anses, Goddesses, 
Names of Freyja, Walkyries, Women, Men, Company, B 
Kindred, Household, Battle, Weapons, Swords, Parts Ci 
of the Sword, Axe, Spear, Arrows, Bow, Shield, Hel- 
met, Coat of Mail ‘ ; : i ; : . | $23: 

II. Physical: 

Water, the Sea, Rivers uae ), Fishes, Whales, Ships, 
Parts of a Ship; Zarth, Trees and Plants; Animals, 
Oxen, Cow, Ram, He-goat, She-goat, Bear, Stag, Boar, 
Wolf; the, Heavens, Sun, Moon, Day and Night, the 
Heavens (repeated), Wind and Water, Fire; Serpents, 
Horses, Hawk, Raven, Cock, Eagle, Birds . , - 430 


III. Sundries: 
Goddesses again, Mind and Heart; the Fox, the Hand, 
the Walkyrjas; Isles (geogr.), Friths; Seeds, Numbers 437 
APPENDIX.—Thulor in Court-metre. ‘ ‘ ; - 440 
§ 7. Skalda-tal . . ° ‘ : . : ‘ ° . - 442 





CONTENTS. 


EXCURSUS. 


I. ON THE FicuRES AND METAPHORS (Kenningar) OF OLD NorTH- 


ERN POETRY, WITH SOME REFERENCE TO THE ANCIENT 
LirE, THOUGHT, AND BELIEF AS EMBODIED THEREIN 


Physical. 


The Body—The Breast, Heart, Head, Brains, Mind, Eye, 
Tears, Eyelashes, Eyebrows, Mouth, Teeth, Tongue, Hair, 
Comb, Beard, Ears; Limbs; Hands and Arms, ta 
Back, Feet, Toes, Claws 

The Home—House, Bed, Drinking-hall, Pillars, Window, Dir, 
Hearth, Fire, Cauldron, Horn or Cup, Ale, Wine, Mill, Grain . 

Beasts—Oxen, Goat, Horse, Bridle . 

Land—Earth, Wood, Desert, Hart, Wolf, Fox, Mouse, eibike: 
Osprey, Cock 

Tools—Hammer, Smith’s Pediat: Woof, a: Fy for, 
Walking-staff, Gallows, Halter, Hanged ; 

Sky and Water and Seasons—Heavens, Wind, Clouds, ‘Rain. 
bow, Hail, Rain, Calm, Sun, Moon, Night, Summer, Winter, 
Autumn . 

Sea and Ships—Sea, Wares ton Roaks sia Stowe; Pearls sind 
Gems, Caves and Caverns, Coast ; Ship, Sail, Anchor, Oars, 
Fishing-line, Hook, Herring, Porpoises ° : 


. Mythological. 


Woden—The Sun his Eye, Walhall, Anses, Einherjar, the Wal- 
kyries, the Earth, Gallows . ‘ : ; : ‘ 

Poetry—The Poet . 

Thor—The Hammer, Earth, Giant Bciicid. Giant Thiazi, 
Giantess Skadi, Constellations, Giant Garfred, Giant Thrym, 
Thialvi 

Minor Gods—Heimdall, Ficy, Gerdr, Skadi, Freyja, Frigg, 
Balder, Hod, Bragi 

The Giants—Giantesses, Dwarves Seman: Evil Ghosts, Cairns 

Cosmogonic Beings—Chaos-Giant Ymi, Soma-Giants, Frost- 
Giants, Rock-Giants, Mud-Giants, Prometheus, Giant Oke- 
anos, the Sea Ogress, the Okeanid Billows, the Wind-Giant, 
Chaos, the Deep, the Pit, Night, Day, Winter, the Sun, the 
Powers, the Norns, Heavenly Abodes, Fays : 

The Demons—Loki, Hell, Hell’s Abodes, the Wolf, the Serpents 
the Dragon, the Demon World Destroyers, the Crack of Doom 


§ 3. Political. 


The Family—Man and Woman—King and Folk ° 

War, Weapons, Gold—Battle, Sword, Spear, Axe,, Arrows, 
Shield, Helmet, Mail-coat, a Wolf’s or Bear’s Coat, Wound, 
Blood, Carrion, Raven and Eagle, Wolves; Gold, Gems 

Christian Synonyms—Christ, the Pope, ete. [see p. 711] 


XV 


PAGE 


447 


450 


453 
456 


456 
456 
457 


457 


463 


xvi ? CONTENTS. 


II. ON CHRONOLOGY _. R ‘ 


Ill. TRACE oF OLD HEROIC TEUTONIC SONGS TO BE FOUND IN THE 
IsLENDINGA SOGUR AND IN OTHER TALES, 

Grettis Saga and Beowulf—Vatzdola and the Lay of Aélfwine’s 
Youth—Niala and the Lay of Egil—Gunlaug’s Saga and 
Waltharii Poema—Laxdola and the Lays of Brunhild and 
Hamtheow—Widukind’s Treason of Iring and Hlod’s Lay. 
[Cp. also Hymiskvida and Fereyinga Saga, vol. i, p. 511—Gisli 
and Karoliod, vol. ii, p. ata ae and — the ee 
vol, i, p. cxxx] ‘ ‘ 


IV. THE CREATION MyTH AND THE NORTHERN GENEALOGIES IN 
Hynp.ia’s Lay. 

Divine origin of Kings—Etymon of Edda and Anse—Recon- 

struction of Lay or Hynpta—Paraphrase of Hyndla’s Lay— 

Langfeéga-tal ‘ 7 : ‘ : : ‘ . ‘ 


APPENDIX.—IceLanpic Texts of the Prose Pieces from R—Wolsunga 
 Paraphrase of the Lacuna Lays—Hamtheow Story from Edda—Para- 
phrase List of Synonyms—Glosses from AM. 748 (Hall of Hell) 
Spurious Pieces of Epic Poetry from the late Mythical aac : . 
Appendage to Introduction . : ’ : ; . : 


NOTES to text of the Court Poems ° 
Appendage to the Notes—A Brief Poetical Units of the Twelfth 
Century (MSS. Arna-Magn. 748, 757) . 
Wotospa ReconstRucTED.—THE Lone Sipyt 102s Sica Sure 
Lay—Extracts from Edda, Paraphrases based on the Sibyl Songs, 
etc, . : pitas ° : : : . : . 
Final Readings to vol. ii ; : ‘ : : ; ‘ : ‘ 
List of Abbreviations . ‘ : : ; ; , : 


INDEX I.—MYTHICAL. 
1. Myrnotogic, 2. Heroic, 3. GEOGRAPHIC. . 


INDEX IIl.—HISTORICAL, 
I. PERSONS. 2. PLACES . ‘ . < 5, ‘i ; , 5 


INDEX III.—SUBJECTS. 
1, Pumotogicat. 2. Porricat. 3. Criricat, 4, AUTHORITIES, 
5. Curonotocy, 6. Hisrory, 7. Law. 8, War anp Sz Lire, 
g. HouszHotp, 10, HEATHEN RELIGIon, 11, CuRisTiAN RELIGION. 


12. PRovERBS ° * . ‘ ‘ " : ‘ ‘ ° 
Islands . : ° . . : A ‘ ‘ ; ‘ A ‘ 
Aftermath . é . . . ‘ ‘ . ‘ * . 
Addenda and Corrigenda to Excursus I “ ma Sine 
Errata . ; : n . . ; P ; . 


5or 


5°9 


INTRODUCTION. 


§ 1, DECADENCE OF OLD LEARNING. 


It has been long taken for granted that Iceland is and has been 
a land of antiquaries, a place where the old traditions, nay more, the 
old poems and myths of the Teutons have lingered on unbroken; and 
glowing phrases have painted its people as a Don Quixote of nations 
ever dreaming over the glorious reminiscences of the gods and heroes. 
It is to the credit of the Icelanders as a living people that it is not so. 
Yet such, if he had formulated his creed, would have been the Editor’s 
belief before he began to look for himself, some twenty years ago, into 
the state of literature and literary tradition in the middle ages and the 
post-reformation days of Iceland. In the Arna-Magnzan Collection, a 
vast congeries of all kinds of documents bearing on the subject, 
memoranda, letters, vellums, fragments of vellums, and paper-copies of 
vellums, there exists ample material for getting at some notion of the 
true state of the case. It was while working at this collection, making 
careful statistics of these vellums and the vellum fragments representing 
lost vellums, that the opinions now set forth forced themselves bit by 
bit upon the Editor. The following results came out from a minute © 
enquiry into the state of the MSS. of the classical literature—the Sagas 
touching Iceland, the Kings’ Lives, the Older Bishops’ Lives, etc. 

After the fall of the Commonwealth, in 1281, throughout the next 
ensuing century, there was a great activity for collecting and copying 
the historical literature of the past. By far the greater portion of the 
Sagas have gone down in fourteenth-century MSS., some of which 
are in fact great collections of Sagas. This contained the great 
collections such as Sturlunga A and B, Hulda, AM. 61, Flatey-book, 
Waterhorn-book, Berg’s-book, which all belong to this epoch, as do also 
Cod. Wormianus, the Stiorn vellums, Hawk’s-book. It was in fact 
an age in which a marked amount of curiosity was taken by the 
survivors of the old families as to the history of the past. The great 
vellums speak, though no other records are left, for this was an 
unproductive though appreciative age. But that the public taste was 
far otherwise set during the next hundred years is proved by the 
rapid fall in the number of copies of classic works. Thus, as regards 
the number of vellums, the fifteenth century staffs to the fourteenth 
in a ratio of 1 to 3 or even 4. Not that writing or copying had 


b 
‘9 


XViii INTRODUCTION. 


ceased, there are still many vellums, but they contain Sagas on sub- 
jects taken mostly from foreign or fictitious romances, or Skrék-Ségur 
[pseudo-Sagas] or Saints’ Lives or the like. The end of the fifteenth 
and the beginning of the sixteenth are mainly marked by ‘ Rimur,’ and 
poems on saints in a cloister style, with a stray true Saga vellum now 
and then. At last we reach a period (1530-1630) of which hardly any 
Saga MSS. exist: no single copy taken of Landnama, or Edda, or 
Sturlunga, or Laxdzla, one transcript of Niala perhaps, and some stray 
antiquarian scraps. 

In fact, after careful examination, we cannot point to any classic 
which had kept its place in popular favour or popular remembrance. 
For instance, has a fifteenth-century Rimur-maker to give a list of 
luckless lovers or gallant and unfortunate heroes (a favourite topic 
which at once set forth the wide knowledge of the poet and whetted 
the hearer’s hunger for another song), what does he do? Of course 
he turns to the woe of Gudrun, the proud sorrow of Brunhild, 
the devotion of Sigrun and Cara, the gallantry of Helgi! Not 
at all, he never mentions their names. Then he speaks of Nial 
and Gunnar, Egil, of Skarphedin, Kiartan, of Gretti! Not a whit 
more. The only Icelanders whom he remembers are Poet-Helgi and 
Gunlaug Snake’s-tongue. But he grieves for the grief of Tristram 
and Isolt, of Alexander and Helen, of Hector and Iwain, of Gawain 
and Roland, and of the heroes of a score of imaginary stories. Our 
friend Dr. Kélbing, who has collected passages! where such lists occur 
in his Beytraige (Breslau 1876), has been kind enough to send us a 
copy of the unpublished Kappa-kvedi, composed by a West Icelander 
c. 1500, from which we have extracted the following typical list: 
Hector, David, Mirmant, Karlamagnus, Otwel, Balan, Rolland, Walter, 
Bering, Errek, Ivent, Floris, Gibbon, Philpo, Tristram, Partalopi, 
Remund, Konrad, Asmund, Mafus (Maugis), Clares, Alanus, Florens, 
Belus, Landres, Herman, Iarlman, Victor and Blaus, Anund . and 
Randwe, Saulus, Anchises, Ahel, Helgi, Hogni, Hialmar, Arrow-OQdd, 
Anganty,.[llugi, An, Thori Highleg, Vilmund, Solli, Hagbard, Skald- 
Helgi, Finnbogi, Thorstan Bejar-magn, Einar, Elling, Bui Digri, 
Vagn, Ref, Oddgeir, the two Olafs, Harald, Ring, Ulf the Red. 

Of all Islendinga Sagas Niala has been most copied: counting every 
strip of vellum which once formed part of a manuscript, we shall find 
out of some fifteen MSS., one of the thirteenth century, ten of the four- 
teenth, three of the fifteenth, and one of the sixteenth: This Saga was 





1 Compare the list of heroes from Skida-rima, ii. p. 396; and the following from 
Hialmtheow’s Rimur (fifteenth century)—Arthur and Elida, Tristram and Ysolt, 
Hogni and Hedin, Philotemia, Ring and Tryggwi, Iwain, Alexander and Elene, 
David and Absalom ; ‘from Gerard’s Rimur (fifteenth century)—-Priamus, Mirman, 
Iwain, Flores and Blanchefleur, Samson and Dalila, Sérli, Earl Roland ; from Heming’s 
Rimur (fifteenth ‘century)—Godwine, Sérli, Parthenope, Raven and Gunlaug, Poet- 


Helgi, Tristram and Ysolt.. For Gunnar and Hallgerd, or Gudrun and Kiartan, we 
look in vain, 





DECADENCE OF OLD LEARNING. xix 


perhaps never utterly forgotten, though of a certain but little read. More 
statistics on this head are given in Prolegomena, where the history of the 
literature is more fully treated than suits our present purpose. The 
facts are however clear enough, that the taste of the times had 
completely changed by the year 1500, that there was neither interest 
in nor remembrance of the old life and old literature. This ignorance 
even went so far that the very constitution of the Commonwealth was 
forgotten, and it was the law of St. Olaf, not the law of Skafti or 
Wolfliot (whose names were clean perished from the popular mind), 
which had now become the ideal of the Icelandic patriot. 

The English trade and the change of physical circumstances may 
have something to do with this rapid but complete oblivion of things 
past, this absolute neglect of history and tradition. To the Icelander 
of the sixteenth century, even the fifteenth century was a mythical, 
semi-fabulous age ; Lady Olof, Biorn her husband (d. 1467), the feuds 
with the English traders, were as legendary to them as Nial had once 
been to the twelfth-century Icelander. The pedigrees go no higher up. 
The Saga tide is not even seen looming behind. The legend of Semund 
Frodi as Virgilius, is the work of the Renaissance, grown from the 
story in Bp. John’s Saga. The difference between new and old was 
still more marked by the Reformation, which cut the last link that 
_ bound Iceland to the past—the Old Church. The change which about 
the same time affected the tongue itself is but an outward token of 
a deep and real: phenomenon. 

And now the tide begins to turn. About the last ten years of the 
sixteenth century we notice symptoms of a Renaissance, the impulse 
for which came from abroad. There are only two marks of xzative 
interest in these matters, one provoked-by the re-discovery of Landnama- 
bok, the other by the knowledge of the single vellum of Hungrvaka. 
The influence of the former is shown in the pedigrees compiled by 
Odd, Bishop of Scalholt 1589-1630, in his earlier years, which form 
the nucleus for our information respecting the families of the last 
Catholic and first Protestant bishops’. The latter is manifested by 
the Lives of Bishops, drawn up by John Egilson, at the instance of 
Bishop Odd, who also took down the life of the last Roman Catholic 
bishop from his living grandson, in imitation of the venerable model 
which had preserved the biographies of their Hungrvaka predecessors. 
The Lives in Hungrvaka were to Bishop Odd and John Egilsson what 
Suetonius was to Einhard.- Still, though here and there there may 
have been a possibility of a revival, the real motive power was actively 
supplied from abroad. 

About 1550 there was found at Bergen a MS. vellum of the Kings’ 





1 These pedigrees, stretching back to about A.D. 1500, a few to 1459, were, 
after the re-discovery of Sturlunga, joined on by false links to the genealogies of 
Islendinga Saga, and so gave rise to the long fictitious trees of the eighteenth-century 
antiquarians, But in their pure state these sixteenthgcentury pedigrees form the 
well-spring of modern authentic family history, 


b2 


xX INTRODUCTION. 


Lives, all the great MSS. of which were (as we have noticed at length 
in Prolegomena!) in Norway. A Norwegian began to translate the 
Lives. They were published at Copenhagen in 1594, and being Lives 
of Kings, Royal interest was roused in the matter in Denmark, which led 
to the employment of Icelanders, who were better able to interpret 
documents the language of which they still spoke with little change. 


§ 2, REVIVAL—ARNGRIM THE LEARNED, ETC. 


‘The first two Icelanders who are drawn into the study of their own 
old literature are Arngrim the Learned and Biorn of Scardsa: their 
activity would extend from 1593 to 1643. To understand the cha- 
racter of the revival, of which they were the pioneers, we must put 
ourselves as far as possible back into their position, for till we have done 
so, it will be impossible to understand their views or interpret their 
statements. 

ARNGRIM JOHNSSON? was born in 1:68. He was fostered by Gudbrand, 
the pious printer-bishop, whose life-long friend and right-hand man 
he grew up to be. He was priest of Mel and officialis or coadjutor 

of the Bishop for his diocese of Holar; hence his time was passed 
- between his cure and the Bishop’s seat. He wrote four works: the 
Brevis Commentarius Islandiz, 1593, on the History of Iceland; the 
Supplementum, 1596 (which only exists in MS.), on the Lives of 
Kings; the Crymogza, 1609, a Constitutional History of Iceland; and 
Specimen Islandiz, mostly drawn from Landnama, printed 1643, 
written c. 1635. He was a correspondent of Ole Worm, the Danish 
scholar, survived his foster-father for many years, and died in 1648%. 





1 See Professor Storm’s Essay for the details. 

? He was the first Icelander who took a family name, calling himself Widalin, 
from his native place Wididale. All Icelandic Widalins, a goodly race of men, are 
descended from him. Yet he himself mostly goes by the name Arngrim, and so we 
designate him. 

3 The story of his last marriage (for he was wedded more than once) is worth a brief 
note, for Arngrim was as famous for his family as for the learning which won him 
his eke-name. After the death of his friend Gudbrand (1627) he would naturally 
have been chosen bishop, but he was set aside in favour of Thorlac, the late Bishop’s 
grandson. Arngrim did not let his disappointment weigh upon him, but, though in his 
sixtieth year, he took to himself a fair young wife, by whom he had four sons and three 
daughters. They were a long-lived race. A son of his, Gudbrand, was burnt with his 
wife, both bedridden, in his house in 1719; and there was, according to the popular 
story, heard out of the fire a ditty (which we have given, vol. ii, p. 416, No. 63); 
a late version of the Skarphedin story! But it is with Gudbrand’s sister Hilda (who 
was the mother of the most learned Icelander of the following generation, as 
she was the daughter of the best scholar of the preceding one), that one is 
chiefly inclined to linger. She died on the 25th of October, 1725 (157 years after 
her father’s birth), John Olafsson (1705-1779) was brought up at her house, and 
has pleasant gossip about her. A Hamlet story he narrates from her dictation. 

One pretty tale links her with the best man among her contemporaries, Hallgrim 
Petersson the Poet. In her youth she was staying at Bessastad with a Danish 
household as a humble companion, for her family were at that time not well off. 
Once on a time she set off with one of the Danish ladies on a journey. It was grow- 
ing dark; they had still to ride across a rough hill or heath, and so on the way they 








REVIVAL OF ICELANDIC LETTERS. xxi 


Arngrim, from his influential position and from authority conferred 
upon by the King, had the best possible means of getting at what MSS. 
and remains were within reach, and he availed himself of his op- 
portunities, so that, as he tells us, he had no less than twenty-six 
vellums in his care at one time’. It is therefore highly interesting 
for us to trace through his books what books he does not know at 
the different stages of his literary life. He never knew Sturlunga 
Saga, Islendinga-book, Bishop Arni’s Saga, Flatey-book?, all most 
important works for his peculiar study, the constitutional antiquities 
of his country. Snorri he only knows as ‘auctor Eddz,’ i.e. of the 
Gradus. Ari, as the great historian of the beginning, and Sturla as 
the chronicler of the later days of the Commonwealth, are wholly 
unknown to him. The older (Eddic) poems, of course, he was totally 
ignorant of. We must bear in mind the range of his authorities to 
judge his work fairly: considering the imperfection of the sources he 
had to work with, his books show high sagacity and good sense. 

BiORN JOHNSON OF SCARDSA was born in North Iceland 1575, and 
died blind at a high age in 1656. He betook himself to the study of 
antiquities when about fifty years old. Though a franklin and farmer, 
self-educated (he had never been to the High School, or learned 
Latin), he had a poetic imaginative turn of mind, and also, it appears, 
a force of character and enthusiasm, which led his dicta to be eagerly 





called at Saurbye, Hallgrim’s manse, to get another horse. A tall man, wearing 
peasant clothing, came out in his shirt sleeves to see to their wants. As they were 
about to ride away he beckoned the girl aside, and said to her, ‘I knew your father 
well; he was indeed a good man, Do not be disheartened at your present lowly 
estate, better things are certainly in store for you.’ With that he gave her his 
blessing and turned away. The girl rejoined the Danish lady, and as they were 
in the dark groping their way across the stony heath, the latter asked her who it 
was that spoke with her, and when told that it was the good man Priest Hallgrim, 
she was astonished at having taken so little notice of him, saying, ‘How was it 
I didn’t kuow the priest?’ on which phrase she kept harping again and again 
during the ride, The words of Hallgrim proved prophetic, Hilda made a good 
match; her son Paul Widalin became Lawman in due time; and even our book 
bears witness of him, for many of the ditties, ii. p, 408, are his—From Fokn Olafs- 
son’s autograph MS. at Copenhagen, which the Editor came across some twenty 
years ago. 

1 Arngrim—Codices et volumina nostratium, in antiquissima membrana descriptos, 
habui ad manus xxvi. et certe longe plures, lectos enim subinde possessoribus restitui.— 
Datum Holar i Hialtadal, 1597. 

2 When Arngrim wrote Supplementum and Chrymogwa, he knew the fol- 
lowing works—Landnama, Heimskringla, Great Olaf Tryggvason’s Saga with its 
Ep'sodes, Harold’s Saga as in Hulda, Knytlinga, Orkney Saga, Iomsvickinga Saga, 
Skioldunga (mythical, but a fragment, yet fuller than at present extant), the great 
vellum Vatzhyrna. Of legendary; Thorstan Oxfoot, Kroka Ref, Orm Storolfsson, 
Heming. Farther, Fagrskinna Cod, A (while in Copenhagen one should think, for 
this MS. never was in Iceland), He did not know the Flatey-book, as seen from what 
he says of the Faro Islands ;—the Pedigrees and ‘Fra Fornidti’ he would have 
got from our present Arna-Magn. 309 (a late copy of parts of the Flatey-book). 
Of Annals he would have used our present Annales Reseniani; this we conclude from 
his not mentioning Bishop Maguus’ death; those Annal® being the sole ones that 
omit that fact, 


xxii : INTRODUCTION. 


accepted by his contemporaries, as we shall find by and by. His style is 
euphemistic, and he coined many words. 

Of the same generation is MAGNUS OLAFSSON, priest of Laufas (1574- 
1636), well known as the author of a compilation or rearrangement of 
the Codex Wormianus of Snorri’s Edda, in which the Gylfaginning is 
turned into sixty-eight Demiségur (short Tales, like the brief apologues 
of Eastern story-books), and the Gradus-part into an alphabetical index. 
His book has superseded the original in popular knowledge and 
esteem; and it was through hearing it read aloud by his old friend, 
Jacob Samisonson [ii. p. 412, No. 8], that the Editor when a child first 
got to know the story of Balder. 


§ 3. BisHop BRYNIOLF, ETC. 


The name of Bishop BRyYNIoLF of Scalholt (born Sept. 14, 1605, 
bishop 1639-1675) will be for ever connected with the old revival of 
letters, with the Edda MSS., and other treasures which his care pre- 
served for us. But this Icelandic Parker is a man whose personality 
was a striking one, and he was a little king in the island in his own day, 
looked up to and reverenced for his learning, his rank, and his force of 
character. He is brought vividly before the eye—big, tall, stern of 
face, with red hair close-cropped to the ears, and long flowing red 
beard, speaking with decision, and nodding his head as he spoke; 
a man of proud feelings, dwelling with satisfaction upon his descent 
from Bishop John Arason, his mother’s great-grandfather, and perhaps 
for that very reason void of the intolerance which was commonly felt 
at that time towards the old Church. He would neither speak ill of 
her himself, nor suffer others to show irreverence towards her cere- 
monies or hallowed images, saying that such things were well fitted to 
_waken feelings of religion within a man, and loving to pray with his 
eyes upon a crucifix. A shrewd saying of his on the Reformation is 
worth record: “The Church had a scabbed head, but Luther took a 
currycomb to it, and scraped off hair and scalp and all.” 

He was a great observer of times and seasons (like Laud), refusing 
to start on a journey on a Saturday, and recording and prognosticating 
from coincidences, carefully keeping the birth-hour of his children and 
friends that their nativity might be accurately drawn, and regarding 
himself as possessing a certain prophetic gift. His learning was re- 
nowned as marvellous by his contemporaries, and remembered by 
tradition; but, save a few letters and annotations, it has gone; and the 
man who could talk Greek with a Greek, and keep up a correspondence 
with the learned world of the continent from his far-off see, has left 
but what he would have regarded as the fragments of his library as his 
enduring literary monument. 

Several good anecdotes touching him are given by John Halldorsson 
(1665-1736), priest and dean of Hitardale, in his Biscopa A.vi (Lives of 
Bishops), a book of worth, with some pleasant biographic detail in it, 


mid 
. 
44 
7 
"4 
1 


i P 
Fe Tee eae oS ees re ee ee a ee ee So 





BISHOP BRYNIOLF. Xxiil 


which ought not to remain longer unprinted, for it contains the best 
historic material for the times of which it treats’. “I saw Bryniolf 
once,” says John; “I was then nine years old” [1674]: and he tells how 
he and other boys were outside the tent at the Althing [moot] one even- 
ing, holding the horses for their fathers and masters, like Shakspere’s 
‘boys,’ and no doubt chatting and laughing among themselves, on the 
north side of the church at Thingvalla, as their elders were within, for 
the Bishop was taking leave of the priests and franklins, and the parting- 
cup was going round, “ It was then that Master Bryniolf came out alone 
among us, somewhat suddenly. He was rather merry (gladr), and he 
asked the first of us, as he greeted him, about his family and his name 
and his forefathers, till he could get no further answer out of him; and 
he bade the boy to look him straight in the face while he spoke to 
him; and in the same way he questioned one after the other, and last 
of all me, John Halldorson, for I was the youngest. And to all of 
them he said something kind as he turned from them, but he patted 
my head and said, ‘Age is upon me, and youth is upon thee?; thou 
art very young, and I am grown too old for thee to get any good from 
me.’ Then he turned back again into the tent.” 

He was unlike other men in many small ways; one notes his charac- 
teristic monogram l.. , i.e. Lupus Loricatus, still to be met with in an old 
book here and there in Iceland, the scattered jetsam of the writer’s fine 
library; and there is something royal about the Bryniolfus R. of his 
signature®, though R. does not stand for ‘Rex,’ but for ‘ Rufus,’ or 
more probably for ‘ Ragnheid’s son ;’ for he always had the deepest affec- 
tion for his mother Ragnheid, and chose to use her name rather than 
his father’s (Sweyn) as his surname. 

Bryniolf had two children, and their fate has a real bearing on the 
literary history of the Eddas and Sagas, for had they not predeceased 
him, the books and MSS. which he had collected would hardly have been 
scattered and destroyed as they were. His son Halldor (born 1642), 
the younger of the two, was not successful at the High School, and 
was accordingly removed by his father and sent to England to try his 
luck there,—for there was some trading, smuggling, and fishing still 
carried on between the two countries. Here however he fell ill and 
wished to start for home, but the Dutch war was going on, and there 
was a fair chance of an English ship being captured just at that time, 
when the Dutch were masters of the North Sea; so he died and was 
buried at Yarmouth, Oct. 1666. His father, when he heard the news, 
sent over an epitaph to be set on his grave :— 

“ Hallthoris Yslandi cineres humus Anglica serua, 
depositumque bona quandoque redde fide !”’ 





1 The Editor, when a boy of fourteen, remembers listening to portions of it read 
from MSS. as evening entertainment. 

2 An unconscious repetition of the Old Wicking’s Ditty, see vol. i, p. 362, No. 25. 

8 We have never seen this signature, but the bioggaphers mention it; it was 
doubtless reserved for private confidential letters. 





&xiv INTRODUCTION. 


It would be good to know whether it was duly inscribed, and whether 
the poor boy’s tomb is still to be recognised. Sad as was this loss, the 
blow he had suffered four years before was far crueller and harder to 
be borne. His daughter Ragnheid (born Sept. 8, 1641) was the very 
apple of his eye, a beautiful and accomplished girl, the maiden to whom 
Hallgrim the Poet sent, in May 1661, one of the three autographs of his 
Passion-Hymns, then fresh from his hand. The Bishop had taken into 
his household one Da%i, a parson’s son, a clever, handsome, merry young | 
fellow, a fine penman and good at all bodily feats, but a man of no 
worth as it turned out. He was brought into contact with the Bishop’s 
daughter, to whom he acted as tutor, and being entirely unscrupulous he 
took advantage of his position to ruin the poor girl. He was clever enough 
to get out of the way before the Bishop should learn the news, and 
direct vengeance never fell on him. The Bishop was almost distraught 
at the disgrace that had fallen upon his daughter, and the very love he 
bore her served but to make the wound bite deeper. He was heard to 
repeat the words of Psammenitos, rd pev oixyia ny pelo Kaka 7) Sore 
dvakAalew, and it would seem that he never got over the melancholy 
which this catastrophe brought into his life. He obtained the king’s 
Letters of.Rehabilitation for Ragnheid (as is the use in Lutheran 
countries), but she did not long survive her trouble and the terror 
which her father’s rage and grief had caused her, but sank and died in 
Lent 1663, in her twenty-second year’. Her son was adopted by the 
Bishop, but he too died young (1673), so that there is no direct 
descendant of him who in his lifetime was held the highest and sorest 
tried of any man in Iceland. It was during the very year of this 
domestic tragedy, 1662, that Thormod Torfeus was in Iceland hunt- 
ing after vellums for the king’s new-founded library, and it is highly 
probable that the MSS. he took back to Denmark with him as a gift 
' from Bishop Bryniolf to the King’s Library [see Prolegomena, pp. 145, 
146] were intended as a conciliatory present by which the royal favour 
he demanded might be the more readily taken into consideration, 
and so, along with other treasures, Edda, Cod. R, left Iceland for 
good. The Bishop felt that he had no more need now for the books, 
we may fancy; his interest for the time at least must have gone, 
for a collector does not send away so many of his choicest treasures 
(some of them he had had twenty years) without good reason. 
When the end came, Bryniolf prophesied the place and manner of his 
death ‘alone in the room,’ and appointed his grave outside the cathedral 
church at Scalholt apart from all the other bishops. But his heirs 





1 The wretched fellow survived his victim well-nigh sixty years, and died 1719, 
aged 83, having passed forty-six years in holy orders, Tradition, however, with 
true popular justice asserts that nothing ever went well with him, and that he never 
came to any good. ‘The disgrace he brought upon the Bishop’s daughter was 
rendered greater by his having got one of the maids with child, who bore twins 
about the same time as Raguheid gave birth to her son. 








<q eet i be 
) 24 


DANISH SCHOLARS. XXV 


collateral', who cared so little for his memory as not even to have 
marked his grave, treated his books with scant reverence, and the 
Icelandic vellums, many of them, had disappeared before Arne Mag- 
nusson, thirty years later, came to rescue all that was left of vellum 
MSS. in the Island. Some of the Latin printed books may still be 
lingering on in Iceland, mouldering away, as the Editor saw one folio with 
his monogram twenty-four years ago. Most lucky it was that Bryniolf 
not only sent some of his best MSS. to Denmark, where all save one 
(Gisli’s Saga, see Prologomena, § 27, for the List) have safely reached 
us, but had taken care to have copies made of them by John Erlendsson, 
for these transcripts, being easy to read, were preserved by those into 
whose hands they fell, while the original vellums were left to positive 
ill-use or carelessness, which soon destroyed many of them. For in- 
stance, Libellus and Landnama, both old vellums once in the Bishop’s 
library, were copied by John Erlendsson in 1651, and somehow perished 
in the thirty years’ interval between the Bishop’s death and Arne’s 
arrival, 


We have quoted from the correspondence of Bryniolf and the 
Danish scholar OLE Worm; a word or two upon the latter will not 
be out of place. Born 1588, he seems to have taken early to study, 


.and as he was a man of good position and of great thirst for knowledge 


of every kind, he came into relations with most of the scholars within 
reach of his busy pen. His correspondence with his Icelandic con- 
temporaries has been published. He was connected with the publica- 
tion of Peter Clausen’s translation of Heimskringla. Worm fell into the 
study of Runes, which he treated in his peculiar mystic way, and in 
his well-known Literatura Runica he makes mention of, and cites, the 
Poetic Edda, Arngrim sent him out the MS. of Snorri’s Edda, which 
has ever since borne his name, Cod. Wormianus, as Arngrim says 1629: 
“The Edda and the Scalda that is affixed to it, as it is my manuscript, 
I grant freely to Master Worm for as long as he will.” Worm also 
acquired other MSS. which did not pass into the University Library, 
but finally became Arne Magnusson’s property. 


STEPHANIUS, Worm’s contemporary, born 1599 and schooled at 
Herlufsholm, was a great correspondent of Bishop Bryniolf, and really 
a fine scholar; his edition of Saxo is the first piece of true editing of 
a Northern classic, and shows at every page wide reading and sound 
criticism of a shrewd Bentleian quality. The Note Uberiores, which 
appeared in 1644, but which had necessarily taken some time to pass 
through the press, frequently refer to the help he received from 
Icelandic scholars. . 

Stephanius became possessed of several Icelandic MSS., which (in 





* His Icelandic MSS. he bequeathed to a kinswomanj Helga Magnusdottir of 
Bradratunga—a name that often enough recurs in Arne Magnusson’s slips, 


XXvi | INTRODUCTION. 


1651) were sold by his widow to the noble collector De la Gardie, 
whence they passed to the Upsala Library in 1685 (along with Codex 
Argenteus); the best of them is the Codex Upsalensis of Snorri’s 
Edda. 


§ 4. THE HISTORY OF THE WORD ‘EDDA,’ 
a. Before A.D. 1642. 


The word ‘ Edda’ is never found at all in any of the dialects of the 
Old Northern tongue, nor indeed in any other tongue known to us, 
The first time it is met with is in the Lay of Righ, where it is used 
as a title for great-grandmother, and from this poem the word is cited 
(with other terms from the same source) in the collection at the end 
of Scaldscaparmal. How or why Snorri’s book on the Poetic Art 
came to be called ‘Edda’ we have no actual testimony (the Editor’s 
opinion thereon is given at length in Excursus IV to vol. ii), but in the 
vellums of it which survive the following colophons are found; viz. in 
Cod. Upsalensis :— 

“This Book is called Edda, which Snorri Sturlason put together 
according to the order set down here:—First, concerning the Anses 
and Gylfi. Next after, Scaldscaparmal and the names of many things. 
Last, the Tale of Metres which Snorri wrought for King Hacon and 
Duke Skuli 1.” 

And in the fragment AM. 757: “The book that is called Edda tells 
how the man called Eager,’ etc.? 

Snorri’s work, especially the second part of it, Scaldscaparmal, 
handed down in copies and abridgments through the Middle Ages, was 
looked on as setting the standard and ideal of poetry. It seems to 
have kept up indeed the very remembrance of court-poetry, the 
memory of which, but for it, would otherwise have perished. But 
though the medieval poets do not copy ‘ Edda’ [i.e. Snorri’s rules], 
they constantly allude to it, and we have an unbroken series of phrases 
from 1340 to 1640 in which ‘Edda’ is used as a synonym for the 
technical laws of the court-metre (a use, it may be observed, entirely 
contrary to that of our own days). Thus beginning with Sacred Poems 
between 1340-1400, Eystein says in Lilia, verse 97: “In all speech 
the substance is the thing, though the obscure rules of Edda may here 
* and there have to give way; so I shall write plainly at all events*.” 
Again, Abbot Arni (c. 1380): “ The great masters of the Eddie Art, 





! Bok pessi heitir Eppa, hana hefir saman setta Snorri Sturlo sonr eptir beim hetti 
sem her er skipad: er fyrst fra Asom ok Gylfa [Ymi Cd.] par nest Skaldskapar-mél 
ok heiti margra hluta, Sidast Hatta-tal er Snorri hefir ort um Hékon konung ok 
Skula hertoga,—Cod. Ups. 

? Sva segir { bék peirri sem Eppa heitir, at si madr sem AXgir hét, spurdi Braga 
skald . ..—Cod. Arna-Magn, 757 (Snorra Edda, Edit. Arna-Magn. ii. p, 532]. 

. Vardar mest til allra orda : undir-stadan sé réttlig fundin 

eigi lids pétt Eppu REGLA : undan hiiéti at vikja stundum,—Lilja. 





THE WORD EDDA. XXvii 


who cherish the precepts of learned books, may think this poem too 
plain, but the plain words of Scripture are better suited in my opinion 
to the lives of saints, than the dark likenings which give neither strength 
nor pleasure to any one*.’”’ And Abbot Arngrim (1345): “I have not 
told my tale according to the rules of Edda,so my verses are not smooth 
to the tongue. I give you but poetastry. I am far from the good 
poets®.”” And in Nicholas Drapa, Hall the priest (c. 1400) says: “I am 
not equal to my subject, I lack wisdom, gentle breeding, etc., eloquence, 
the study of good poets, the knowledge of Edda’s noble laws *.” 

From 1450-1550 we have numerous examples from the Rimur. 
*‘T have never heard or seen Edda,” i.e. I have never learnt poet-craft. 
** Poets would do better not to be everlastingly fumbling over the Edda 
similes.” “There is no pleasure in speaking in riddles, according to 
the dark rules of Edda.” “Iam tired of Edda.” “Isend my poem 
forth though I have not learnt my words or art from Edda!” “TI have 
never learnt any of Edda’s figures.’ “No help of Edda have I got, 
she is thought hard to master, and she has never got into my brains!” 
Again, after 1550: “ The craoks or gambits of Edda;’ “1 have no help 
from Edda ;” “‘ Many sing though they know little of Edda ;” ‘I shall 
not fix my mind on Edda, the meaning is the important thing;’’ “ Edda 
is said to be a glorious book by those who study her;’’ “ The laws 
of the poets and the rules of Edda;’’ “ The similes or figures of Edda ;” 
and so on down to the times of Arngrim, and Magnus, and Biorn of 
Scardsa *. 

It is their theories and beliefs respecting such ancient literature as 
they knew, and particularly the works of Snorri, that we must next 
consider. It must be borne in mind that Codex Wormianus [§ 6] was 
the MS. of Snorri’s work, which they knew; that it contains besides 
‘Edda’ a number of additional treatises (a book on the grammatical 
figures by Olaf, and the alphabetic studies of Thorodd and his follower) 
which were known as ‘Scalda.’ The first occurrence of this latter 
word is in the Rimur of Valdimar, by a poet of the end of the sixteenth 
century [see at the end of Introduction], an allusion, we doubt not, to 
Cod. Wormianus itself. 

Now Codex Wormianus does not contain the ascription to Snorri, 
and there is no evidence that the name of Snorri was traditionally 





1? Yfir-meisturum mun Eppv listar : all-stirdr sid hrédr virdaz 
peim er vilja sv4 grafa ok geyma : grein klékastra fradi-bdka ; 
lofi heilagra lizt mer hefa : lids ritninga setra vitni, 
enn kenningar auka monnum : engan styrk né fagnad myrkar, 
* Redda ek litt vid reglor Eppu : radin min, ok kvad ek sem brddast 
visor ber er vil ek ei hrésa : verkinn erat sié mitkr i kverkum. 
® Veit ek mik eigi vanta litid : veslan prel um Dréttinn mala, 
vizku ok sidsemd, vislega gezku : vilja gddan rétt at skilja, 
mial-snild, aktan skyrra skalda : skil vegligrar Eppu reglu,... 
hredumk ek pvi hrédr at smida : nema himna sveit mer fullting veiti. 
* These references from the Rimur, being too numerous to put into a foot-note, ° 
are given at the end of the Appendix to vol. ii, 


XXViii INTRODUCTION. 


connected with the ‘ Edda,’ of which the Rimur-makers speak so often. 
For, though we have so many references to Edda’s rule, we have none 
to the rule-maker, a thing most strange, but which may fairly be taken 
as evidence that Snorri was clean forgotten in the popular mind at 
any rate. 

The first person who gives Snorri as author of the Edda is Arngrim 
in Crymogza, 1609, most probably on the authority of some copy or 
fragment. It is not impossible of course that he may have heard of 
or had a glimpse at (the present) Codex Upsalensis of Edda, which, as 
we have seen, contains the ascription. 

Biorn of Scardsa, on the contrary, had evidently never heard of Snorri 
as connected with the Edda, and had already formed his own theory on 
the authorship of the two great sections (Edda and Scalda) of the Codex 
Wormianus. One he ascribes to Semund the Historian, one to Gun- 
laug the Benedictine Monk. But how in the world came he to place 
Semund and Gunlaug together? In this way we think. He only knew 
of one book that had come down from the old days in which there 
was mention of authors’ names, Bishop John’s Life. This Life con- 
tains the statement that it was written by Gunlaug the monk, and it also 
contains a reference to a more distinguished Icelandic scholar, Se- 
mund, of whom it relates the very interesting legend which pictures 
him as a disciple of the black art and a prodigy of learning. Biorn’s 
flighty fancy is fired, in one hand he holds the two anonymous. works, 
in the other two authors, and so he boldly pairs them off, as in a game 
of cards, giving Edda to Semund, Scalda to Gunlaug. For is not Edda 
worthy of Semund? And does not Scalda suit Gunlaug, who knew 
all about Semund and was a learned man in his day too? 

With this satisfactory and pleasing hypothesis he rested in high 
content till he found that Arngrim confidently named Snorri in his list 
of Speakers as ‘auctor Edde.’ He will not surrender his pet theory, 
and he will not dispute Arngrim’s statement, so he coins an hypothesis 
of reconciliation, and holds that the Edda was begun by Semund and 
completed by Snorri; but he leaves Gunlaug as author of Scalda, which 
he remained till late in last century’. 

In this final form we get it expressed in his Gronlandia [AM. 
115, 8vo, autogr.], when, having spoken of the Scalda treatises as 
“‘ written by Monk Gunlaug, who lived under Waldimar the Second” (!), 
he proceeds: “he forbids one to draw the synonyms and likenings 
farther than Snorri permits [quoting from Olaf’s treatise]; that must 
have been Snorri Sturlason the Lawman, he lived in the days of 
Gunlaug; Snorri gathered the synonyms and many kinds of names 





* We now know, certainly, that Olaf Whitepoet is the author of Scalda; yet Biorn 
could hardly be expected to have known what Cod. Worm. does not tell; he might 
have got at it by way of induction, but that was not his manner. Of evidence for 
connecting it with Gunlaug, or Edda with Semund, there is none, these theories 
are sheer bubbles of fancy, 


ee a ee ae eee 


a ees ila otis 








piece 5 


ee a 





THE BOOK EDDA. XxixX 


and added them to Edda, which Priest Semund the Wise had com- 
piled aforetime *.” 

This theory Arngrim accepts and upholds as a tradition in his corre- 
spondence with Ole Worm, 1636, who is a little puzzled by his loose 
statements. “ Why do you speak of Edda as Semund’s, when you in 
Crymogza called Snorri its author?” Arngrim answers, 1637: “I can 
solve your difficulty; in our records these words are plainly to be read, 
‘Snorri Sturlason lived in the days of Gunlaug the monk, he added to 
the Edda which Semund the historian had composed®.’” A striking 
statement! What are these ‘records?’ Nothing but the words of 
Biorn given above, written only ten years back, quoted almost letter 
for letter. Arngrim is anxious to be thought consistent, and we are 
afraid the ‘monumenta’ looks a little like an equivocation. Certainly 
two years later Arngrim is bolder, when he writes to the same corre- 
spondent: “Hence it is that Edda is found in old records ascribed 
both to Semund and Snorri, the plan and beginning being Semund’s, 
the additions and conclusion Snorri’s *.” 

To show (in addition to these words of Arngrim), (1) that Biorn 
habitually spoke of the ‘Edda’ as Semund’s or Snorri’s, (2) that by 
this ‘Edda’ is always meant the prose Edda, (3) that he used the 
name of Semund wherever he wished to find an author for a great 
classic—the following extracts will be of use. In a Commentary on 
Law-phrases Biorn quotes Scaldscaparmal three times as Semund’s 
alone, once as Snorri’s and Semund’s, and the Thulor once as 





1 Biorn of Scardsa in Gronlandia, Arna-Magn. 115, 8vo, autogr.: * pessi Gunnlaugr 
munkr hefir saman sett pann bekling um Stafrof Islendinga, og lof og lostu i malinu, 
sem og skaldskapnum, sem Dénatinn kennir . . . svo hann hefir verid einn meliliga 
lerér madr, og midg hug-vitugr 4 skaldfredi og mal vort, sem s& beklingr ndégliga 
ut visar, Hann vottar par til Valdimars konungs um Rina-stafi. pad hefir verid 
Valdimar Valdimarsson annar, sem var 4 dégum Gunnlaugs (hann t6k konungdém 
1203, d6 1240), Hann bannar og ad reka heiti eda kenningar lengra enn Snorri 
lofar. pat hefir verid Snorri Sturluson Légmaér; hann var 4 dégum Gunnlaugs, 
Snorri sotti heiti og néfn flestra hluta, og jék vid pé Eddu, sem Semundr prestr inn 
Fr60i hafdi adr sam-sett.’ 

The same author in ‘Commentaries yfir Fornkvedi’ [Court Poems]: ‘S& visi 
madr, sem sam-sett hefir pann bekling 4 Islenzku, er vér k6llum Skaldu, og vér 
iatum margir ad verit hafi sd vitri og vel-lerdi brédir Gunnlaugr fra pingeyrum, 
pé ad nokkur annar hafi seinna par matt vid auka, hann stimar saman lof og lesti 
& skaldskapnum, og kennir réttilega hvernig skuli yrkja, og setr saman allar reglur 
skaldskaparins 4 Norrenu m4li, og saman ber per og iafnar vid Latinu klerka reglur 
og versa hatt’ (sic), 

* Worm to Arngrim, 1636: ‘Edd autorem videris constituere Semundum 
Froda, cum tamen Chrymogza [Arngrim’s work of 1609] Snorroni Sturlzo id opus 
attribuat. Quid sentiendum dissertius edoce, rogo,’ 

Arngrim answers: ‘De autore Eddz objectum scrupulum illo emendum sentio, 
quod in monumentis nostris manifeste leguntur hac verba—‘* Snorri Sturluson var 4 
dégum Gunnlaugs munks; hann betti vid pa Eddu sem Semundr hinn Frddi hafdi 
sam-sett.”’ 

8 Arngrim again to Worm, 1639: ‘Hinc est quod Edda utrique, Semundo et 
Snorroni, in Antiquitatibus(!) ascripta reperiatur, ita ut Sgmundo initia et funda- 
mentalia, Snorroni locupletatio et opusculi absolutio debeatur,’ 


XXX INTRODUCTION. 


Szmund’s, twice as Snorri’s, sometimes citing word for word, so 
that there can be no mistake; e.g. “Saemund the historian says 
flatly that ‘the speech of these peoples is called the Danish tongue ;’” 
and ‘“ Semund the historian says, ‘next to the liege men or barons 
came they who are called holds.’” Which passages are to be found 
in Edda Sksk. ch. 53. He also cites from Scalda as Gunlaug’s. 
To Szemund he ascribes ‘Niala and the great Saga of Olaf Trygg- 
vason’ in his notes to Landnama-bok*. Very interesting is the 
quotation given by Arne Magnuson (1696) from Biorn, Commentary on 
Gest’s Riddles, which we*now take to be lost, written in 1641 (observe 
the date) :—‘“ The prose Edda, which we commonly call Snorri’s Edda, 
Biorn of Scardsa attributes to Semund®.” Arne Magnuson (1696) has 
also preserved the statement :—“ M..'Thormod Torfisson (now 60) says, 
that.in his youth he had heard his father quote somewhat from 
Semuna’s Edda, which he said he had himself read in the book some 
time ago*.” A notice easily interpreted in the light which we are now 
able to throw upon the invariable use of the words Semund’s Edda for 
the ‘ prose Edda’ before 1642. 

We may now leave Biorn in 1641 with his theory on the one prose 
Edda with two authors known to him, and turn to Magnus Olafsson, 
who first conceived the idea of a second Edda having existed. He was 
not content with speculating on the authorship of the Edda, but 
boldly goes to the root of the matter, and holds that Edda, as preserved 
in Codex Wormianus, is merely a compendium of an archetypal Edda, 
a gigantic cyclopedia of ancient lore, composed by the Anses themselves, 


1 
ees a 





1 BioRn oF SkaRDsA, Commentary on Law Phrases, c. 1626, Cod. Arna-Magn, 
61, chart, autograph :— 

s.v. Baron—‘ Semundr og Snorri logmaér, peir skrifudu her um greiniliga. Les 
Eddu Snorra, Ari Frédi Flateyjar Annual. Her um fleira hid lendum manni,’ 
[Snorra, Edda, i. p. 456.] 

s.v. Héldr—‘Semuadr Frddi segir “‘nzst lendum mdnnum eru peir menn er 
héldar heita,”’ etc. [Zbid.] 

s.v. Donsk Tunga— Semundr inn Fr66i segir berliga, at mal pessara pidéa heiti 
“ Donsk Tunga.”’ [/bid.]} 

s,v, Bardi—‘ Nafn skipsins er og bardi, item byréingr, sem Semundr og Snorri 
skrifa.’ [Edda, Thulor.] 

s.v, Fylki— Ekki var fylking kéllud nema xl, i veri, Sem Semundr segir.’ 
| Edda, i. p. 534.] 

s.v. Ha-skerdingr—‘ pegar Snorri Légmadr greiuir i sundr n6fn fiskanna og hval- 
anna, pa telr hann ha-skerding med fiskum.’ [Edda, Thulor.] 

. 8, v. Hafr-hvalr— Hann telr Snorri med hvala néfnum.’ [Tbid.] 
‘Les Brians bardaga, Nidlu Semundar hins Frdéa, .. . Skoda Skaldu Gunnlaugs 
munks,’ Again, ‘Syncope, Les Skaldu Gunnlaugs munks . . . Semundr prestr inn 
Frédi hefir saman snarad Nidlu og megin-ségu Olafs konungs Tryggvasonar’ (sic), 
8 Arne Magnusson, 1696: ‘Eddam illam Prosaicam, que vulgo Snorra Edda, 
Semundo Froda tribuit Biorno de Skardsa in Commentario suo yfir Gatur Gestz 
Blinda, skrifudum 1641.’ [I have not seen this Commentary. G. V.] 
* Monsieur pormdér Torfason (nui sextugr) segist i sinu ungdzmi heyrt hafa fodur 
sinn citera nokkud ur Semundar Eddu, sem hann sagt hafi sig i bokinni fyrir longu 
(nokkru) lesid hafa.—Arne Magnusson. 











THEORIES AS TO EDDA. XXxi 


or at least their grandsons. As he says: “From the poems of the 
ancients [the fragments of poetry in Snorri’s Edda], and also from 
certain titles of the Anses, and especially Woden, and indeed of. other 
things also, it appeareth that there hath been another older Edda, or book 
of stories, put together by the Anses themselves or their grandsons, 
which hath perished, and of which our Edda is, as it were, an epitome; 
for of very few of these many names, which are applied to Woden on 
account of divers adventures of his, as Edda itself declareth, can any 
account be given from the stories contained therein, yea, nor even of 
the names of many others, which are therein to be found’.” 

The theory is grandiose, and not wholly fanciful. Snorri’s Edda 
stands to tradition in much the same relation which Magnus dreamed 
that it stood to his Arch-Edda;.and those names, in the Thulor, of 
sea-kings and ogresses, which we cannot identify, are indeed evidences 
of lost legends and faded myths. 

Bishop Bryniolf accepts the theory, but he has heard of Biorn’s ideas 
on the authorship of Edda, and he effects a decent episcopal substitu- 
tion of Semund for the ‘Anses or their grandsons.’ In a letter to 
Stephanius (1641) he expresses himself with a certain fervour; “ Where 
be those mighty treasuries of all human knowledge, written down by 
Semund the Wise, and in especial that most noble Edda, of which, 
beside the name, we have now left scarce a thousandth part; yea, and 
that which we have, had been altogether destroyed had not the com- 
pendium of Snorri Sturlason, which we have, preserved to us what 
I would call the bare shadow and foot-print of that ancient Edda, 
rather than the work. itself? Where too is that huge volume of 
histories, from Woden down to his: own day, which Ari, surnamed the 
Historian, compiled? [Alluding to another theory of the author- 
guessing Biorn.] Where be those most excellent writings of Monk 
Guniaug? Where be the royal poets’ songs that were held as marvels 
over the whole northern world??” 

The last stage of the Magnus theory is reached by the poet Peter 





1 Ex veterum rhythmis, ut etiam appellationibus Asarum nonnullis, ac in primis 
Odini, et aliarum denique rerum, apparet, aliam fuisse Eddam antiquiorem, aut 
volumen fabularum, ab ipsis Asis confectum aut eorum nepotibus, quod interierit, et 
cujus hec nostra Edda aliquale sit compendium ; quia nominum paucissimorum, que 
Odino ex variis casibus indita sunt plurima, ut Edda profitetur, ex ejus fabulis reddi 
potest ratio, nec etiam plurium, quz ibi occurrunt, appellationum.—Magnus Olafs- 
son, c. 1629, ad calcem Edde Latina, which he presented to Chancellor Fries. 

2 Bishop Bryniolf in a letter to Stephanius, year 1641: ‘Ubi enim ingentes 
thesauri totius humane sapientiz, conscripti a Semundo Sapiente; et in primis 
nobilissima illa Edda, cujus vix millesimam partem reliquam nunc preter nomen 
habemus; atque id ipsum, quod habemus, omnino fuisset deperditum, nisi Snorronis 
Sturlonis epitome umbram potius et vestigia, quam verum opus Eddz illius antique 
reliqua fecisset? Ubi vero ingens volumen historiarum, ab Odino ad sua tempora 
contextum ab Ario polyhistore dicto? Ubi prestantissima Gunlogi monachi scripta ? 
Ubi regiorum per totum arctoum orbem poetarum admiranda carmina?’ etc, ete.— 
[' ep oo in Epistola ad me sua ante brienniume Jere scripta,’ Stephanius 
in 1644. : 


XXxli INTRODUCTION. 


Thordsson, who says (c. 1650): “ The story goes, that in the old days 
in Gautland, there was a king’s daughter named Edda, who was held the 
greatest paragon for wise counsel and for her many accomplishments, 
but above all for knowledge and book-learning, of any maid or matron 
that was living in her day. She flourished a short time after Woden 
and the Anses came hither out of Asia to the latds of the North and 
took them under their rule. And because of her wisdom she wrote down 
in a continuous story the dealings between Woden and King Gylfi of 
Sweden, who was named Gangler, etc.... But I have never found 
that these histories have ever been put down in writing since Edda 
wrote the Beguiling of Gylfi till Snorri Sturlason wrote his Edda 1.” 

In Stockholm there is an interesting MS. (Holm. Isl. 38, fol.) con- 
taining an Essay on Edda composed in 1641, a date to be noted”. 
This essay is an omnium gatherum of all kinds, and, amongst other 
things, contains the first written information respecting the elves and 
other popular legend-matter, for which the Editor (in 1861) made use 
of it in his preface to Mr. Arnason’s Icelandic Fairy-tales. The 
author’s name is not given, but his personality is clearly pointed out, 
for instance, in the following passage :—“ This book, like all my other 
things, I lost in 1616, whereof it is no profit to think.” Which is an 
allusion to the persecution that John Lerdi underwent for siding with 
some Gascon pirates in the west of Iceland in 1616, and for being sus- 
pected of sorcery, as he tells us in his autobiographical poem, called 


‘Fiolmod’ (the Curlew). John draws his information from the few’ 


books which he knew—Snorri’s Edda and its two arrangements (Laufas 
Edda and Upsalensis Edda) and Hawk’s-book; and he quotes no 
poetry but what is found in these, save two verses from Wolospa, 


which do not occur in the prose Edda, but are found in Hawk’s-book | 


(his favourite store-house), as we can tell by the reading he follows. 
He also tells the story of Giant Thrym*, but here again from the 
Rimur Thrymlor, not from any other source. Now Thrymlor is con- 
tained in the big Rimur vellum which was found in the west of Iceland, 
precisely the spot from whence John Lerdi came. 





+ Arna-Magn. 166, 8vo, Hraundals Edda: ‘Enn st er saga til pess, ad konungs 
déttir var 4 Gautlandi i fornum sid, sem hét Edda; hon pdtti meiri skorungr 4 
vitrlig 144, og mérg snildar-brégd, og mest 4 ment og bék-frzdi, enn nokkur mey 
edr kona henni samtida; hon var uppi skémmum tima sidar enn Odinn og sir 
kému af Asia hingaéd 4 Nordrlénd, ok téku pau undir sina stidrn. Og sakir sinnar 
speki, ritadi htin i saman tekna fré-ségu skipti peirra Gylfa konungs i Svipidd, er 
nefndr er Gangleri, og Asa, er Gylfi fér til Valhallar...Enn ekki hefi eg fundid 
ad pessar kenningar hafi verid skra-settar sidan Edda ritadi Gylfa-ginningar og allt 
par til Snorri Sturluson ritadi sina Eddu.’ 

* Begins thus—‘ Her byrjar saman-tektir um skilning 4 Eddu. Su fyrsta fregn er 
af Saturno i Krit, eptir fornum fredi-bdkum upp teiknad til gamans anno 1641.’ 

° ¢prymr inn mikli i lotunheimum n4di hamri Hérs; pa gerdi pdr sig ad piku til 
ad giptast brym, og fékk sti bridér pris mikinn af sinum bridguma; en hun var 
sv6 vel mat-frekinn; pvi fekk hin ad sjé hamarinn. fess kendu bodsmenn og 
bridguminn.’ 





THEORIES AS TO EDDA. XXxiti 


John accepted Magnus’ grand theory, with the same modifications as 
Bryniolf had supplied, as we see from such passages as: “Then the 
clerk Snorri Sturlason of Reykholt, the lawman of the south of the 
country in the days of Gudmund Arason the bishop, the fifth bishop of 
Holar, began to write somewhat out of the old books of the Anses., 
Some got more and some less; that is why there are such different 
Eddas about. But men think that the Edda of Semund the historian 
is the fullest and best, for he was the older in point of time*.” 

Here the statement about Snorri’s age would be derived from a 
statement in the Life of Bishop John respecting Gunlaug, who is there 
said to have written it for Gudmund the bishop, whilst Biorn says that 
Snorri and Gunlaug are contemporaries: it is hence that Bishop Gud- 
mund puts in an appearance here. Again, John Lerdi says that he is 
obliged to write from the shortest Eddas, for he has not yet been able 
to come across a larger one; he being evidently of opinion that there 
was, for instance, a far larger Gylfa-ginning than his [which is our text 
of to-day], but this he had never seen. 

A further proof (if it were needed) that John knew Hawk’s-book well, 
is found in his imitation of Merlinus Spa, called Krucks Spa, a prophecy 
of Iceland’s fate and future history. 

John,.with his cabalistic learning and happy love of popular supersti- 
tion, is a figure of rather pathetic interest to one ; his works are a store- 
house of old words and phrases. He was a bit of a poet too in his 
own way; Ditty 51, vol. ii, is his, and it may well be that some of 
the fairy-tale poems, such as K6tlu-draumr, are by him. He was an 
artist too, a noted ivory-carver. Poor fellow! he lost most of his 
papers, which were taken and burnt, when he himself had a narrow 
escape from the mania for witch persecution which had reached Ice- 
land too in the seventeenth century. He was what Johnson loved, 
a ‘good hater.’ He died in 1651, 


b. In and after 1642. 


We have now traced the story of the Edda among the scholars 
of the Icelandic Renaissance down to the great year 1642. How the 
whole of their ideas and theories were changed by the important dis- 
covery of Codex Regius at that date, remains now to be pointed out. 
The theory of Magnus respecting a double Edda, paved the way for 
the acceptance of the new MS. as an Edda; Biorn’s phantasy supplied 
Szemund’s name (which, but for that, would never have been hit upon) 
as the author thereof. 





1 Fohn the Learned, 1641: ‘pd t6k til nokkud Jitid ur peim fornu #sa- 
békum ad skrifa si scribent Snorri Sturluson i Reykjaholti, Légmaér sudrlandz 
syéra byskups-demis, 4 dégum Gudmundar biskups Arasonar, fimta Héla-byskups; 
par af fengu sumir meir, en sumir minna; pvi eru svo misiafnar Eddur vida.—Enn 
ae Edda hins Fréda pykir ménnum fyllst og fr68ust vera; hann var og 

ri, 

c 


XXXIV INTRODUCTION. 


Let us see how the knowledge of the new-found MS. affected Biorn. 
In the same MS. which contains John’s treatise, is an Essay by Biorn 
of Scardsa, entitled ‘A certain little Compilation on Runes (Samtak um 
Runir), for the benefit of the learned, at Scardsa, 1642, B. 1. S.1’ [Biorn 
Johnson]. In this Essay for the first time appears the word Havamal, 
and quotations unmistakably drawn from the songs in the Cod. Regius 
MS. Hitherto there has been no citation from any one of the songs 
therein contained which one cannot point out as derived from other 
works. Here at last is sure and certain evidence that Biorn has seen 
Cod. Regius. How does he treat the songs? He speaks of them as dim, 
obscure, and difficult, needing interpretation, as of immense age, com- 
posed by the Anses, etc. It would seem as if he had come across the 
MS. while writing his Essay, for he stops to explain what he is talking 
about, and to make clear to his readers what he means by the words he 
is using respecting it. For of course he must account for the book in 
some way. How he does so is this,—he accepts the Magnus-Bryniolf 
theories as to a double Edda, and adapts them to this new find: this is 
the Edda we have all been talking about, the archetype or a piece of it, 
composed by Anses and heroes, and written down by Semund. This 
Song-Edda I shall call Semund’s Edda for distinction sake, and the 
Prose one I call henceforth Snorri’s. This is what we gather clearly 
from such passages as this: “There are two books (he says) here 
in Iceland, which men commonly call Edda [a characteristic sweeping 
statement]..... Now these books which are called Edda are very dif- 
ferent indeed,.for the book, which priest Semund Sigfusson the Wise 
has composed, is a// in verse, and he has gathered together therein all 
the oldest, wisest, and most obscure songs which he could find in that 
tongue [the Danish tongue alluded to above in his Essay]. Many? have 
called the book Semund’s Song-Book’*,” etc. [This last statement 
covers his own advance, or volt-face of theory, for it does not do to let 
people know one has not been omniscient, and a good broad assertion 
will always go down. There is of course no real intent to deceive here; 
it is only the old man’s flighty fancy, not to say pet vanity, instinctively 
saving itself.] Again we have: “ All that I have just stated comes from 
the Edda of Semund and its extremely old poems, prophecies and pro- 
verbs of wisdom, which are too long to insert here. This deep and 
obscure matter is treated of at great length in divers places of the old 
poems in Semund’s Edda*.” Surely in such passages we catch old Biorn 





1 *Nokkuéd litid Samtak um Runir. . . brada-fangs upp teiknad til um-bota vitra 
manna 4 Skarésa i Skagafirdi 1642, B. I. S.’ 

2 *Many’ is here Biorn himself and nobody else; the national ‘ we’ of the Three 
Tailors of Tooley Street. . 

8 ¢ Tver bekur eru her 4 landi er menn nefna almennilega, hvora fyrir sig, Eddu..., 
Nu‘eru pessar bekr sem Edda er nefud, hvor um sig sundr-greinilegar, pviat bok su, 
er Semundr prestr Sigfuss son inn Frddi hefir saman sett, er dll ¢ liddum, og hefir saman 
hent i hana 6ll pau elztu hann spékustu og dimmustu lid4, sem hann hefir i pessari 
tungu getad fundid; hafa margir kallad pa bok Semundar “ Lidda bok,” ’ etc, 

* *Allt petta her sagt kemr fram i Eddu Semundar i peim afgamila lidda-Letti, 


er EE 





THE POETIC EDDA CHRISTENED. _ xxxv 


in the very act of christening his new-found treasure. In the ‘same 
Edda he makes this final confession of faith as to Semund’s authorship, 
the last edition, in fact, of his theories: “These (he says) are his 
works which men know for certain that he has composed and written: 
1. Niala, which he has composed with great brilliancy. 2. Edda, which 
we call the Song-Edda. Master Bryniolf believes that this has for the 
most part perished; however, its yet existing fragments yield clear testi- 
mony to the learning and eloquence of this author. 3. He was also the 
first to begin the Odd-Annals from the creation of the world right down 
to his own day’,” 

' One more passage will show that it is unmistakably Codex Regius 
which Biorn now dubs Edda Semundi: “1 will first say something 
about that obscure prophecy which Semund places frst in his book, and 
which is named after the Wolwa’.” 

We need not pursue the list of notices of the Edda-Songs any further. 
We have seen the state of opinion just before and just after the dis- 
covery of Cod. Regius. Subsequent scholars follow Bryniolf and 
Biorn’s theory, like sheep, without doubt or development [see Arni 
Magnusson below|* down to the present day. 

As to the order in which single songs of Eddic type turned up later, 
a few words may suffice. 


About the same time, or a few years later, the discovery of Cod. 
Regius was supplemented by the discovery of a fragment of a MS. 
(A) which contains Olaf Whitepoet’s Essay on the Figures of Grammar, 
Snorri’s Scaldscaparmal, the Thulor, and one sheet of poems, chief of 
which was the hitherto unknown Balder’s Doom. When Flatey-book 
came to light [in 1643] the one old poem it includes, the Hyndlo-liod, 
became known. In 1641 Bishop Bryniolf had bought a new second MS. 





spa-sdgnum og spak-mzlum, sem langt vill vera inn a6 fara, Mart og mikid talar 
um petta ditip-setta mal i forn-diktum Semundar Eddu.’ 

1 *pHessi eru hans opera, sem menn vist vita ad hann samid og skrifad hefir:— 
1. Nidla, hverja hann saman skrifad hefir med stérum candore. 2. Edda, hverja ver 
kéllum Liéda-Eddu—hana hyggr Mag. Bryniolfr ad mestu leiti intercideraba—og af 
hennar fragmentis eptir blifandi hvorrar ageti pd ber lidst vitni um leardém og ord- 
snilli autoris. 3, Hann byrjadi og fyrstr Odda-anndl ab orbe condito, og allt til sins 
tima.’ 

2 «Nu vil eg fyrst nokkué tala um hina diup-skildu sp4, er Semundr setr undan i 
bék sinni, og kend er vid volfu.’ 

And—‘ Einnig finn eg i peim for-gamla, dul-mzita lidda hetti, sem kalladr er Hafa- 
mal... og meina eg pau lid hafi gir verid 4 dégum Asanna eda skamt eptir.’ 

And—‘ Sem helzt ma lesa og skilja i peim dul-mzltu liddum, er Brynhildr Budia 
déttir kvedr til Sigurdar Fafnis-bana.’ 

8 The first notice out of Iceland of the two Eddas is in Stephanii Note Ube- 
riores, 1644, ii. 93: ‘Docet utrague Edda, et illa genuina Rhythmica Semundi 
Sigfussonii, vulgo Froda, vel Polyhistoris, dicti, quam non ita diu e latebris eruisse 
pre se fert M. Brynolvus Svenonius, et vulgatior Snorronis Sturlonii, qui Samundi- 
nam illam priscam interpolavit,’ etc. [Here he falls back into the theory before 1642.} 
Stephanius cites ‘Edda’ about thirty times, meaning always the Prose one, exc-pt 
this once. Observe that most of the sheets of his bookwwould have been in type 
ere the news of 1642 had reached him, 


C2 


Be ali. = 


ae ee INTRODUCTION. 


of Snorri’s Edda (r); in this the Mil] Song is preserved. The Sun’s Song 


is first mentioned in Biorn’s Essay of 1642: ‘as it is said in the old Sun’s 
Song’;’ we have no information as to its vellum original, only paper 
copies having come down to us. The Lay of Menglad and Swipday 


seems to have emerged later, as it is not cited by Biorn; it is in like 


case, as. to MSS., with the Sun Song. The first of all these early poems 


known was the Lay of Righ, as it is in Codex Wormianus, which was 
certainly known before 1609 (when it is first mentioned by Magnus: 


Olafsson), for we gather that Arngrim knew it as early as 1596. Heid- 


rek’s Riddles, to which Biorn made a commentary (1641), were known 


first from Hawk’s-book, one of the medieval MSS. which emerged 
earliest, quite as early as 1620. The introductions te the poems in 
Book iv note the earliest citations and the MS. authority of the other 
‘Eddic’ poems; e.g. of Egil’s three great poems Hofudlausn was the 
first known, before 1640, and the indefatigable Biorn wrote a com- 
mentary on it. 

When Eryniolf had found the Codex Regius he had a copy taken on 
vellum, and inscribing it ‘Edda Semundi multiscii,’ sent it abroad *. 
From it the title became spread on the continent, where scholars, as 
Arne Magnusson complains, accepted the superscription as an oracle 
not to be doubted. This vellum copy is lost. It came with the rest of 
Torfeus’ MSS. into Arne Magnusson’s collection, and has disappeared, 
probably burnt in the Copenhagen fire, 1728%. 

Beyond the momentary stir among the little knot of scholars, the 
influence of the newly-discovered ‘ poetic Edda’ was not very great ; 
the scholars of the continent chiefly cared for them as throwing light 
upon ‘ Runic’ matters, and the complete ignorance of their real worth 
is shown by the fact that the Editio Princeps of the Mythic Poems of 
Codex Regius is of 1787, only scraps and stray bits having been printed 
before, and that the earliest edition of the Heroic Poems is that of 
von der Hagen, 1812. The first complete edition of the whole is 
Rask’s of 1818 [see § 15]. 





4 <Svo segir i Sdlar-liddum gémlu: Bekr sé ek fadar feikn stéfum’ (1). 

2 Arne Magnusson in Vita Semundi: ‘[{Brynolfus]| inter alia membranam quan- 
dam antiquissimam, carmina Islandica continentem, nactus est; que, ut lectioni 
commodius inservirent, in recenti membrana exarari fecit [this copy is los¢], ac ita 
transscriptis titulum “‘ Edda Semundi Multiscii” propria manu prefixit. Hane 
recentiorem membranam Brynolvi dono postea obtinuit .. , Tormodus Torfaus. [Arne 
now proceeds to narrate further compilations], . . . atque ita ex variis codicibus con- 
farcinatum corpus “‘Edda Semundi” vulgo dicitur, fide scilicet Brynolfi Swenonii, 
qui titulum illum primo, ut ante dictum est, apographo prefixit. Que sententia, 
tamquam ex Appollinis cortina profecta, adeo invaluit, ut dictus liber eo nomine 
hucusque constanter venerit, nec ullus de ejus inscriptionis authentia questionem 
movere presumpserit, Sed tamen Eddam Semundi ante Brynolfi tempora ita voca- 
tam fuisse, fide patris sui sexagenarius mihi retulit Thormodus Torfzus’ [in the 

‘ pre-1642’ sense]. 

And again in Icelandic on a slip, see p. xxx. note 4. 

8 <Oll exemplaria sem eg séd hefi, eru yngri enn initium episcopatus Brynolfi.’ — 
Arne Magnusson on a slip. 


a WH 





Lo” ree re BS 


st 
vate 
i 
; 
ae 
= 
. 


TCELANDIC MSS. XXXVil 


In Iceland the influence is (beyond the lost copies alluded to, § 15) not 
very marked, Hallgrim Petersson’s Commentary on some of the verses 
in Olaf Tryggvason’s Saga, a quaint work, quotes one of the Helgi Lays 
{but as from Gudrunakvida),—the earliest citation from these poems. 
There are traces of an acquaintance with the Didactic poems in his 
Passion Hymns, and his Sam-hendur clearly show a knowledge of them. 

Besides this, there is little or nothing save the forgery, Hrafnagaldr 
Odins [Hrevagaldr?], or Forspiall’s liod, intended as an introduction to 
the Doom of Balder, the oldest MS. of which goes back to 1670. See 
Introduction to Balder’s Doom. 


§ 5. ICELANDIC DIPLOMATICS. 


There are, as we noticed in the Prolegomena (§ 27), four great collec- 
tions of Icelandic MSS. :— 

First, MSS. collected by Bishop Bryniolf and presented to the king, 
especially those which he sent him in 1662, now in the Royal Library 
of Copenhagen (the old MSS. Collection, ‘Gamlie Kgl. Saml.’)—Codices 
Regii, about fifteen in all. 

Secondly, the Collection of Arne Magnusson, made between the years 
1690 and 1728. For the life of this Father of Icelandic Letters, see the 
Prolegomena (§ 27)—Codices Arna-Magnexani |= AM. or Arna-Magn.] 

Thirdly, the Upsala Collection, which was formed by Stephanius, of 
whom we have spoken above: from the hands of the De La Gardie 
family these MSS. passed to their present locale—Codices Upsalenses. 

Fourthly, the Stockholm Collection, of which the first part was 
brought together in Iceland in 1662 by Rugman; the second by John 
Eggertzson in 1682—Codices Holmenses. 

There was formerly a j/té collection, that of the University Library 
of Copenhagen, many from the library of Resenius (Codices Reseniant). 
This collection was wholly destroyed by fire in 1728, save one MS. 
which had been lent out to Arne Magnusson. But luckily, under the 
auspices of Torfzus and other scholars, careful copies had been made 
of all the important Icelandic MSS. in this University collection, and 
these copies are now in the Arna-Magnean Library—Codices Academici. 

These five collections absorbed all the Icelandic vellums and the 
best paper copies; and happily it was so, for the destruction of MSS. 
which went on in Iceland at the end of the seventeenth century would 
have left very little to be gathered if Arne had not come just when he 
did. As we have seen, all the vellums still in Bishop Bryniolf’s pos- 
session at his death were scattered or mutilated or destroyed within 
a few years, and Arne could only procure fragments of what had been 
the finest collection in Iceland. Besides careless keeping, ill-usage, and 
bookbinding (for which the vellums were cut up, the loose plies serving 
to cover the wooden boards of modern printed books), which we 
may rank as active agents, Icelandic MSS. had, owing to the absence of 





XXXViil INTRODUCTION. 


libraries and national buildings, much to contend with,—the damp and 
smoke of the houses, which blackens and rots the parchment itself, and 
accounts for the dark, grimy, mouldering state of most MSS. 

Besides the dark, discoloured state of Icelandic MSS., there are 
other diplomatic signs which distinguish them. ‘They are written in 
a systematically contracted form, which is quite unique in European 
diplomatics; hundreds of the ordinary words, and nearly all proper 
names, are expressed by abbreviations. This we may well suppose to 
have arisen from lack of parchment, but it was continued as a matter of 
calligraphy long after vellum was generally available, for however costly 
the MSS., however large the margin, Icelandic scribes never wrote other- 
wise. In the Norwegian MSS., unless they were written by Icelanders, 
the fashion did not obtain. One of the results of this is, that it 
requires a long and special training to read blurred passages, or to 
restore from the misreadings of extant MSS. the original words of 
the archetype. 

Again, we have to take into account the absolute disappearance of nearly 
all early MSS., so that there are far fewer than we should expect of 
the twelfth century, and those which do exist of such date are mostly 
on sacred subjects, translations from Latin medizval books, etc., of little 
worth for our purposes. So complete has been the destruction of 
early vellums, that hardly a deed or charter remains from the Middle 
Ages (twelfth and thirteenth centuries), the one exception, a most 
valuable one, being the Reykholt Charter, which we shall mention 
again. We therefore lack much diplomatic information, which fuller 
and earlier remains would yield. 

It is also to be noted, that the collections of Copenhagen and the 
North, which are so rich in Icelandic MSS., are remarkably weak in 
early Latin, French, and English MSS. and charters of the eleventh, 
twelfth, and thirteenth centuries which could be compared with Ice- 
landic MSS. Hence it has been, that in the absence of any date 
to be got at from internal evidence (and this is very seldom attain- 
able), Icelandic vellums have been dated in a haphazard fashion, with- 
out sufficient knowledge, and without sufficient method. So that, as a 
rule, the judgment of editors as to a MS.’s age must not be accepted, 
and a fresh and searching investigation into the facts of each case is 
necessary. Down to the present day, indeed, editors of Icelandic 
MSS., only knowing one class of vellums, have been trying to judge of 
them by guess-work, by the same method as the now extinct Greek 
scholars who sought to find the etymology of every word and the 
explanation of every form in the Greek tongue itself. And the results 
of the intuition or guess method in the one case are about as trust- 
worthy as those in the other. The only scholars whom it is safe to 
follow are the Norwegian editors, such as Munch and Unger, who 
have had not only a wide experience of medizval MSS., but have 
worked upon a scientific method; and among Icelandic scholars the 
late Mr. Sigurdsson’s wide knowledge of fourteenth and fifteenth 





ICELANDIC DIPLOMATICS. XXXixX 


century Icelandic MSS. and sagacious industry warrant one in relying 
on his verdict upon all /ate MSS. Where we have dissented from 
these scholars it has been with the fullest consideration. 

It was after a long and minute study of the AM. collections, after 
some acquaintance with the MSS. of other countries and tongues, 
especially those of England, which are so important in this connection 
(for from Britain it was that writing originally came to Iceland), 
that the Editor drew up the Table in Prolegomena (p. ccxii), in which 
he has attempted to fix the dates of the most valuable Icelandic 
vellums. For this purpose it must be remembered that it is not 
enough to know and notice peculiarities of writing and changes of 
grammar and phonesis, but one must also look at the make of the 
vellum, the size and destination of the book, the needle-marks at the 
back of the sheets, the way in which the volume has been bound and 
rebound, and the like. Moreover, one must always be on the watch 
to look out for similarities of handwriting and physical resemblances 
between different MSS., for only so can one hope to light on a positive 
date. 

A few examples of the mistakes in dating perpetrated by editors 
will show the caution necessary in accepting the ‘traditional’ dates. 

The earliest Icelandic MS. is a translation of that well-known 
medieval book, the Elucidarius. Now the editors, who have an 
extraordinary and wholly unbased prejudice against putting any MS. 
earlier than the thirteenth century—the twelfth century, with Ari the 
historian, Thorodd the grammarian, and King Swerri, being a mere 
vacuum to them—have invented two bags, labelled Early Thirteenth 
Century and Early Fourteenth Century, into which they tumble all MSS. 
they do not know much about. Ifa MS. is evidently wery old, it goes 
into the former; if it is evidently rather old, it goes into the latter. 
Here, in the case of Elucidarius, no one could doubt but that a MS. 
which contains archaic grammatical forms such as, not only ‘es’ for ‘er,’ 
but even ‘an’ for ‘ pan,’ must be very old, so it goes plump into the first 
bag*. But a careful look at the book will soon convince one that it is 
at least a hundred years older than the editors will allow. Taking 
the actual verbal forms they are consistently early, the handwriting is 
of a wholly early type, the size of the letters, the absence of abbre- 
viations, and the grouping of the page, all point to an early date. 
Thus, to compare it with foreign MSS., the Editor has seen a charter 
of Henry I of England, the penmanship of which he could hardly dis- 
tinguish from it, and several English-written MSS. of similar dates 
which present exactly the same type of handwriting—a variety of the 
Latin round hand of England in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. 





1 Professor Gislason of Copenhagen, in Arna-Magnzanske Haandskrifter, 
1869. So again, AM. 677, Gregory’s Dialogues [clearly a twelfth-century vellum, 
though not so old as Elucidarius| is by the same authorggaid to be of ‘early in the 
first half of the thirteenth century.’—Frumpartar, p. xciv. 


x] INTRODUCTION. 


Let us allow a few years for this type to reach Iceland from England, 
and it is necessary to allow for this, for fashions of course reach 
Iceland slowly, and the date of 1130 will be found to suit all the 
evidence which it is possible for us to collect with regard to this MS., 
whereas the traditional bag-date means nothing, is based on no fact, 
and agrees with no external evidence. 

Another odd notion is the fixed idea that, “when two or more 
hands. are found in a single volume, they must be of different dates. 
Thus in the little Agrip MS. (which, by the way, bears a curious re- 
semblance in some respects to the famous Digby MS. of the Song 
of Roland) there are two hands ‘nearly contemporary.’ Why not 
contemporary? There is no earthly reason. Of course there are in- 
stances of MSS. begun by one man and finished by another one or 
even two generations afterwards; but such cases are few and far be- 
tween, and there is nearly always a reasonable amount-of internal 
evidence to be got at, either the hands present obvious marks of dif- 
ference, or the character of the vellum changes, or something of the 
kind. ‘Thus in the facsimiles of Sturlunga Cod. B, given in the Oxford 
edition of that Saga (p.ccxix), there is absolutely no cause to doubt the 
contemporaneity of the hands employed, or to say that the MS. is ‘partly 
from the beginning, partly from the end of the fourteenth century?.’ 
The older-looking hand actually recurs after the more modern-looking 
one of the three, and the parchment and disposition of the whole vellum 
is one and the same throughout. 

In the MS. of Graygoose, again, a solitary fossil alliterative phrase of 
old Norwegian Law, ‘churl’s or ear/’s land,’ has been taken, without 
further proof, to date the MS. to the days of Earl Gizur, who was earl 
from 1259 to 1268; for, say they, this phrase must refer to Gizur, the 
only earl who ever ruled in Iceland. But as doth our MSS. of Gray- 
goose have it in a somewhat different version, their common archetype 
must have had it too, and as that must have been written in Gizur’s 
day, our MSS. could not be earlier than, say, 1280. Now the phrase 
does not bear the meaning attributed to it, and the MS. in which it is 
found, by every diplomatic test, must be at least half a century older 
than r280. We can also fix its upward date exactly, for it contains a 
‘novel’ of Bishop Magnus’ first year. Now he was consecrated 
1217, and the novel was, we take it, recent when the collection was 
made. It will not do to base a legal theory upon such a slippery foun- 
dation as this phrase has proved. 

To give a final example of diplomatic shortcomings. It is proper to 
note here that Hawk’s-book, in which we have the hands of Hawk him- 
self and several of his scribes, has been much misused as am authority. 
For editors have pitched upon Hawk’s peculiar and somewhat archaic 
penmanship as a standard, wholly neglecting to take also into notice the 
contemporary hands of Hawk’s scribes, one of whom is probably the 





1 Gislason, Frumpartar, p. viii. 


PO Ae es 





ae ee 


Te ET ES 











CODEX REGIUS R. xli 


scribe of the first hand in Sturlunga, Cod. B,—an indication which 
may again serve as a stepping-stone to further date-equations *. 

Only a comparative study can yield any security. Hence it comes, 
that the estimates of the late Mr. Coxe—a master in paleography, gifted 
with an intuitive eye, and, like the craftsmen of the Middle Ages, work- 
ing out a method of his own, from his own wide experience—are borne 
out as true in almost every instance. 

Before turning to the MSS. which are the bases of our edition of 
the ‘Eddic’ poetry, we need only dwell for a moment on the way in 
which the vellum books were made up and bound, for we shall have 
to know something of this to understand exactly their present con- 
dition. The skin was, irrespective of size, made up into a sheet of four 
plies or quaterns, as in an ordinary 8vo-sized MS. (our sizes of paper, 
folio, quarto, etc., have been borrowed from the sizes of parchment, 
which were ultimately fixed by the size of sheep), so that a MS. 
is just like a common 8vo book now-a-days. The leaves are never 
numbered in an Icelandic MS. The number of lines in a page of a 
MS. is nearly always regularly maintained. It varies of course in dif- 
ferent MSS. according to size, from 25 of the Agrip 4to to 61 of the 
Flatey-book folio. The quire of four plies was pierced and sewn into 
strips of leather, which were then plugged into oak boards covered 
with sealskin or sheepskin, and the piercing of the plies all through 
the volume is of course uniform. 


§ 6. THE MANUSCRIPTS USED IN THESE VOLUMES. 


Chief of all Icelandic MSS., the treasure of the Royal Library at 
Copenhagen, is Codex Regius (R), No. 2365, the history of whose 
appearance in the learned world we have already spoken of; a narrow 
octavo, now in an eighteenth-century binding, with the royal arms of 
Christian VII (c. 1780). What its former binding in Bishop Bryniolf’s 
days was, is not known; its second binder did the vellum some harm by 
plowing its edges. We should have liked to have had its original cover, 
but that was probably lost before the worthy, but misguided, librarian 
ordered it a new coat. It consists of five complete sheets and one final 
sheet, from which three blank leaves have been cut; but between the 
fourth and fifth sheets a sheet at least is missing (the sheet of the 
Lacuna). This Lacuna existed when Bishop Bryniolf got the MS., for 
he has noted at the top of the fifth sheet, *Adyos dxépados.’ But for 
this the MS. is perfect. The first page, dark and grimy, is yet per- 
fectly preserved, signed by the good Bishop’s monogram .. There is 
no superscription (Edda or otherwise) in the old hand. 

The whole shape and character of the handwriting is of the transition 





! There are in this connection three additions which may be made to the Table 
of Vellums given in Sturlunga, whence they were left out by inadvertence :— 

In third column—‘ AM, 61, The two St. Olaf’s Sagas. c. 1360.” 

In second column—‘ Wolsunga Vellum, Roy. Libr. @ 1380.’ 

In first column—‘A M. 557. ¢.1400.’ Eiric the Red’s Saga, given hence in the Reader.. 


xii INTRODUCTION. 


period, and retains the marks of the twelfth century, to which, if it 
were English, one would unhesitatingly refer it. Though the Editor 
has had in hand and gone through probably every extant early Icelandic 
vellum or yellum-fragment (save those at Wolphenbiittel), he has never 
been able to find a shred of the same handwriting. Nearest, but a little 


older, are—the Placidus Drapa, AM. 673 (clearly twelfth century); the - 


third hand of the Reykholt Charter (which dates between 1223 and 
12401, most probably nearer the former than the latter year); and the 
first handwriting in Graygoose (Cod. Reg.),—which are all of the same 
type of hand, and cannot differ very far in age. The scribe must, 
in our opinion, have written it between 1220 and 1240, but certainly 
not later than the latter date, and in all probability earlier. 

The writing is very yellow and faded: the scribe is careful and 
- methodical, an excellent penman and even a corrector, for he underdots, 
in a fashion common elsewhere but rare in Icelandic MSS., words he 
wishes to alter; he sometimes leaves a blank, when he cannot make out 
or does not know a word, The facsimile in 1787 is not good, those of 
Rafn (Antiqq. Russes) and Bugge are good. The spelling of R is to be 
noted; a specimen of it, which is fairly representative of its style, is 
given in the Appendix to vol. i (pp. 375-377). The most noticeable 
points are the following :-— 

‘f, d,’ in a few cases still the Latin form, instead of the later A.S. ‘F and 9.’ 

“es, vas’ a few times, 

‘ér’ and ‘ pér’ alternately. 

‘sk’ reflexive a few times, usually, however, ‘ z.’ 

‘r’ sometimes in a semi-A.S, type. 

‘p’ throughout, as ‘inlaut’ and ‘ auslaut’ as well as ‘ anlaut.’ 

“p’ inflexive, (not t); for the rule, see Dict. p. 93 b, C. III. 2. 

‘9’ and ‘@’ (¢) distinguished, or meant to be so, though the notation be often 
indistinct ; for the rule, see Dict. p. 761°b, I. 1-2. 

‘#@° and ‘ce’ sometimes confounded. 

‘h’ ina few instances dropped before ‘1’ and ‘r,’ Lavdvess for Hlodvess, Reidgotum 


for Hreidgotum. Could this be a remnant of the archetypus, an Orkney one? 
For all details, see Bugge’s account, in the Preface to his edition, pp. viii-xvii. — 


It is very much to be wished that a facsimile printed edition, such 
as Stengel’s or Kélbing’s MSS. of Roland, were done by a careful 
scholar. A photographic edition, if practicable, would be most desirable, 
but the ink is-so faded, that even with it, a letter-for-letter printed 
edition would still be needed, 

The contents of R are thus arranged ( | roughly marking the junc- 
tions of the sheets): (1) Wolospa, The Havamal Collection (a jumble of 

the Guests’ Wisdom, Havamal, Woden’s Love Lessons, The Old Ritual 
Song, etc. all mingled together in a formless mass), Walthrudnis-Mal, | 
(2) Grimni’s L., Skirni’s L., Hoarbeard’s L., Hymi’s L., Flyting of Loki, | 
(3) Thrym’s L., Wayland’s L., Allwise’s Lesson, The Helgi Collection 
(containing Helgi-and Sigrun A, Helgi and Swafa, Helgi and Cara, mixed 





1 A photograph of which may be seen in Captain Burton’s Travels in Iceland, 
Hand 3 begins—Kirkia 4 en, .., and ends—crosar ij script. 


ae ay pan a 











CODEX A. xliii 


with fragments of the Old Wolsung Tale | (4) Helgi and Sigrun B), 
Gripi’s L., Old Wolsung Play down to 1. 283 |. 

Now comes the great Lacuna: | (5) On the two sheets following it 
there stand, Short Brunhild’s L., Gudrun’s L., Long Brunhild L., Old 
Gudrun L. (with which Attila fragments are mingled), Ordeal of Gudrun, 
Ordrun’s L., Old Atli L, | (6) Greenland Atli Lay, the Chain of Woes 
and Hamtheow’s L., in one confused mass. 


Our next MS. is Codex AM. 748, known as A. All that is left of 
it is four more or less complete sheets, twenty-two leaves in all, The 
first remaining sheet is entirely poetical, begins in the middle of Hoar- 
beard’s Lay, and goes on with the Doom of Balder and Skirni’s Lay; 
here, from one leaf being lost, only the first half of this Lay is 
left us, and the first part of Wafthrudni’s Lay which followed it 
has also gone. Then come Grimni’s Lay, Hymi’s Lay, and the first 
lines of the prose introduction to Weyland’s Lay. There is here 
at least one sheet missing, so that the end of Weyland’s Lay is 
lacking, and other matter at which we can only guess, The second 
existing sheet begins with the last few lines of a treatise of Olaf 
Whitepoet on terms of grammar, which is found nowhere else [Snorra 
Edda, edit. Arna-Magn. vol. ii. ‘p. 397, ll. 1-15]. Olaf’s other treatise » 
follows; there is one leaf cut out of this sheet, but otherwise it is 
perfect. It is followed by sheets three and four, containing Snorri’s 
Scaldscaparmal and the Thulor, which end on the top of the thir- 
teenth page of the fourth sheet [Snorra Edda, edit. Arna-Magn. vol. ii. 
pp- 397-498]. A subsequent hand later on has added here Hawk’s Islen- 
dinga Drapa [ii. 419-421], which fills the rest of the thirteenth and the 
whole of the fourteenth page, and must probably have ended about half- 
way down the fifteenth page; but the rascal hand of the vellum-hunter 
has pounced on this partially clear leaf and hacked it out, 

Hence it is evident that this volume must once have contained at 
least six sheets. There is an excellent facsimile of it in Snorra Edda, 
edit. Arna-Magn. vol. iii. tab. v. As to its age, Olaf died 1259, so it 
must be subsequent to his death, but very little, not later, we should 
say, than 1280, This date would suit with other indications which 
(Phonetics, Grammar) make it plainly half a century younger than R. 

As to the contents of the lacunas in A, and how big the MS. was, 
when perfect, we can make some guess. The first sheet remaining 
presupposes an earlier sheet, probably of poems. We can even with 
some degree of probability fix one of the songs. It will be noticed in 
the facsimile [ Edda, edit. Arna-Magn. vol. iii. tab.v] that the scribe put his 
initial very far back in the margin, some distance from the text. Now 
for the Lay of Sweepday and Menglad vellums are lacking, but there 
are paper MSS. which curiously contain several false initial letters. 
The scribe, we take it, had been working from a MS. in which the 
initials set far back had been cropped off, as, igdeed, in our remaining 
leaves they have been, by the binder, May it not have been this very 


xliv INTRODUCTION. 


vellum? Initial letters set in this way are not common in Icelandic 
MSS. The Sun’s Song, too, of which there are no extant vellums, 
may have come from the same MS. There were probably in the 
first sheet such poems as Woluspa, Allwise’s Lesson, etc., but not 
we think any of the Wolsung cycle [except the Runes of Brunhild?]. 
The order and contents being different from R, though it has followed 
the same authority in poems common to both, lead one to think that 
it may have been intended as a kind of florilegium of such poems as 
the owner fancied. The value of A lies, firstly, in its preserving Bal- 
der’s Doom, and, secondly, in the Thulor (best text), the small notices 
respecting Olaf Whitepoet, and Islendinga Drapa. Codex A was pro- 
bably perfect when Bishop Bryniolf died, and was mutilated between 
that date and its being secured by Arne. 


We next come to the MSS. of SNorri’s EppA, of which there are 
three—Wormianus (W), Regius (r), and Upsalensis (U). Of these 
the best and most important is certainly Wormianus, a finely-written 
square vellum; the only existing facsimile, in the Snorra Edda, edit. 
Arna-Magn. vol. iii. tab. ii, is not quite good nor well chosen, the scribe 
not being here at his best. A facsimile edition (after Stengel’s model), 
and if possible a photographic edition, should be taken of this precious 
MS. The Editor made a copy for himself in December 1875, from 
which he has worked. 

Its contents are, Gylfa-ginning, Scaldscaparmal (without the in- 
terpolations from the Sigfred Saga), the Kennings (but without the 
Thulor or the Okend heiti) down to ‘ Hilditannz hin milldi’ [Snorra 
Edda, edit. Arna-Magn. vol. i. p. 464], followed by Thorodd’s Essay on 
the Alphabet, with the scribe’s own preface, the Second Grammarian’s 
Essay, Olaf’s Treatise on the Figures, with an appendix, which we believe 
to be by the scribe himself; it breaks off unfinished on the fifteenth 
page of the seventh sheet, leaving a blank page after it [Snorra Edda, 
édit. Arna-Magn. vol. ii. pp. 1-278]. Hitherto there has been but one 
blank in these seven sheets, where a leaf (falling curiously in Olaf’s 
treatise where the leaf of Cod. 748 is missing) has been cut out. 

Next comes a sheet (the eighth) containing Hattatal, but this has 
been copied, not from W’s archetypes, but from some poor and im- 
perfect MS.; quite unlike the rest of the book. The first or outer 
ply of this sheet is gone. 

The last (ninth) sheet begins with the Lay of Righ, with a large 
initial letter at the top of the page, which poem covers both sides of 
the first leaf; then a leaf is lost, containing the end of the Lay and the 
beginning of a section on the Synonyms, the middle of which is found 
on the third leaf, then a whole ply is gone, and the essay goes on 
upon the remaining sixth leaf, but is never finished, the writer, as 
once before, breaking off in the middle of his page and subject [Snorra 
Edda, edit. Arna-Magn. vol. ii. pp. 495-500]. The remaining leaves, 
the seventh and eighth of the sheet, were left blank; one is now gone, 








a ee ee, ee 





CODEX WORMIANUS, xlv 


the other is scribbled over with the verses and notes of subsequent 
owners or readers’. 

The whole MS. must once therefore have contained nine sheets, 
seventy leaves of which were written on. The scribe and writer left it 
unfinished in two places, where he was composing himself, not copying 
[Edda, edit. Arna-Magn. vol. ii. pp. 248 and 500]. The age we should 
put at 1320-30: the last king mentioned is Hakon V, the last person 
Arne Lawrenceson the poet, a Benedictine monk of Thingore, North 
Iceland, some of whose verses are quoted. Had the MS. been much 
later we should have had citations from Lilia and other Icelandic poets, 
Abbot Arngrim of Thingore and Einar Gilsson for example. The writing 
would suit the date we fix. The size of the vellum, the general air 
of wealth and perfection about the whole book, as well as its pre- 
servation, which is so far better than usual, would suit a book written 
and kept in a cloister, Indeed, the book may well have been made 
and kept at Thingore. 

There was a bad copy (now known as AM. 756) of a part of this MS. 
_ taken in the fifteenth century, but it is of no use or value whatever. 

That Wormianus was one of the first old MSS. that became known 
to the scholars of the Revival, Arngrim and Biorn and the rest, is to 
be carefully kept in mind; for it was on the basis of his knowledge of this 
very vellum that Biorn of Scardsa spun his wondrous theories upon 
* Edda’ and ‘ Scalda,’ upon Semund and Gunlaug, etc., theories largely 
affected by the form and idicsyncracies of the MS. itself. 

In 1609 Magnus Olafsson used it for his re-arrangement of the 
Laufas Edda, which he composed for and dedicated to Arngrim the 
Learned?, who lent him the vellum for_this purpose. Since then it has 
never been lost sight of; Biorn, as we have seen, having access to it till 
it left Iceland, in 1629*, as Arngrim’s gift to Ole Worm; from Worm’s 
grandson it came to Arne Magnusson in 1706. It is now numbered 
AM. 242. Its mark W might stand for ‘ Widalinus,’ Arngrim’s chosen 
name, as well as ‘ Wormianus.’ 

In Worm’s day several paper leaves were let into the volume after 
it was bound in its present vellum clothing, containing a worthless 
copy of the interpolations which are found in the Regius (r) of Scald- 
scaparmal, but which never did exist in W. These leaves are known 





1 We subjoin the following verse in fifteenth-century handwriting :-— 
Endilega fai Arnér frendi : allan heidr pann eg kann beida, 
aud og seim og yfir-vald lyda : angri sviptur og dgiptu: 
um lénd og geima, légu og sanda ; lidsa fregd og séma negdir, 
lif og heilsu, lukku og goefu: lidi honum Kristr i himna vistu. 

A father’s good wishes to his son (?)—somewhat aristocratic in spirit; we 
guess the young Arnor to be one Armor, son of Finn (surnamed Law-Finn), 
which Arnor appears in 1480-1510. 

? Magnus’ autograph is extant in Arna-Magn. 743 chart., dated ‘ Audkula, 4 id. 
Martii, A° 1609,’ signed ‘ M. Olafs.’ 

* Arngrim to Worm, 1629: *Eddam et conjunctam Scaldam, quia meus Codex 
est, Domino Wormio libenter concedo, quamcunque volet diu’ [translated p. xxv]. 


xlvi INTRODUCTION. 


as ‘ W chart.,’ and are entirely valueless. They have caused some con- 
fusion, as editors have ever and anon been quoting ‘ W chart.’ as ‘ W,’ 
or vice versa. ‘They should be henceforward wholly disregarded. 

The value of W lies, first, in the careful and conscientious character 
of the scribe throughout, for wherever a blank or difficulty occurred in 
his archetype he has left a corresponding blank in his copy, a rare 
instance of fidelity in old copyists; next in that it saves for us the Lay 
of Righ and Thorodd’s Essay, both pieces which could ill be spared, 
being unique in their kind. 


Codex Regius of Snorri’s Edda (r) is a small octavo, somewhat 
blackened and begrimed, bought by Bishop Bryniolf on the 31st 
of January, 1640, as his entry testifies, still extant on the first page’. 
Its contents are, Gylfa-ginning, Scaldscaparmal (with an interpolation 
of great interest which we shall discuss below), the Thulor (imperfect), 
Hattatal (the best text), followed by blank pages on which a sub- 
sequent hand has written Jomswickinga-drapa [ii. p. 301], and the 
Proverb-Song fii. p. 363]. The top lines of this MS. are often a little 
mouldered away, the first page is gone, and the writing is of the end of 
the thirteenth century; a very good facsimile of part of the ‘inter- 
polation’ is given in the Arna-Magnzan edition of Edda, vol. iii. tab. i. 
The writer was by no means so careful as the scribe of W, he has 
slurred over all the blanks or defects of his original; thus in the second 
line of Haustlong one can see (though the page is a little injured) that 
though ‘r’ could read no more than ‘ W’ did, he simply runs on from 
“leggja’ to ‘ radd-kleifar’ without any break. The modern editions do 
far worse, and fill up the missing half-line with a frigid suggestion of the 
last-century. The ‘interpolation’ containing Sigfred’s Saga, part of 
Bragi’s Shield-Song, and above all the Mill-Song, is of the highest value, 
All the rest is of less importance, though the Hattatal text has some 
value, albeit, as Mobius has lately proved, by no means perfect, and one 
would not willingly have lost the Jomswickinga-drapa or the Proverb 
Song. 


A sister MS. is 1 e B in the Arna-Magnzan Collection; a small 
folio MS. which must once have contained Gylfa-ginning, but now 
begins in the middle of Scaldscaparmal in the Sigfred interpolation 
and goes on to the end of Thulor [Edda, edit. Arna-Magn. vol. ii. pp. 
573-627]. No more was ever written in it, for there was a page left 
blank after the last Thulor page. This blank was afterwards filled up 
by a genealogy of the Sturlungs [see Sturlunga, ii. p. 399]. The hand- 
writing is of the former half of the fourteenth century. No facsimile 
of it has been taken. 


A MS. by no means devoid of interest is the Codex Upsalensis, 
‘U,’ which bears a certain relationship to W. It comprises Gylfa- 





1 In the margin of ‘r’ in Bishop Bryniolf’s hand—‘ Anno 1640, d. 31 Januarii 
keypti eg Bryniolfr Sveinsson pessa bok af Magnusi Gunnlaugs syni { Skalholti.’ 


ey 





eS ee ee a ey 











HAWK’S-BOOK AND FLATEY-BOOK. xlvil 


ginning, Scaldscaparmal, several sentences from the philological 
treatise of Thorodd, and a few bits of the Anonymous Grammarian’s 
work, with imperfect broken text, but with the Tad/es referred to 
in ‘W,’ but not copied there, being probably missing in his original 
[see Edda, edit. Arna-Magn. vol. ii. pp. 364-369]. After this follows an 
imperfect and unfinished text of Hattatal. The value of this MS. 
lies, in the superscription, ‘This Book is called Edda,’ in its better 
readings in one or two places, and in the Tables belonging to the 
Anonymous Grammarian’s Essay, which, by the way, ought to be re- 
edited. The whole MS. is printed, Snorra Edda, edit. Arna-Magn. 
vol, ii. pp. 250-396, 


There is one Saga to which we are indebted for very fair texts 
of old poems, that of Herwor. It is preserved in two vellums; one, 
the best, Hawk’s-book, where it appears in the very hand of Hawk 
(who died at a high age in 1334); the other, of inferior type, a late 
fourteenth-century MS., Royal Libr. 2845. In this Saga are contained 
the magnificent Waking of Angentheow [i. p. 159], one of the first ° 
poems which attracted European attention to the ‘ Runick Muse,’ and 
the Death Song of Hialmar, both probably by the. Helgi poet. 

Several interesting fragments of the Hun cycle [i. p. 348] are also 
comprised in Herwor’s Saga, one of which is paralleled in the prose 
paraphrase (attributed to other characters) of Widukind of Corbey, 
while another is put into Latin elegiacs by Saxo. 

A third contribution is Heidrek’s Riddles [i. p. 86]. The compiler of 
Herwor’s Saga must have had access to a well-preserved collection 
of the old poetry. 

Hawk’s-book, a perfect magazine of antiquities, also yields the text 
of Merlinus Spa [ii. p. 372]; this too in Hawk’s autograph. Hawk’s- 
book suffered, like so many other MSS., after Bishop Bryniolf’s death ; 
a full account of it and how it was parcelled into various nos. will be 
_ found in the Editor’s Introduction to Biskupa Sogor (1858). Amongst 
other lost things was a collection of fragments from Ari the historian’s 
work, which Biorn of Scardsa copied from Hawk’s-book, where they 
once stood probably next after Kristni Saga. From this copy they are 
printed, and are known as ‘ Mantissa.’ Excellent facsimiles of Hawk’s 
beautiful, delicate hand, and of those of his scribes, may be found in 
Antiquit. Americane, tables iii and iv. 


Another gigantic vellum, far surpassing Hawk’s-book, is the Flatey-book,. 
which is still happily in the best of preservation. It is in many respects 
unique; thus it contains a kind of #it/e-page with the name of the owner 
and scribes. The last entry (save the Annals) is of the date 1387. It must 
have taken many years to write. It has been so well treated, because 
it was looked on as an heirloom in the well-to-do’family of Reykholar and 
Scard in the West Peninsula of Iceland. The head of the family, John 
Finnson (of Flatey in Broad Frith), would not sell it, but generously pre- 
sented it, as a parting gift, to Bishop Bryniolf (1643), who sent it over to 


xlviii INTRODUCTION. 


the King thirteen years after he got it, about 1656. In the last century 
(c. 1780) it was split up and rebound in two volumes, in a coarse inar- 
tistic way. A MS. of this type was a great undertaking, and one cannot 
but pay honour to the enterprise, courage, and intelligence which, in 
a poor country like Iceland, could produce such a colossal work. The 
book, as it stood, was of about 200 leaves, of large, fine vellum (pro- 
bably English, it is ruled in foreign fashion with a sharp point), beau- 
tifully and elegantly, though not always over accurately, written, in 
such a highly abridged style, that the printed edition covers some 1760 
8vo pages. John Haconsson the first owner (b. 1350, d. ?) also had 
the Vatz-hyrna vellum written, and perhaps others. We get some 
small knowledge of the family of John Haconsson from entries of 
the Annals contained in this very book. John’s grandfather Gizur 
(named after the Wicked Earl) was an extraordinary man, a traveller 
and adventurer who had many deadly wounds and hairbreadth escapes ; 
but, being of a fine tough breed, won through it all and managed to live 
* to over a hundred (born 1269, died 1370), an almost unique instance of 
well-authenticated centenarism in the Middle Ages. John Haconsson’s 
two scribes were priests, perhaps his chaplains. {1) John Thordarson, 
who wrote the first Saga (Eric’s Saga) and the lives of both the Olafs, 
down to Orkneyinga Saga, St. Magnus’ death. (2) Magnus Thorhallsson 
completed the MS. [Fb. vol. ii. p. 434, 1. 12 to the end]. The task over, 
and the book being finished off by Annals, which should serve for future 
contemporary history, Magnus seems to have discovered somewhere 
some early mythical and royal pedigrees, and one genealogical poem of 
early date, which would form an extremely good introduction to the 
whole book. He accordingly adds tao leaves, which he prefixed to the 
forefront of the MS. Upon one of these is our Lay of Hyndla [see 
Book iv], in a corrupt state, it is true, but most likely very much as 
Magnus found it, for he sticks closer to his text than John; for ex- 
ample, his copy of Swerri’s Life is the best we have'. Something we 
must allow too for faded MS., and for the impossibility of his under- 
standing it properly even if he had had a good copy. Magnus wrote 
down the Lay of Hyndla, as he tells us (Fb. i. 28), in the year 1387. 

The huge MS. was afterwards (a century later, c. 1480) enlarged 
by the insertion of Harold Hardrede’s Saga between the twenty-third 
and twenty-fourth sheets, Fb. iii. pp. 249-441, where perchance a Saga 
ends just at the junction of a sheet,—some three sheets (not all filled). 
The Life of Harold (of the same type as Morkin-skinna) was not how- 
ever followed by those of the intermediate Kings down to Swerri. 
Save these and Ynglinga Saga, the whole corpus of Kings’ Lives with 
all the appendices is represented; whole Sagas, such as Orkneyinga, 
Fereyinga, Fostbredra, being sliced up and worked into it chrono- 
logically. 





’ Though there be errors enough in it; for instance, ok pottiz hann standa vid 
trapizo, read, ok pésk hann vid trapizo, Ib. ii. p. 537, 1. 13 from the bottom. 





a, af 


= See ee a 














MSS. OF COURT-POETRY. xlix 


The Editor copied the whole vellum himself, between the years 
1858-1864, for the Norwegian edition [printed at Christiania under 
the eyes of his friend Unger], to the introduction of which the 
reader is referred for further detail respecting the huge book, which 
indeed must be confessed in worth and even in execution to surpass the 
contemporary English colossus the Vernon MS. 

To Flatey-book, besides Hyndloliod, we owe Olafs-rima [ii. p. 392] 
and Konungatal [ii. p. 309]. 

Of the other poems of the older type the MS. authority is stated 
in the introduction to each; a fuller account of the MSS. themselves 
will be found in Prolegomena. 

The various Icelandic Sagas and, best of all, the Landnamabok and 
Kristni Saga have contributed their quota, especially tothe Dittiesin Bk. vi. 


As has been noticed before, there is no extant collection of CouRT- 
POETRY, but quotations from it are scattered throughout the Kings’ 
Lives, the Edda of Snorri, and Olaf Whitepoet’s “Essays. Of the 
Edda MSS. enough has been said above. The chief MSS. of the 
Kings’ Lives fall into several families of the Compendium Class; there 
were three MSS. of this :— 

Kringla [Academicus primus], extant in copy, Arna-Magn. ; 

35, 36, 63, chart., written 

Jofra-skinna [Academicus secundus], extant in copy, Arna- +c. 1260— 

Magn. 37, chart., [ato 

Frisbok [Konungabok], Arna-Magn. 45, folio, vellum, 

They alone preserve Ynglinga-Saga, and the poem Ynglingatal 
[i. p. 242] on which it is based, also Haconarmal [i. p. 262]. They also 
give better texts of the Court-poetry than our MSS. of the fuller and 
essentially older recension. Kringla has preserved Scaldatal [ii. p. 442]. 
The first ply of the first sheet was gone before the copy was taken; 
hence it had lost the title and preface and begun ‘ Kringla heimsins,’ 
whence the name Heims-kringla, given to this MS. and its sisters; 
Ynglingatal too has suffered, see i. 244. [The eighth leaf of the 
first sheet is here missing, as one is able to infer from the intervening 
text volumen, though the vellum is now lost.] Jofra-skinna was so 
called by Torfzus, from an illumination of St. Olaf and Tryggvason 
which it contained. Both these perished in the fire of 1728. The 
third, Frisbok, was so called after Chancellor Friis: its real title is 
‘ Konunga-bok’ (in the sixteenth century we find it called so), and it 
is still well preserved. The title and preface [given in the Reader, 
p- 151] are duly found in this MS. 

As for Olaf Tryggwason. The Lives of the two Olafs are ina full and 
largely appendiced text in AM. 61 (Gt.O. T.S.) Arni bought it in 1690, 
when it had lately left Iceland. Vols. i-v of Fornmanna Sogor are in 
the main founded on this vellum. This MS. was written about 1350, 
On p. 72 there are seven stanzas on Tryggwason, fh court metre scrib- 
bled in the margin in a hand which is very like that of the scribe of the 

d 





- INTRODUCTION. 


MS. but a little smaller. The verses are exactly of the same character 
as Einar Gilsson’s [for whom see ii. p. 393] poems, and are probably by 
him, he may therefore be the very scribe of the whole volume}. 


MSS. of St.. Olaf’s Saga are very numerous; the oldest is the © 
Stockholm one, No. 2, and of the same family as the Kringla text. 
It was published by Unger in 1853, and is our main foundation, besides 
Kringla, for the Court-poetry in the texts of St. Olaf’s time”. 

For the subsequent Lives of the Kings. from St. Olaf to Swerri. 
the two authorities are— 

Hulda (AM. 66), 1320-30. 

Hrokkin-skinna (Roy. Libr. Copenhagen, No. roto), fifteenth century. 

The Editor (in Oct.-Nov. 1875) copied Hrokkin-skinna for the pur- 
pose of an edition for the Rolls Series. 

Morkin-skinna (Roy. Libr. Copenhagen, No. 1009), middle of thirteenth 
century. From Morkin-skinna comes Ivar Ingimundson’s Dirge over 
Sigurd Slembi-diakn [ii. p. 261]. Of Hulda and Hrokkin-skinna and 
AM. 61 there are facsimiles in the Fornmanna Sogor. 

Skioldunga Saga (Arna-Magn. Nos. 1 and 20, folio; both are parts of one 
vellum, as the Editor observed in 1875), the earliest part of which has 
furnished the paraphrase of Ivar’s Flyting [i. p. 123], the later part (the 
so-called Knytlinga) has preserved the lay of Eric the Good by Mark 
Skeggisson [ii. p. 235]. 

Fagr-skinna (both vellums perished in 1728, but copies are preserved 
in Arna-Magn. Library), an independent redaction of the Kings’ Lives, 
is a highly interesting MS, In it alone are found the Dirge of Eric [i. 
259] and Hornklofi’s Raven-Song [i. p. 254], which are worth more than 
all the fragments of Court-poetry put together. 

In the great Bergs-bok at Stockholm (No. 1), which has amongst much 
else the Lives of the two Olafs, the scribe has added Geisli [ii. p. 283] 
and Rekstefia [ii. p. 294]. 

Our general rule in treating these MSS. has been, to follow Kringla 
and Cod. Holm. 2, as far as they go; when that could not be, to prefer 
AM. 61 and 66, folio. The poems gleaned from these MSS. have 
been supplemented by those got from Snorri’s Edda and Olaf’s 
Treatise ; for which see Cod. Wormianus, above. 

To every fragment and stanza the MS. authority is prefixed; and the 

MSS. for such poems as Egil’s [i. pp. 266-280], the Dart Lay [i. p. 281], 
 etc., are discussed in the introduction to each poem. 


§ 7. Otp TruTonic Poems, LOMBARD, GERMAN, ENGLISH, ETC, 


To begin from the beginning, we have many testimonies as to the 
fondness of the Teutons for heroic song. Tacitus tells of their mytho- 





1 Some eighty stanzas of his in Court-metre, all on Bishop Gudmund, are preserved 
in Gudmund Saga by Abbot Arngrim (Bs. vol. ii, fasc. i),—a stiff half-renaissance 
style quite easily recognisable. ‘ 

2 The Catalogue of 1848 puts it ‘the beginning of the fourteenth century’ (bag 
No, 2 !), Unger and Munch in-1853 with.better reason to the early thirteenth century, 





THE ALFWINE LAYS. li 


logical poems. “ In their old songs (he says), which are the only kind of 
history and chronicles they have, they tell of a god Tuiscon sprung from 
_ Earth, and his son Mann, the fountain-head and founder of their race’.” 
And he speaks further of their heroic poems on Arminius”, who had died 
two or three generations before (c. 90 years before the Annales); rude 
verse, no doubt, but we believe alliterative and of similar type to our 
older poems, 

Einhard, in his Life of Charles the Great, tells how, when he was 
emperor, the great Frank took care of his native literature, ‘‘ More- 
over the oldest barbarian Lays, in which the deeds and wars of 
the kings of old were sung, he had written down and committed to 
memory’*.” 

But far more excellent is the record of Paul the Deacon (died c. 
790), who, speaking of his hero Elfwine Eadwineson, the Lombard, 
king, who died 572, and was thus distant about six generations, or 200 
years, from him (about the same space as from Ari to Harold Fairhair), 
says, “ But the famous name of Elfwine resounded so far and wide, that 
even down to to-day, as well among the Bavarian and Saxon folk as 
among [all] other men of the same tongue, his open hand and renown, 
and luck and bravery in warfare, are set forth in their songs. That 
the best of weapons were wrought in his days is also the common talk of 
many down to our own time*.”’ This passage is strikingly confirmed by 
the fame of Elfwine having reached even the English author of the 
Traveller’s Song, who says :— 

Swylce ic wzs on Eatule mid #lfwine, 
se hefde moncynnes mine gefrege, 
leohteste hond lofes to wyrcenne, 


heortan unhneaweste hringa gedales 
beorhtra beaga, bearn Eadwines. 


But Paul does not stop here; he actually gives us very close prose 
paraphrases of two old Elfwine Lays (for no one familiar with the Eddic 
Songs can fail to see that they are Lays and not bits of mere history) 
which are contemporary with the poems of Czdmon, if we take the 
probable date as half-way between Paul and Elfwine. These Songs 
therefore are the earliest remains of epic Teutonic poetry we have any 
exact knowledge of. The first one is of the same type as the Helgi 





1 Celebrant carminibus antiquis, quod unum apud illos memoriz et annalium 
genus est, Tuisconem deum, Terra editum, et filium Mannum, originem gentis 
conditoresque.—Germ. ch. 2. 

* Canitur adhuc barbaras apud gentes,— Ann, ii, 87. 

8 Item barbara et antiquissima carmina, quibus veterum regum actus et bella 
canebantur, scripsit memorizque mandavit.—Vita Car, 29. The latter words are 
ambiguous: do they refer to learning by heart or to using for history ? 

* Alboin vero ita preclarum longe lateque nomen percrebuit, ut hactenus etiam, 
tam aput Baioariorum gentem, quamque et Saxonum, sed et alios ejusdem linguz 
homines ejus liberalitas et gloria bellorumque felicitas et virtus in eorum carminibus 
celebretur, Arma quoque precipua sub eo fabricata fui§se a multis hucusque nar- 
ratur.—Book ii (end). 

d2 


lii INTRODUCTION. 


Lays, a noble heroic Lay with a flyting scene, which vividly recalls 
the fierce half-humourous bickerings of the heroes Sinfiotli, Gudmund, 
etc. The other is a royal tragedy of the same cruel, dreadful type as 
the Hunnish tragedy of Attila, furious passion and deadly reckless hate, 
with the fatal consequent Nemesis on all the actors. These stories we 
give here literally translated, in order that they may be compared as 
to length, style, and phrasing with the older epics of this volume. They 
are the best witness to the essential unity of Teutonic poetry, and 
exhibit many close parallels to our poems. 

In the first, THE YouTH oF ELFWINE, after describing how the 
Gefids and Lombards came to fight, he turns to the words of the song, 
and goes on :— 


And when the battle was joined, while both hosts were fighting mightily, neither 
willing to give way to the other, it came to pass that in this self-same fray Elfwine 
son of Eadwine and Thurismund son of Thuriswend met face to face. But Elfwine 
thrust Thurismund through with a sword, and he fell dead headlong from his horse. 
Now when the Gefids saw that their king’s son was dead for whose sake they had 
in great measure entered upon the war, their courage was melted and they began 
to fly. And the Lombards followed them up fiercely and smote them down. And 
when they had slain most of them they came back to strip the slain of the spoil, 
And when the Lombards came back to their own homes after the winning of this 
victory, they asked their king Eadwine to make Elfwine, by whose valour they had 
gotten the day, one of his Guests, that he might be his father’s companion at the 
banquet as he was his companion in the day of danger. But Eadwine answered them 
that he could not do this thing without breaking the custom of the Lombard folk. 
“For ye know,” quoth he, “that it is not the custom among us that the king’s 
son should sit down with his father, before he hath first received weapons [of a 
foe slain in fair fight] of the king of some other folk.” Now when Elfwine heard 
his father’s words, he took forty young men with him and no more, and went to 
Thuriswend the king of the Gefids with whom he had lately fought, and told him 
the cause of his coming. And Thuriswend welcomed him kindly, and bade him 
to the feast and seated him at his right hand, where Thurismund his dead son had 
been wont to sit. 

And it came to pass while the servants were serving at the tables, that 
Thuriswend remembering how his son had been lately slain, and calling to mind 
his death, and beholding his slayer there beside him in his very seat, began to 
draw deep sighs, for he could not withhold himself any longer, and at last his grief 
burst forth into words, ‘ Very pleasant to me,’’ quoth he, “is the seat, but sad 
enough it is to see him that is sitting therein.” Then the king’s second son 
[Cynemund], who was present, was roused by his father’s words, and began to 
sting the Lombards with foul words, and he said they were like mares with 
white stockings,—for the Lombards are wont to wear white bands about their 
legs. “‘ White-legged mares are they ye take after!” said he. Then one of the 
Lombards answered him in these words: “Go to Asfield,” said he, “ and there 
thou shalt plainly learn, how hard they, whom thou callest mares, can kick, for 
there thy brother’s bones lie scattered about in the midst of the meadow like the 
bones of a wretched pack-horse.” When they heard these words the Gefids could 
nct bear the reproach and were mightily moved to wrath, and made ready to avenge 
the open scoff; the Lombards also on their part made ready for the fray, and every 





THE ALFWINE LAYS. liii 


man laid his hand on the hilt of his sword. Then the king sprung up from the 
table and thrust himself between them, and withheld his men from anger and battle, 


‘threatening that he would punish the first man who began the fight, saying that for 


a man to slay his guest in his own house was a deed unpleasing to God. And 
in this way he at last settled the quarrel, and they went on with the feast again 
with gladsome hearts. And Thuriswend took the weapons of his son Thurismund 
and gave them to Elfwine, and sent him back in peace and safety to his father’s 
kingdom. And when Elfwine came back to his father, he was made his Guest 
from that day forth. And while he was joyfully eating the royal dainties with 
his father, he told in order all things which had befallen him among the Gefids 
in Thuriswend’s hall. And they that were at meat marvelled and praised the 
boldness of Elfwine, nor did they bestow less honour upon the great good faith of 
Thuriswend!. 


The second one runs thus :— 


Paul the Deacon's Parapbrase of the Song of the MURDER OF ELFWINE, 
King of the Lombards. 


Now this was the reason of his being slain. One day when he had been sitting 
longer than was meet at a banquet of wine at Verona, and was merry, he bade 
give the queen wine to drink in the cup which he had made out of the skull of 
King Cynemund, his father-in-law, and called upon her to drink merrily with her 
father.—Which thing, lest it should seem to any one impossible, I [Paul] protest I 
speak the truth in Christ, yea, I have seen Radgisl the prince holding the very cup in 
his hand on a certain feast-day, showing it to them that sat at table with him.— 
Now when Rosamund took heed of this thing, she conceived a deep grief at the 
heart which she could not lull. Wherefore her anger was swiftly kindled to the 
end that she might avenge the death of her father by the slaughter of her husband, 
and she made no tarrying, but took counsel with Helmgisl, who was the king’s 
shieldbearer and foster-brother, how she might put the king to death. But he 
persuaded the queen that she herself should win over to their plot Beartheow, who 
was a very mighty man. And, when Beartheow would not consent to such a 
shameful deed at the queen’s persuasion, she stole in by night and lay down in the 
bed of her rail-maiden with whom Beartheow was wont to lie. And Beartheow 
came thither unwitting and lay with the queen. And when the deed of shame 
was done she asked him whom he thought she was, and he answered naming his 
leman, for he thought it had been she. Then answered the queen, “It is not as 
thou thinkest; but I am Rosamund!” said she, “and thou now hast done such 


-a deed, Beartheow, that either thou shalt put Elfwine to death therefore or he slay 


thee with his sword.” Then he understood the evil that he had wrought and saw 
that he had become bound in this way to slay the king, which thing he would not 
willingly have done, Then Rosamund ordered that deep silence should be kept 
in the king’s house, while Elfwine had fallen into his midday sleep, and she took 
away secretly all the other arms; but the king’s sword she bound strongly to the 
head of the bed, that it might not be taken down or unsheathed, Then according 
to their plan Helmgisl, crueller than any wild beast, brought Beartheow the mur- 
derer privily into the room. Elfwine being suddenly roused from his slumber, 





* For a fuller discussion of this story, which is eviderftly only half told by the 
good Paul, see Excursus III [ii. p. 503), 


liv INTRODUCTION. 


understood the evil that threatened him, and stretched forth his hand very quickly - 


for his sword, and when he could not get it down, for it was full tightly bound, 
he caught up a footstool and defended himself with it for some time. But wellaway 
this man, albeit a mighty man of war and of the greatest valour, could not prevail 
against his foe, and was slain as if he had been a coward [in his house]: and he, 
who had become so famous in war for the overthrow of so many enemies, fell 
himself by the cunning of one weak woman. And his body was buried under the 
going up of the stairs which are nigh to the palace, with very great weeping and 
mourning by the Lombards, He was of high stature and fashioned in his whole 
body as was meet for a warrior. His tomb Gislbert, who was Duke of the men of 
Verona, opened in our days, taking away therefrom his sword and what else of his 
gear he found therein. Wherefore he was used with his wonted vanity to boast 
to unlearned men, that he had seen Elfwine face to face. 

Now when Elfwine was dead, Helmgisl tried to enter upon his kingdom, but this 
he could by no means do, for the Lombards grieved mightily for Elfwine’s death 
and threatened to slay him. Rosamund therefore straightway sent to Longiaus 
the Governor of Ravenna, praying him to send a ship as quickly as might be to 
take them both away. Longinus was glad when he received her message, and he 
sent off a ship in haste, whereou Helmgis} and Rosamund, who was now his wife, 
embarked by night and fled, taking with them the king’s daughter Elfswintha and 
the whole hoard of the Lombards, and they reached Ravenna very swiftly. Then 
Longinus the governor began to try and win over Rosamund to put Helmgisl to 
death and marry him. And she being ready for any niding’s work, and desiring to 
become Lady of the Ravenna-folk, consented to the doing of the deed. And when 
Helmgisl was washing himself in the bath she brought him a cup of poison, which 
she gave him as he came forth from the bath-room, saying that it was a Cup of 
Healing; but when he felt that he had drunk of the Cup of Death, he drew his 
sword upon her and forced her to drink what was left of it. And so by the doom 
of God Almighty these two most wicked murderers fell at the same moment. 


When these things were accomplished Longinus the Governor sent Elfswintha — 


with the hoards of the Lombards to Constantinople to the Emperor. There be 
some that say that Beartheow had come with Helmgisl and Rosamund to Ravenna 
and that he was sent thence with Elfswintha to Constantinople, and that there in 
the sight of the people before the emperor he slew a lion of wonderful size. And, 
as they tell, Beartheow’s eyes were put out by the Emperors command, lest he 
should do any harm in the royal city, for he was a mighty man. After a while 
he made ready two knives and hid them one in each sleeve and went to the palace 
and said that he had somewhat to say to Augustus which would be for his good, 
if he were brought before him. And Augustus sent two noblemen of his servants to 
‘him to hear his words and bring them to him. And when they came to Beartheow, 
he drew very nigh to them as if he had somewhat most secret to say, and gave 
each of them a mighty wound with the swords which he had hidden, one in each 
hand, so that they fell down straightway to the ground and gave up the ghost. 

So, like Samson the strongest of men, in his vengeance as in his blindness, he 
avenged his wrongs, and for the loss of his two eyes slew two of the Emperor's most 
trusty gentlemen. 


There are several other citations in Paul from poems, which he 
would no doubt have mentioned as his authorities had he lived to finish 
and prefix a preface to his book. There are, for instance, the phrase 





OLD GERMAN AND ENGLISH LAYS. lv 


about Grimwald, ‘ For the lad was fairly shapen, his eyes glittered, and 
he had long milk-white hair,’ which answers to the description of the 
Earl in the Lay of Righ: the colouring of the whole charming Story 
of the brothers’ flight from the Avars, where the elder brother, rather 
than leave his young brother in the enemy’s hands, wants to kill him ; and 
the boy cries out, ‘Do not kill me! I can ride,’ and when he is caught 
manages to slay his captor with his little sword and rejoin his brethren 
to their great joy: the curious and humourous story of the Maidens 
who saved their honour even in captivity: the tale of the quarrel of the 
Two Warriors before the battle, and several more stories which he 
merely gives the gist of, are, to our mind, derived from lost Lays, etc. 


There is only one GERMAN heroic song left, that of Hildebrand and 
Hadubrand, which is in a sad fragmentary state, and apparently weaker 
in style than the Lombard Lays. The Song of Walthere in the Chro- 
nicon Novaliciense is a later poem, but it has suffered from the hands of 
the paraphrast, who has turned it into bad Latin hexameters, 

Muspilli is, save in metre and a few phrases and expressions, too 
fundamentally Christian and bookish in character to give one much 
help towards the reconstruction of the old German Epic, while the 
other old fragments in German are non-epic in character, 


In ENGLAND an innovation appears, the 4arper who sits at the king’s 
feet (as we are shown in Beowolf), like Demodocos, and sings :— 
per wes sang ond swég samod ztgedere 
fore Healfdenes hilde-wisan 
gomen-wudu gréted gid oft wrecan, 
ponne heal-gamen Hrodgares scép 
efter medo-bence menan scolde 
Finnes eaferom 64 hie se-fer begeat :— 
. Leod wes asungen 
gleo-mannes gyd.—Beowolf, 1064 and 1160. 
In the Exeter MS. the following classic passages occur :— 
Sum sceal mid hearpan et his hlafordes 
fétum sittan, feoh picgan, 
ond 4 snellice snére wrestan.— Wyrde, 80-82. 
And— Sum mid hondum meg hearpan grétan.; 
ah he gleobeémes gearobrygda list : 
sum bid rynig, sum ryht scytte, 
sum leoda gleaw. . . .—Craftas, 49. See also Widsith, 105. 
There are unluckily only a few really pure typical Old English 
poems, such as the Bryhtnoth Lay, made after the fight at Maldon, 
about 995, and the fine bit of Finn’s Lay (which answers to our Biarca- 
mal). The Waldbere fragment is apparently of an archaic cast and 
should be classed with these. Its action is brisk and its placing mat- 
terful. The Brunanburh Lay' is book-poetry of the same type as the 
later bits in the English Chronicle. Inthe Beoqwolfwe have an epic com- 
pletely metamorphosed in form, blown out with long-winded, empty 
repetitions and comments by a book-poet, so that one must be careful not 





1 It has several lines almost identical with Tines in Judith, 


lvi INTRODUCTION. 


to take it as a type of the old poetry. Judith is a Christian epic, also of 
this long modified style, composed by a bookman, who, however, knew 
and used snatches of good old verse. Czdmon’s Rood Song and other 
sacred poetry were probably the first of their kind in any Teuton 
tongue. They had many imitators, down to Ealdhelm, the Boethius- 
paraphrast, and the bald prosy versifier of the Saints’ Lives. The Rood 
Song may also have given the impulse to the curious and really poetic 
half-lyrical compositions, such as the best pieces in the precious Exeter 
book, for instance, the Sailor, the Ruin, Fate, and the like. 

The Riddles are late, and imitations from the Latin, as are, of course, 
Domesday and the Phenix. 

Widsith* and Deor’s Lament, though highly interesting, are of a poorer 
type than the Lamentation Songs of our cycle (Book v), with which 
they are to be compared. 

In the Genesis, and other poetry ascribed to Cedmon, we see a late 
*remaniement’ of Cedmon’s genuine short lays; line after line of his 
occurs untouched, and then come long stretches of verbosity and 
tediousness which belong to the good clerks, who stuffed out the old 
poet’s works to bring them to the fashionable size, and added their 
own prosy notions to complete, as they imagined, their predecessor’s 
treatment of his subject. 


Turning from these to the Northern poems, we find among them 
older epics exactly parallel to the Alfwine Lays. For example, Ham- 
theow’s Lay, save for the language, which absolutely forbids its being 
set back before the ninth century, might be a sister lay to those col- 
lected by Charles the Great and paraphrased by Paul. Alongside of 
this, however, we meet a fresh song development, the Ethic Song, 
with its dramatic form, couplet-metre, and didactic intent. 


§ 8. PLACE AND DATE OF EDDIc SONGS. 


We are now face to face with the MS. Codex Regius and a small 
knot of poems which are of the same early character, bearing definite 
relationship to the early Teutonic schools of Song of which we have 
just been speaking, and the problem presents itself,—whence came 
these poems, who were their nameless authors, when and where were 
they composed? It is these questions we shall endeavour to answer. 
We have no information from outside, no one of the authors is even 
named, there is absolutely nothing to look to but these few sheets of 
parchment of the early thirteenth century; and if they had perished, 
there would really be not the slightest evidence that a noble school of 
poetry had ever existed in the North. 

One is therefore forced to depend wholly upon such internal evidence 
as can be gathered from the poems themselves. Three facts are certain ; 
they are original compositions in a Scandinavian tongue, they were 





* Widsith’s details of old Northern geography and notices of Epic heroes are of 
high worth, 








DATE OF THE EDDIC SONGS. lvii 


composed for popular entertainment, and they cannot date earlier than 
the ninth century. To what branch of the Scandinavian race are we 
then to assign them? 

Down to the present century, and far into it, the most extravagant 
views were held with regard to the ‘ Eddic poems.’ They are ‘monu- 
ments of hoar antiquity’ such as Tacitus might have heard, they were 


the ‘sacred songs and hallowed wisdom of the ancient sages of our 


‘ 


race,’ the ‘Bible of the North,’ and the like. Even Grimm placed 
them long before Charles the Great. These opinions, however, a care- 
ful examination of the poems will show to be untenable and the positive 
evidence of language prove to be absolutely mistaken. 

In the eighth century the tongue of the Northern Teutons underwent 
a mighty change, which severed it from the speech of the neighbour 
kinsfolk of the same stock, English and Germans, and left it a stamp 
of its own: a mere skeleton sketch of these changes is given in the 
Reader, pp. 464-65. Grammar was stamped afresh, words and par- 
ticles were as it were thrown into the crucible and recast, initial letters 
and syllables dropped off—a fatal change for alliterative poetry. No 
poems, such as these we are dealing with, could have come through this 
metamorphosis: stories might and did survive, and myths remain. Be- 
sides this, a change so deep and widely spread speaks to great changes in 
life and customs and taste, which must have swept away the older poetry : 
while our poems are too spontaneous and fresh to be ever mistaken for 
such pieces of traditional lore as the Twelve Tables or the Song of the 
Arval Brothers. Then again, though there are deep differences between 
them, they are not more widely severed in speech, metre, and tone 
than one would expect from a succession of poets of three or four 
generations. And there is one wholé group of poems which, as we 
shall see, can hardly be set earlier than the eleventh century. 

We have therefore the problem narrowed within these limits, 800— 
1100. To what branch of the Scandinavians within that period can 
they most reasonably be assigned? 

What was the state of the North during this period? First there was 
the great Exodus from all the Scandinavian lands on the North Sea west- 
wards; fleet after fleet of rovers and colonists passed over to the British 
group and the neighbouring coasts. Then we have the consolidation and 
growth of a strong imperial dominion in Norway under Fairhair, and its 
effects upon the colonists and the colonies. Thirdly, in consequence 
of external force of a violent character, we see a certain portion of the 
Western colonists breaking away from the settlements they had 
made or were making, and going forth on a second farther and, as it 
turned out, jizal Exodus, leaving the Western Isles for Iceland and the 
Faroes, and thence penetrating even to Greenland and the American 
coast‘. We know now that, though the connection between Iceland 





¥ About the same time they appeared in the Black Sea. The year 774 is the first 
mention of them in Eastern. history. See Howorth, The Sp¥ead of the Slaves, Part iv. 





viii INTRODUCTION. 


and the west of Norway was close, and though it is true that Harold’s 
stern rule had to do with the settlement of Iceland, that he did not 
drive the settlers so much from their o/d homes in Norway, as from 
their mew homes in the Western Isles}, 

Now there is a body of Norwegian poetic literature of the tenth 
century extant, and there is also a considerable mass of information 
respecting the tenth century in Iceland giving definite historical 
accounts of the life of the settlers and their descendants; and a regular 
Icelandic school of epic prose compositions, the Sagas, which have a 
very distinct character and complexion of their own. How do our 
Eddic poems stand with regard to them? 

Had the older chronology, which placed the Eddic poems long before 
Charles the Great, ere the dawn of the Wicking Age and the Exodus, 
been possible, then there would of course have been but one answer to 
our questioning. They must have been from the Scandinavian mother- 
country, for there was no Scandinavian colony then, and the distance in 
time would account for their great diversity from the Sagas. 

The best way will be to examine what kind of life and thought, what 
subjects, and what style these poems exhibit, and then to see how far 
the claims of the various Scandinavian lands are agreeable to these 
certain indications. 

But here some need for a classification of the poems will be felt, 
Our reasons for the one adopted will be given in due order, at present 
we shall merely speak of the earlier Didactic poems as the work of the 
Ethic poet, the Helgi cycle and its fellow poems as the Helgi-poet’s 
[Book iii, § 3], the Loka-Senna group as the composition of the 
Aristophanes-poet [Book ii, § 2], the Lay of Thrym and the Mill Songs 
as the Ballad poet [Book iii, § 2], the later Brunhild poems as the 
Tapestry-poet’s [Book v, §§ 2-4], the Ynglingatal and the Lays of 
Book iv as the Norwegian poets’, and so on. 

If we take in turn the family-life, the law, the geographical indications 
physical and historical, the vocabulary, we shall see that the poems 
describe a social condition and natural circumstance of their own. 

The family life is of the large heroic type, with a certain splendour 
and ease, which contrasts with that of the Icelandic Sagas. ‘Salr’ is the 
word for the great hall, the household is ‘ sal-drétt,’ the bondmaids are 
‘sal-pyjar,’ ‘sal-conor,’ the cock is the ‘sal-gaukr,’ the cuckoo of the 
hall. But this word ‘sal’ is not found in Icelandic prose, the Nor- 
wegian and Icelandic terms are ‘sc4li’ and ‘stufa.’ 

The women’s room is the “bfr,’ the dower of our English ballads, 
Here in our Tapestry-poet, as in the ballads, the lady sits with her maids, 
working the tapestry (hlada, gull-béka, byr%a, spiold, bordi, script) with 
figures of swans and beasts, and ships and heroes, fighting and sailing, pre- 





1 It was Fairhair’s expedition to the West that drove them from Caithness, the 
Hebrides, and Orkneys, to Arctic Iceland; but for that, Iceland, one may safely say, 
would never have been peopled, or would have been like the Newfoundland of the 
present day. 


es ™ vy 
Pe er 





eA ee ae 


Pat 


CULTURE OF THE EDDIC SONGS. lix 


cisely like the toilette of Bayeaux. In Icelandic the word for this chivalric 
bower, ‘ bar,’ merely means the pantry or storehouse [whilst ‘dyngja’ or 
‘stufa’ denotes the ladies’ room]. ‘ Baith bour and ha’ stood in a ‘ tin’ 
or court [in Iceland ‘tG@n’ means the homefield]; there is a ‘ta’ or 
forecourt, a broad platform probably on which the great hall stands 
or the space just before it [the word is unknown in Iceland]. In the 
‘tin’ games go on and ceremonies take place. The Tapestry-poet 
speaks of a ‘borg’ or ‘fort,’ with high walls, a gateway (hlid), and a gate 
(grind) which enclose its garth (gard). On the wall by the gateway is 
a watch-tower (hlid-skialf), For all the world the picture of a late Irish 
‘liss’ or ‘rath,’ and not very far removed, when we are told of ‘lofty 
walls,’ from the rudimentary ‘peel’ or ‘ keep and baily’ of a feudal age. 

The hall inside is set with tables, ‘bidér’ [in Iceland tables are 
boards, ‘bord’]. Among the articles of furniture there is a cupboard, 
‘v4’ [Dan. ‘vra’], on which stand cans (canna) and cups (kalkr or 
calcr), an oft-repeated word [Lat. calicem, through Keltic, but unknown 
in Iceland]. The cup is mounted, ‘varéir calkar’ of the Lay of Righ 
[‘hrim-calcr’ of the Aristophanes-poet we cannot explain]. In this the 
*biér’ [a foreign word] is drunk, and wine [foreign]. Among the dishes 
are roast birds [of land-birds there is only the ptarmigan eatable in 
Iceland], killed no doubt by the hawk, which is kept in the hall. Oats 
[‘ ti,’ a Gaelic word] are among the grains known, as are rye, bigg, 
wheat. The cooking-vessel and brewing-vat is ‘hver’ [which in Ice- 
land means a hot-spring], an oft-repeated word. The bread is such as 
the Scotch bannock baked on the hearth. Dainties, such as boiled 
veal, are noticed in the Lay of Righ. 

The fuel is peat, which is dug on the estate and stacked for burning. 
When one remembers the patriotic endeavours of Mr. Asbiornsen 
(a forester by business, better known in England as the collector of the 
delightful Norwegian Fairy Tales) to stay his countrymen from destroy- 
ing their magnificent forests by their wanton misuse of wood, when 
peat was to be had in any quantity for the trouble of digging; and 
when one knows, too, that his beneficent crusade met with a sturdy 
resistance,—it is not easy to imagine for a moment that a poem in which 
such mention of peat occurs is Norwegian of the tenth or eleventh 
century, when there was far more wood-land than there is even now. 

Then there is well-developed agriculture, carts (kart), wheeled wagons 
(hvel-vagn), ploughs (plégr) [all un-Icelandic entirely]. There are geese 
kept in the court; tame pigs who are fed with swill, goats herd on 
the hills, and the goat-keeper with his hazel stick, who guards them 
from the wolves, are vividly presented to us by the Helgi-poet ; sheep [so 
essentially Icelandic] are never mentioned; oxen and neat are frequent. 

The dogs, of whom there are many, are kept for watch-dogs and 
hunting, and tied up at night [Iceland only knows sheep-dogs]. There 
is plenty of scope for hunting, wolves in the waste, harts on the hill, 
tallest of deer. Bears are rarely met with» but are mentioned; the 
white bear in the Greenland Lay is a piece of undoubted local colour. 


Ix | INTRODUCTION. 


The Helgi-poet mentions reindeer in the wilderness as wi/d [the old 
Ethic poet talks of them on the hill as tame], but above all he brings 
forward the hart with his towering horns, his dewy sides, his tall slen- 
der legs, and his gallant port. So the Tapestry-poet knows the hart. 
But these beasts are not Scandinavian, were not known save in Den- 
mark so early as this’. They are highly characteristic of the Western 
Islands. They have never existed in Iceland. 

Gulls and tame hawks are characteristic birds. 

There is plenty of wood, oak for the pyre, yew and elm for the bow; 
similes are drawn from the lofty ash and the low broad thorn, the 
willow stripped of her leaves by the cruel wind or fire, the garlick 
lifting its tall graceful head above the other grass. Autumn is the 
Flax-cutter, ‘ hor-meitod;’ a lady is flax-shrouded, i. e. linen-wimpled. 

Of positive geographic indications there are few. However one, 
which the Tapestry-poet gives, is striking indeed, ‘ Sudr 4 Fifi,’ South on 
Fife, as if viewed from Orkney. Norway and Denmark are mentioned 
a couple of times. Limbfrith (Denmark) is spoken of once. The Rus- 
sian name ‘ larisgar’ is in the Tapestry-poet. The Helgi-poet’s geo- 
graphy is, beyond ‘ lorbasound’ [?], merely one of phantasy, Holy-river, 
Joy-bay, Sun-fell. The Morva-land (Oddrun), Havada-fiall (Heidrek 
Lay), and Jordan (Helgi Lay) look very like Moravia, the Carpathians, 
and Jordan. The pillars and shelves of the giant’s house and the stone 
cauldrons of our Hymi Lay wonderfully recall the chamber of the giant- 
tomb at New Grange, Ireland, with its huge stone-slabbed chamber and 
broad stone bowls; a fit home indeed for a giant. See the pictures in 
‘Sculptured Stones of Ireland.’ 

The Tapestry-poet has many words for dress, and stuffs, and metals, 
etc.: breech and blouse, ‘br6ék [Gaelic] ok bleja [bleaut];’ tresses, 
‘tresc’ [Romance word]; twisted brooches, ‘hrodit sigle’ [Old Eng. 
gehroden sigl] ; ‘lfn’ [Lat. linum]. The harp is also mentioned by him 
[never in the Sagas]. Constant intercourse with Celtic people is evi- 
denced by the Welsh-metal (Vala-malmr), Welsh-stuff (Vala-ript), 
Welsh swords (Volskom sverdom), Welsh-woman (Valnesk-vif). 

The remarkable Lay of Alwise is the work of a man who had. had 
the means of seeing various men and manners, he has a few Gaelic 
words. 

For wages and trade, rings of fixed weight are used, yet the Ballad 
Poet once speaks of ‘scillingar,’ English coined money, and the word 
‘penny’ is found in Loka-Senna. 

We find Gaelic words scattered throughout the whole breadth of 
our songs, though in no great number: krds, dish (Righ, Hymi, Helgi, 
Thrym, Sun-Song); eti, oats; niol, darkness (Alwise); bio, earth 
(Wolospa) ; lind, well, water (Old Wolsung Play) ; tir, earth (if we read 
it rightly in the Western Wolsung Lay, I. 85, etc.) 





} The stag was introduced into Sweden in the sixteenth century. See Mr. Styffe’s 
(of Upsala Library) Scandinavia i Medeltiden,—a truly excellent book. 








DIALECT OF THE EDDIC SONGS. Ixi 


Several Latin words have been noticed above. 

There are Old English words (though few), such as ‘hauk-staldr, 
hage-stalda,’ in our Tapestry-poet. 

The Tapestry-poet uses Hunar (Huns), Hynskr (Hunnish), as a vague 
word for foreign, in a like way as Valir (Gauls) is used by the earlier 
poets; probably the East Baltic folk would have been ‘Huns’ to 
them. 

In the Helgi-poet ships play a great part: the gallant fleet running out 
to sea, the bold captain carrying on before the gale, the waves dashing 
over the bows, the rattling of the shielded bulwark, and the groaning of 
the hull; the harbour with its marks (curious-shaped stones), the 
docks (‘ grindir’), [not ‘naust’ as in Iceland], a golden war-standard or 
gonfalon at the bows; the tents of the forecastle (stamn-tiold); the 
wicker shield (vig-nisting) hoisted to the mast as a war-token. There 
is the captain at the tiller, the pilot (‘sund-wordr,’ sound-warder) in 
the forecastle, ready to con the ship in, and to warn the captain of 
all danger—these are all non-Icelandic. The wicker shield is not Nor- 
wegian either, but characteristically Irish. It was an archaism in the 
North, where the good linden had replaced it. The very word for 
ship, ‘ ciol,’ is foreign. 

As regards Jaw there are strange words, unknown in Icelandic, used 
instead of the familiar terms. The judge is ‘miotud’ [measurer], 
or ‘forseti’ [fore-sitter]; the daysmen are ‘iafnendr’ [eveners]; the 
inheritance ‘o%al-torfa’ [ethel-turf, an Anglicism one would say 
(extinct inheritance)]; the escheated estate, ‘aldau%Sa arfr;’ head- 
money or tax is ‘nef-giold’ [neb-gild]; boot-money is ‘munda-baug’ 
[manus aurum]; to summon to wage of battle is ‘stefna til eyrar’ [not 
the Icelandic ‘scora 4 holm’]; ‘ ganga til hvers’ or ‘ taka til ketils’ is to 
go to wager of law—ordeal; the sacrifice or victim is ‘ tifor;’ to wed 
is to go under linen, ‘ ganga und lini;’? the woman is said ‘at breida 
blzior,’ to spread the coverlet for her husband. Husband and wife are 
‘wordr and wer’ [ward and were],—words peculiar to these poems. 

Traces of a peculiar vocabulary are frequent, not only foreign words 
(see above) but Teutonic words, not met with in the North: hloa [to 
low], cringa [to cringe], swelta [to die], angr [narrow], d4munr [like], 
hiufra [to bewail], varn [warren], etc. 

The kind of life to which all these indications witness is very different 
indeed from that of Iceland, as preserved for us in the Sagas, not only 
in details but also in the whole tone and spirit. The real flesh and 
blood characters, the homely incident, the faithful presentment of 
a scene by small sharp touches, which are so patent in the Sagas, are 
absent here, while, on the other hand, these poems discover an ideal 
of beauty, an aerial, unearthly fairy world, and a love of nature, which 
we do not find in the Sagas. We are not depreciating Icelandic 
genius; the Saga is the true child of Iceland; were it so that but one 
could be preserved, the Eddic Songs or the» Sagas, the Editor, at 
least, would unhesitatingly pray for the Sagas; for Ballads there are 


lxii INTRODUCTION. 


in other countries or were at other times, but the Icelandic Saga is 
a.unique plant. 

Nor, if we turn to the remains of the’early Norwegian poets [Book iv, 
§§ 2-4], do we find in them either the vocabulary, or the style, or the 
spirit of these poems; they too have high qualities of their own, but not 
those which are so marked in the Helgi or the Tapestry-poet. To 
take more prosaic, but perhaps clearer considerations,—the fora and 
fauna of the poems, yew-trees, harts, wolves, for instances, are cer- 
tainly non-lcelandic. Hunting with hounds, bird-clubbing, can never 
at any time have been pursued in Iceland. The geographical con-. 
siderations and the vocabulary are also wholly non-Icelandic. 

On the other hand, putting Iceland out of the question, the life is not 
of a kind which we can fancy to have existed in Norway or Scandinavia at 
the period when these poems were certainly composed. Ladies in bower, 
working at their tapestry of gold, lofty castles or forts, are quite medizval 
in tone, and Scandinavia was not medievalised till far later than this. 
On the contrary, in the early Ethic poems, such as the Guests’ 
Wisdom and the admitted Norwegian poems, the life depicted is 
singularly primitive and archaic, and the early Kings’ Lives testify to 
this in every page (notice fetching the reindeer on foot in a thawing 
fellside). But the quantity of foreign words used by the Helgi, 
Aristophanic, and Tapestry poets, the foreign customs, the peat-digging, 
the flora and fauna, are altogether unsuitable; hazel and oak and ash 
and thorn and willow are certainly un-Norwegian; the fir and birch are 
its characteristic trees. 

Nor do the conditions of life, the budding chivalry of the Helgi 
poems, the Gaelic vocabulary of our Aristophanes, the air of luxurious 
plenty of the Tapestry-poet, the strong Christian influence of Celtic 
cast in the strophic prophetic poems, fall in at all with what we know 
of Sweden and Denmark in.the ninth and tenth centuries. 

Where, then, shall we find a place to which the conditions of life 
depicted in the poem shall apply—a temperate country, with Kelts 
in or near it, with a certain amount of civilisation and refinement and 
foreign trade, with Christian influences, with woods and deer and 
forest trees, with a fine coast and islands, where there were fortified 
places’, where there was plenty of rich embroidered tapestry”, where 





' The Roman towns, Chester for instance, where Ingimund the Ostman and 
Etheldreda’s men fought, are, as may be seen from Pevensey or Richborough to 
this day, very striking fortifications of the burg kind, Note too the later forts of 
/Elfred (London-burgh, etc.) and of his son and daughter, who built the chain of 
stone and stockaded holds which kept their kingdom safe and enabled them soon to 
absorb all the Danish settlements and kingdoms in the south of the main island, 
In Ireland there are the Round Towers; in Scotland many a ‘camp,’ old and new, 
was manned against the invaders. . 

* England is pre-eminently the home of fine needlework, as Ireland of intricate 
illumination, at this period. The tapestry of Ely (Brihtnoth’s deeds), of Bayeux (the 
Conquest), the rich cope which Eadmer saw with pride on the Beneventan arch- 
bishop’s back at the Council [see the story told at length in English in Dr, Freeman’s 





PLACE OF THE EDDIC SONGS. xiii 


hunting, hawking, bird-clubbing went on as common pastimes’, where 
slavery was widely prevalent? (the slaves being often of a different racial 
type to their masters), where harping*® and carping went on in the hall 
to the merry clink of cup and can kept filled with beer and wine, where 
there was plenty of ‘ Welsh’ cloth, ‘ Welsh’ gold and ‘ Welsh’ steel, 
where the Scandinavian led a roving life, fighting and sailing, and riding 
and feasting by turns? Where but in the Western Isles? 

Again, where could those curious mythologic fancies, which created 
Walhall, and made of Woden a heavenly Charlemagne, which dreamed, 
like Cadmon, of the Rood as a tree that spread through the worlds, 
which pictured the final Doom as near, and nursed visions of an ever- 
lasting peace, holier even than Cynewulf’s Phoenix figures,—where could 
such ideas as these, alien as they are to the old Teutonic religion and 
ritual and thought, have been better fostered than in the British Isles, 
at a time when the Irish Church, with her fervent faith, her weird and 
wild imaginings, and curious half-Eastern legends, was impressing the 
poetic mind on one side, while the rich and splendid court of Eadgar 
or Canute would stimulate it on the other? 

But after all, we must remember that, however mixed in blood and 
however changed in circumstance and life, the authors of these poems 
were Scandinavians in the heroic age of the North. To what par- 
ticular tribe of Scandinavia are we to assign their authorship? When 
we consider the choice of subject (Helgi, Frodi, Craki, Angantheow, 
etc.), certain curious phrases (Woden called the Gauts’ patron, ‘ Gauta 
spialli’), the knowledge of the Huns, Iarizkar, etc., slight indications of 
language, the retention, in a few instances at least, of the ‘w,’ word 
[word], wreidr [O. E. wrath], the discrepancy in words for the com- 
monest household objects, the different law terms, which neither fit 
West Norway nor Iceland,—we are inclined to hold that the authors must 
rather have been connected with the Southern Scandinavian emigration. 
And is not this what was to be looked for? The Wick [Scage Rack] is the 
very centre of the district whence came the first Wickings [named, 
most probably, from. #/is Wick, not merely ‘men of the bays,’ but 





William Rufus], the panegyrics which the rich dress of the English nobles extorted 
from the Norman populace, as William of Malmesbury notices, the splendid 
embroidery on the robes of saints and kings in the paintings of Old English MSS., 
are all evidences on this head. 

1 The prohibition, 81 in Cnut’s Dooms, the frequent mention of hounds and 
hawks in early documents, the hounds, huntsmen, etc, of Domesday, the passionate 
love of the sport, which actuated Eadgar and the Confessor as well as the Normans, 


are to the point here. 


2 Wulfstan’s sermons, the Conqueror’s law itself (a repetition of Ethelred’s), the 
plain words of William of Malmesbury, the manumission-lists of the MSS., speak 
loudly here. Mark further that the greatest slave-trade was with Ireland. 

8 The harping of the Irish, Welsh, and English poems, the special love of min- 
strelsy, which is marked in the tales of the tenth and eleventh centuries, Beda’s 
story of Cedmon, Dunstan’s musical skill, and many other examples which might be 
collected, point to the British Isles, and especially the Keltic parts thereof, as essen- 
tially musical, and more than that, as especially skilled in harping, 


lxiv INTRODUCTION. 


‘men of te Bay’], the centre and natural outlet of the dales of South 
Norwegian tribes, of Gauts, of Jutes, the land from whence Godfred 
and Ragnar and Guthrum, aye and Harold Fairhair and his sons, and 
Cnut also, sailed West, whence certainly came the leaders of the greatest 
kingdoms the northern emigrants raised in these islands. These emigrants 
were a mixed body, and that would account for discrepancies here and 
there, but it seems to be pretty clear that the composers of these poems 
were not so near to the North and West Norwegian colonists whom 
Harold did his best to drive from the Western Islands, as they were to 
the men who won Waterford and Limerick and kinged it in York and 
East England?. 

It is well to remember, in this connection, that among the first poets 
we really have any personal knowledge of, the majority are of mixed 
élood, with an Irish ancestress not far back in the family tree. Their 
physical characteristics, dark hair and black eyes, like Sighwat and Cor- 
mac, their reckless passion and wonderful fluency [cf. Helgi-poet and 
Tapestry-poet], are also un-Teutonic and speak to their alien descent. 


§ 9. CLASSIFICATION OF Eppic Lays. 


To determine the chronology of the poems within a year or two is 
hopeless, we can only point out a few considerations which may help 
to give some reasonable results. With regard to their relation to the 
older Teutonic poems the reader is requested to turn back to § 7, and 
for a detailed discussion of the evidence afforded by metre to look 
forward to Excursus I in this volume. 

The Songs of the Ethical Group [Book i, §§ 1-4] are clearly in spirit, 
culture, evidence, and metre older than the Helgi Cycle or the Tapestry 
Poems. They bear many resemblances in style and spirit to the Older 
Epics, with which we have therefore classed them. 

The Helgi Cycle, while clearly later than these, yields every appear- 
ance of being composed in the seething days of the Wicking-tide, 
rather towards the end than to the beginning of it. There is one little 
piece of evidence, which, if our reading be correct, would almost surely 
fix an eminently satisfactory date. Eywind (c. A.D. 970), we take, uses the 
word ‘ vig-ro%i;’ now he was a noted plagiarist, and the word is unmis- 
takably a characteristic word of the Helgi-poet, who loves and affects 
those wig-compounds, so that it is not at all unlikely that Eywind has 





1 Critics have pleaded the weak state and medley tongue of the Scandinavians 
of the West. But here we are speaking of the tenth and eleventh centuries, when 
they were a mighty imperial race. Where records are silent, the very stones speak, 
In the Hebrides, Captain Thomas, a safe authority on ancient West Scottish 
geography, has (as he informs the Editor) collected all the names of places in the 
Isle of Lewis, and finds that out of every four, three are Norse, under various dis- 
guises, but still recognisable, even after having had to pass through the Gaelic tongue 
of centuries past. Captain Thomas notices that Munch, in the last years of his life, 
was much struck by this fact; even he did not expect so great a ratio in the 
Hebrides. Munch’s premature death hindered him from working out the results to 
be drawn from his English friend’s researches, 





HELGI POEMS—TAPESTRY POEMS. Ixv 


‘conveyed’ the word from him. We know roughly the date of other 
poems Eywind borrows from, Ynglingatal, c. 930, and Erics-mal, soon 
after 950; the Helgi poems would not be farther removed from him 
than these (he certainly would not copy old-fashioned poems), and 
¢. 950, leaving a margin of a score of years, would fit admirably with 
their mefre, spirit, and internal evidence [note the Fair-hair allusion, 
Wak. |. 93]. But even if the word ‘ vigro%i’ were out of the question, 
the peculiar réle of the Walcyria in Haconar-mal is doubtless of a piece 
with that played by Helgi’s amazon heroines; and after all is not the 
exact scene, fine as it is, where Hacon is sitting war-weary and wounded 
on the field amid the dead, and Gondul and her maiden-mates armed 
and helmed ride spear in hand to greet him, copied from the interview 
of Helgi and his ‘Helmed Fairies?’ Even the turns of phrase, the 
Helgian ‘asides’ (which no other poet employs), recur in Eywind’s 
Lay. In saying this, we do not deny Eywind’s talents,—he ‘imitates 
like a man of genius,’—but simply wish to point out his attitude to the 
earlier poet, and establish this anonymous poet’s date. 

The Tapestry-poet (one might also dub him the Monologue-poet, or 
‘the Lamentation-poet) is undeniably later than the Helgi-poet; he is 
living in an age of greater culture, of more sentiment, of refinement, 
of luxury, when ladies worked tapestry instead of serving the house- 
hold, leaving that to slave-women. He bears all the marks of the 
eleventh century, its chivalry, its brutality, its passionate weeping [com- 
pare the Song of Roland on this head]. Then the style, the prevalence 
of narrative, the falling off in dramatic power, the Euripidean similes, 
and love of doleful and harrowing situations, the special study of female 
character, the constant harping on sorrow, Gudrun’s, Brunhild’s, Ordrun’s, 
etc., whole poems being built on a ‘chain of woes,’—would all be impossi- 
ble in an earlier age, and would not be tolerated by those who lived the 
rougher life of the earlier settlers. That they are written for enter- 
tainment their epilogues declare plainly, and this is suitable to a gene- 
ration of ‘gluttons and winebibbers,’ such as Wulfstan’s sermon and 
Malmesbury’s jeremiads portray (with considerable animus of course). 
The Helgi-poet is a heathen evidently at heart: while there is nothing 
in the Tapestry-poet to vindicate his faith or creed, he is more un- 
religious than the Court-poets, for they use heathen figures in abun- 
dance, though they were good Christians enough. The date of r1o50, 
all things considered, would suit the Tapestry poems well enough. 

The Greenland Poem cannot be older than the discovery and colonisa- 
tion of Greenland, c. 984, and would reasonably fit to some time early 
in the next century, say roz0. It is more archaic and naive, and com- 
posed for a sterner and more simple public than the Tapestry poems. 

The Ballad-poet is harder to deal with. In high poetic gift he 
does not stand far from the Helgi-poet: in elaboration of form, in 
dramatic treatment, in the regular character of his phrasing, in his 
minute and select vocabulary he has analogies’ with the Norwegian 
school of poets. It does not do to lay too much stress on a phrase 

e€ 


lxvi INTRODUCTION.” 


in-an epilogue, but still we may note the coincidence between the 
‘That is how Thor got back his hammer’ of the Ballad and the ‘ This 
is how Gudrun was cleared of the charge against her’ of the Tapestry 
school. Both poems are confessedly for entertainment. We should 


certainly incline to put the Ballad-poet earlier than the Tapestry 


poems, say about 990. He may be older, but that is probably the 
safest date. We have noted his marked Western characteristics. 
The trick of Thor dressing as a bride is the same as the legend of 
Thorgils’ death in Ireland, when the young heroes dressed themselves 
up as women to get access to him and slew him. 

A poem which presents a very delicate problem is the Weyland’s 
Lay. On the one side there are such deeply-cut archaisms, such a 
Homeric spirit breathing through it, so many lines with the ring of the 
Hamtheow Lay in them, that it was not without long consideration 
and careful discussion that its present place in this volume was decided 
on; for, while these traits would claim it as a fellow to the older Epics, 
there are traces of later phrasing, e. g. Il. 107-110, and of such modern 
metre, structure, and wording as show certain resemblances to the 
Ballad-poet. Perhaps to suppose that it is an old poem, which has 
gone through a remodelling by some admirer of the Ballad style, 
would be the most reasonable theory. It is an especially fascinating 
Lay and deserves minute study. 

Biarka-mal, unless the legend lies, is older than 1030, the day when 
the martyr-king heard it sung as the last sun that he was to see rose 
over his waking host. But we must not pin our faith to this too tightly, 
for we know that round Sticklestead-battle, as round Senlake and 
Alcazar, stories have clustered which really belong to older and later 
events, The extraordinary resemblance between it and the fragment 
of the Finsburgh fight, amounting even to the identity of parallel lines, 
must be pointed out!, There must be some transfusion of legend 





1 Of such parallelisms mark, e. g.— 
And onwacnigead nu wigend mine. 
And— Vaki ok vaki vina-héfud. 
Compare too— Da ards menig gold hladen degn gyrde hine his sworde, 
da to dura eodon drihtlice cempan, 
Sigeferd and Eaha hyra sword getugon, 
ond zt oprum durum Ordlaf and Guplaf, 
ond Hengest sylf hwearf him on laste, etc. 
And this sentence from the Paraphrase in Rolf’s Saga— 
pa stékk upp Hromundr Hardi, ok Hrolfr skidthendi, Svipdagr ok Beigaédr, 
Hvitserkr enn Hvati, Haklangr enn sétti, Hardrefill enn siaundi, Haki inn Froekni 
enn atti, Vottr enn Mikil-afli enn niundi, Starolfr enn tiundi, Hialti enn Hugprudi 
enn ellepti, Bodvarr Biarki enn tolfti. 
Compare too— Da gewat him wund hzled on weg gangan 
sede pet his byrne abrocen were 
here-sceorpum hror and eac wes his helm dyrl: 
with the paraphrastic—viat af mer eru hoeggnar allar hlifar, fést-brdédir, ok 
pykkjomk ek pé all-akaft vega, ok get ek nu eigi hefnt allra minna heeggva; enn 
eigi skal nu yid hlifaz, ef ver skulum Valhdll gista i kveld, : 


ARISTOPHANIC POEMS. WOLOSPA. “Axvii 


here. To support the Fin story there is Beowolf; to support the 
Biarka-mal story, Saxo, a good and untainted witness, There is 
a riddle to solve here. 


The Aristophanic poems are not to be hastily dealt with. All three 
(Ls., Skm, Hbl.) appear to be the work of one poet’, There is an 
archaic smack about them; they are by a heathen certainly, a man 
who is at home in his religion, who treats Thor and Woden, as many 
a good medizval churchman did the Abbot or the Pope, with a humour 
which has in it no hate or abhorrence, but rather sympathy. He takes 
care too to avoid irreverence, by putting his flouts and jibes in Loki’s 
mouth. That biting mischievous scoffer always says more than he 
means. There are traces also of a deep religious feeling, which must 
have vanished at the later date when Christendom and Heathendom 
stood out clear face to face. This nameless Aristophanes is a high 
poet too, with a beautiful restraint, an antique grace in his metre and 
phrasing, and a vigorous homely pith that belonged to the Ethic school. 
His love for Thor is Norwegian-like, but the pictures of wild roving 
life, the bold buccaneer fighting and plundering and carrying off women 
and lying feasting on an island for days together, or even a whole 
winter, are as unmistakeably of the wicking-tide. He may well be 
a contemporary of the Poet of Helgi; later he could not, earlier a 
little he might possibly be. 


In Wolo-spa [Bk. iii, § 3] the fine flexible melodious metre, which has 
here reached its highest pitch of development, the careful logical 
divisions of the whole into burden-bounded strophes, would forbid any 
thought of ‘hoar antiquity,’ of ‘ primeval utterances,’ or the like. And 
on a closer examination, the refinement and spirituality of thought 
which show throughout, the philosophical character, one might almost 
say, of its conceptions, are positive indications, which tend still more 
strongly to confirm our conviction that we have here a poem of about 
the same age as the Ballad poems, with which indeed it bears clear 
marks of likeness, The apprehension of the near crack of doom, too, 
points to a date near A.D. 1000, The source of the poet’s inspiration 
has been ably pointed out by Dr. Bang of Christiania. The western 
locale of it is rendered certain by the occurrence of ‘ bio%,’ earth, the 
use of the harp, and the eschatology. There are Irish compositions 
on Domesday still extant which would serve as links between its Scan- 
dinavian author and the wild eastern fancies of the Sibylline poems, 





1 See the parallelisms, e. g.— 
Heill ves pu nui Loki ok tak vid hrim-kalki.—Ls, 
And— Heill ves pu nu heldr sveinn ok tak vid hrim-kalki.—Skm. 
Herr es s& sveinn sveina.— Hol, 
And— Hyvat es pat hlym hlymja.—Skm, 
Ok péttiska pu pa Pdrr vesa,—Ls. 244 and Ls, 82. 

Rare and peculiar words, used in these Lays only, are—Gamban-reidi, Skm, 136; 
gamban-teinn, ib, 131 and Hbl. 63; gamban-sumbl, Ls. ¥2,. The Old Wolsung Play 
alone presents parallelisms to them ; is that, too, or parts of it, by the same poet ? 

€ 2 


Ixviil INTRODUCTION. 


Balder’s Doom [Bk. iii, § 2] has ‘ballad’ character in its framework, 
but is more heathen and antique in spirit than the Wolospa. 


Hyndlo-liod [Bk. iv, § 2] is a valuable but sadly mangled poem. Our 
arrangement of it in the text is by no means definitive, though we have 
been able to restore the framework of the genealogical part. Hence we 
have given a complete reconstruction of the whole poem in Excursus 
IV, vol, ii. There are in fact two poems in it, each with its own burden. 
(1) A Genealogical Lay; an heroic encyclopedia, taking in all the 
famous men of old. This poem is the Hyndla-Lay proper. (2) The 
other part, which well deserves the title by which Snorri cites it, 
the Short Wolospa, is an eschatology, bearing many points of resem- 
blance to that of the great Wolospa and the Doom of Balder, but in 
a little more archaic and less ideal vein. Here there are traces of a 
second framework, Wodin calling up a Sibyl or Wolwa by enchant- 
ment and threats, and extorting answers from her, as Woden does 
from the Sibyl in the other poem; and finally the Wolwa sinks to sleep 
again, having ended her prophecy with a distinct intimation of the 
coming of the Greater One, a more clearly Christian phrase than any 
even in Wolospa. These two poems have, for reasons we know not, 
been run by the reciter into one jumble. The fragments are so mangled, 
the lacune so evident and so serious, that it is often hard to get matter 
for a complete reconstruction. We would propose the following 
rearrangement— 

Verses 147-166 on Heimdal should stand at the head of the Genea- 
logical Lay, immediately after our 1. 45, for Heimdal is the progenitor 
of all royal races. 7 

Lines 20-28, 171-174, and 187-192 are the epilogue to Othere’s 
Genealogical Lay. 

On the other hand, lines 175-176, 183-184 belong to the Introduc- 
tion to the Necromantic Sibyl Song: while lines 185-186 are part of 
the prophecy to be inserted before line 159. 

One indication of date we can perhaps get: Wolf Uggason’s House 
Poem, iv. 9, yields a distinct echo of our corrupt lines 147-155, where 
we should read— 

Ragna-reinar ramm-aukinn még, 
and render— 
The mighty warder of the bridge of the Powers. 


The ‘ nadd-gaofgan’ is evidently some allusion to the ‘ Brising necklace’ 
over which Heimdal and Loki fought at Singa-stone’. 

Wolf's poem dates from c. 980; so that 950, say, would be a fair date 
for our poem. 


The Sun’s Song and Christian’s Wisdom [Bk. iii, § 4], which are probably 





1 Note that ‘mann,’ the word used here of Heimdal, recalls Mannus the ‘ conditor 
gentis Germanorum’ in Tacitus’ day. Compare also the pedigree of Ermanric as 
given by Jordanis. 


THE CHRISTIAN POEMS. lxix 


by a single author, would, we take it, be fitly allotted to the early part 
of the eleventh century. They are frankly Christian, both in spirit and 
subject; they contain passages of a more romantic character than we 
should expect in very early poems. There seems almost an echo of 
the Helgi-poet [i.l. 59, 60] in the line 166, and the Sun’s hart and 
other touches remind one of the Grimnis-mal mythology. 

It is an idle fancy to think that one of the Christian Wise-man’s 
examples is founded on the Adventures of Gunlaug and Raven. The 
fact is that Gunlaug’s Saga, as we have it, is a romance’. Thorrod 
Kolbeinsson, in his Dirge on Gunlaug [ii. p. 105], says nothing about 
the duelling; but makes Gunlaug slay two men, Olaf and Grim, ere 
he struck Raven down,—evidently a fray or battle, not a set combat. 
Again, Landnama-bok, which names Gunlaug and Raven, does not 
tell of any Helga the Fair as Raven’s wife, but does give Raven a sister 
Helga. That Gunlaug and Raven fought a wager of battle is historical, 
but the cause of it and the manner of Gunlaug’s death we do not 
know. The Saga, which is of a distinctly non-Icelandic romantic type, 
has received some of its finest scenes from foreign stories, perhaps even 
this very tale which the Christian Saga alludes to, of the unhappy passion 
of Swafod and Scart-hedin, who really did slay each other in wager 
of battle for the unnamed lady’s love. There are several indications 
which point to the Western Islands as the locale of the author. Rye- 
dale etc, is non-Icelandic; ‘cras’ is a Gaelic word; ‘ Vanar-dreka’ is 
paralleled by Snorri’s word ‘ Vanar-gandr,’ of the earth-serpent, a 
quotation no doubt. The origin of the N.E. ‘gow-sun’ is given s. vy. 
‘gygjar-sol’ in Dict. 222 a. The early Visions, such as Adamnan’s, 
which was widely celebrated, were well known to our author; also the 
‘burdens of lead,’ Dante’s cowls, which King John is said to have used 
to torture a living man. The later classification of the Seven Sins [the 
earlier arrangement has Eight] had not reached the Christian Sage, or 
he would certainly have adopted it, for he is very methodical and sym- 
metrical in his poem, It is, one would say, upon the model of the 
Guest’s Wisdom and such old poems that the Sun’s Song and the 
Christian’s Wisdom were composed. 


Grimnis-mal and Wafthrudnis-mal [Bk. ii, § 1] offer little internal 
evidence; we have been guided by their general spirit and style to 
place them as we have. They were composed for entertainment we 
have little doubt. Wafthrudnis-mal is probably the older of the two. 


Allwise’s Lessons [Bk. ii, § 1] is obviously by a western poet. It is 
clearly composed by one who, like Widsith or Odusseus, ‘ unlocked 
his word-hoard,’ having seen many men and states; there are two 
certain Gaelic words at least [zti, niol, etc.], and several English words 
[barr=bear or barley, etc.]. The trick, by which the dwarf is here 
out-witted, is applied with equal success to a giantess in the Flyting 


-. 


= 


1 See Excursus III, vol. ii. 





Ixx INTRODUCTION. 


of the Helgi-poet [cf. also the Bard-dale ogress of Gretti’s Saga]. 
We take the Wafthrudni and Allwise Lays to be by one poet. 


Gripis-spa [Bk. v, § 1] is the one poem which might possibly be Ice- 
Jandic ; its regular form, prosaic and business-like tone, and plain word- 
ing are akin to its neighbours in this volume. 


The Lay of Righ (Bk. iv, § 2} is a fine and elaborate poem, clearly of 
Western origin: the mixed household, elaborate dress and food, foreign 
words, and the peat-digging, which indeed was the point that first led 
the Editor to the Western hypothesis; the Earl is the highest au- 
thority, the King is to be sought over-sea; the curious popular 
etymology—con ungr [Kon the young]. Is it casual that Conn is 
an Irish name? ‘The ‘j’ must needs have been dropped from ‘ ungr’ 
ere such an etymology could have been proposed. ‘That ‘ Righ’ 
is connected with ‘Ri’ is evidently also the author’s theory. The 
line and style (not archaic), the tendency to philosophise on subjects 
which would hardly have struck a pure Northerner, and the metre, 
would all lead one to conclude that the poem could not be older than 
the generation which produced Wolospa, 


The Lay of Darts, Darradar-liod [Bk. iv, § 5], is dated, according to 
tradition, by the great battle of Clontarf, to which it refers. There is 
every reason to believe this tradition to be true, though no name be 
given to the king or earl of the poem. In the notes to the ‘ Four 
Masters,’ an Irish tradition referring to this same fight is cited: “ Mo- 
ling delivered this prophecy: ‘Tonndurgen and the royal bard of 
lances shall violate friendship at Glinngerg; mutual oaths shall not 
prevent bloodshed,’ ”—which calls back lines 130-134 of Wolospa. 

The Irish poem relating to Dunlaing O’Hartigain, who was warned 
by the Fairy Spirit of his race, contains this striking prophecy, which 
is parallel to our lines 28-34: “ Brian shall fall! Murchad shall fall! 
They shall fall in the field in rows! the plain shall be red to-morrow 


with the blood of many brave men!” See Annals of Innisfallen and 
Annals of Kilronan. 


For Hymis-kvida |Bk. iv, § 1] it is obvious that the verse is rather 
of the Norwegian type, in metre and synonym, though we cannot 
name the author. There are striking incidents in it, which point 
to a Western origin; and as we have said the stone cauldrons in Hymi’s 
hall remind one forcibly of the stone bowls in such big Irish tumuli as 
those of New Grange and Sliath-na-Calleigha, The poem too is, like 
other Western poems, for recitation at an entertainment; it is in a 
humorous vein, which is quite foreign to Norwegian poets, 


With regard to the other early poems in the Fourth Book of this 
volume (the Norwegian poets), they are dated by their subject or con- 
tents clearly enough, and we have spoken fully on their authorship and 
time in the introduction prefixed to each piece. Egil’s poems [Bk. iv, 
§ 4] naturally fall in with the rest of the Norwegian Encomia of Bk. iv, 


— 


HISTORY OF THE EDDIC COLLECTION. _ Ixxi 


he being in life and career practically a Norwegian, but one image, 
though that is a very touching and characteristic one, being drawn 
from Iceland,—the cauldron of tears. 

The early Norwegian Encomia are marked off pretty distinctly from 
those of the Western school. 

They are all Aistorical in subject, addressed not to the guests at 
a festival, but to the king himself. They are really rhymed chronicles, 


§ 10. COLLECTION oF EppIc LAYS WHEN MADE, 


Having [§ 6] by the evidence of a diplomatic kind arrived at about 
1230 as the latest date for our Codex Regius, what evidence have we 
towards getting at the state of things with regard to the poems it con- 
tains before this MS. was written? 

It is evident that R and 748 are sister texts; there was also another 
sister text, now lost, from which the paraphrast of the Wolsunga Saga 
worked, But it must be noticed that the paraphrast’s text [P] need 
not have comprised the Mythic poems, nor 748 the Heroic, though both 
collections are found in R. So that the evidence stands thus— | 


LO — —— 


[A] _[E] 
Mythic Heroic 
aot L 








: rete 


748 R [P] 
Mythic. Mythic-heroic, Heroic. 
And we may either fancy two archetypes [A] and [E], or one [4], 
which is probably more likely. 

Allowing a fair amount of time for the copies to be made, etc., 
would be at least as early as the end of the twelfth century; and to any 
one who notices the peculiarities of the prose passages [they are given in 
Appendix to vol.ii, p. 524 sqq.] which are interspersed among the heroic 
lays, this will not seem a whit too early. There are few specimens in 
any tongue of such archaic lapidary style as this, which contrasts in the 
strongest way with the classic twelfth-century Icelandic prose, polished 
by generations of story-tellers, who had developed its capacity to a 
singularly high degree. Yet here, by the side of tales as well told 
as the best of Herodotus, are legends given in rough, broken, uncouth 
sentences, to which there is nothing parallel in Greek, and which in their 
primitive form recall the fragments of the old Roman Laws and Carmina. 

There are two hypotheses to be drawn from this curious pheno- 
menon; viz. that the collection must be very early in date, or else 
that the prose came from the mouth of some one non-Icelander, who 
was not used to the highly-developed Saga-style. The existence of 
words in it not known in Icelandic speech or literature, supports the 
latter explanation. It is also noteworthy that, though our R and 748 
are certainly Icelandic MSS., i.e. written by Icelanders, there are 
places here and there where ‘1’ and ‘r’ age not aspirated, which 
we might fairly interpret as a sign that A was written at a non- 


Ixxii INTRODUCTION. 


Icelander’s dictation [see § 6]. It is impossible to fix a date for the 
writing down of A, We can only hope to establish a probable time. 
The question really is, how long were these poems preserved by the 
people from among whom they were collected; for it is clear that the 
collector was only just in time (as so often has happened in other cases) 
to take down the last and most precious remains of a whole body of 
literature. Now, from Swerris Saga we know that these old poems were 
still fairly known in the Western Islands in that king’s youth (1150-1170), 
so that it is probable they were well remembered in 1100. There is 
therefore no need to carry the date of our collection further back 
than 1150, for if it had been made much earlier, the poems would have 
been far more perfect in all probability. 

As to the state of the collection itself, we have seen that it falls into 
two great bundles in R, Mythic and Heroic. 

Here again we feel the want of a facsimile page for page reprint of R, 
for it is only from such a text that the reader can get a fair idea of the 
state of the poems in these collections. However, we have (pp. xlii—xliii) 
given the list of their contents as they stand in R, and on p. 376, vol. i, 
will be found some specimens of the jumbled text in one of the chief 
poems. 

One gathers from a careful consideration of the MS. that the collec- 
tion must have been put together somewhat as follows :—The Collector, 
interested by hearing one or two of these old poems, which were en- 
tirely new to him, but of which he knew the plot in a vague way, got 
the reciter to dictate to him all he knew. The reciter’s memory fails 
him in the less impressive parts of the poems, and he substitutes a plain, 
rough, clumsy bit of prose, giving the thread of the plot, to fill up the gap. 
We notice that the more broken the song is the more bits there are of 
prose. In a few instances—for instance, the Helgi Lays, the Ham- 
theow Lay, Havamal, the Old Wolsung Play, etc.—all is a jumble: in 
one place we have obviously a double text, A, B; in another an old 
fragmentary song has been interlarded with bits of a younger one. We 
may picture the Collector, having written down all the reciter could 
give him, trying another man, who knows some more; he recites his 
little collection to him, and this second informant is able to give him a 
few fresh verses; but more often he says, ‘ You haven’t got it quite 
right here; I always heard it so,’ giving him what is really a parallel 
text of bits he has already; or else he says, ‘I remember some lines 
you haven’t got about that matter,’ and cites fragments of a fresh 
poem on the same subject. The good Collector puts down all his new 
friend tells him in rough chronological order alongside of what he has 
already got, according to the thread of the tale, so that e.g. in the Old 
Wolsung Play we get in R two separate poems of different style and 
age mixed together. 

We may even fancy how the Collector came to take down the poems 
now in R. It was in the Saga-time, and even till lately, the fashion for 
traders on Iceland to sail about mid-summer or early autumn and put up 


THE COLLECTION OF THE EDDIC LAYS. Ixxiii 


there through the winter, to avoid the terrible equinoctial gales, boarding 
with the franklins of the district, and going away in the spring next 
year. Suppose a Western Islander, skipper of a trading vessel, lodging (as 
we know many an Orkneyman did) with an Icelandic franklin or priest 
through the winter. At Christmas-time Saga-telling and reading is 
a favourite pastime, the guest is well entertained, and in his turn is asked 
to tell a story; he recites one of the poems he has heard at entertain- 
ments in his own land, where poetry, and not saga-telling, is the popular 
pastime. His host is pleased with the poem, and begs him next day 
to dictate all the verses he knows to him. Or if any one prefers 
it, he may imagine an Icelander, such as Ingimund the priest or Hrafn 
Sweinbiornsson, passing a winter in the Orkneys or Shetlands, and 
there writing down the poems he had heard recited at festal gatherings. 

The collection of Saxon poems, made in Norway by the compiler of 
Theodrick’s Saga, shows that it was not an uncommon thing to gather 
poems from foreigners. 

The Collector has had better luck with the Mythic poems than with 
the Heroic lays, which are in a far worse state; but still, even in the 
Mythic poems there are great gaps and extraneous pieces wedged in. 

Of the Helgi poems and their state in R we have spoken in the 
introduction. The Havarnal Collection is a formless mass of all the 
gnomic verses the collector could get, put down in blocks, one after 
another, as he got them. Then there are the common errors and 
mistakes of reciters, verses from one poem slipped in to fill a blank in 
another, transpositions, mixings of separate poems of similar plot or 
personages. Such phenomena in fact as occur in Mr. Campbell’s Col- 
lections of Highland Tales and Poems, and which are sure to be found 
wherever a conscientious collector takes down oral songs or stories. 

It has been our first task throughout this edition to clear the separate 
poems of the mass of extraneous matter that has been left solongto . 
cumber them; to separate parallel texts and verses; to put the sequence 
of the lines right; to extricate the fragments of the older poems from 
the newer poetry in which they are imbedded; to mark the hitherto 
unnoticed gaps which but too often mar and deface the most beautiful 
poems. And it is necessary to do this before we can apply the needful 
process of textual criticism; to begin mending the text before one 
has a clear idea of what one is working on is but working in the dark. 
It is the neglect of these preliminary operations, the dull way of 
looking at and treating the poems as so many pages in a book, not as 
separate entities, composed with a definite aim by reasonable men for 
the pleasure of their fellow-human beings, that has caused the slough 
in which Eddic studies have so long lain. We must, on the contrary, 
be ever ready to draw comparisons from the experience of Ballad col- 
lectors of our own time, and not look on the old days as something 
outside or above ordinary human life. 

We have, in accordance with these ideas, endeavoured to restore the 
original state of the poems that were jumbled in the Havamal mass, to 


Ixxiv INTRODUCTION. 


set in some order at least the beautiful Helgi Trilogy and the grandly 
planned Old Wolsung Play, and are able to show the double texts (which 
have hitherto passed undetected) in the Gudrun and Hamtheow Lays. 


Now our collector (or collectors) of A® account for the existence of 
a good many poems; but there are others in exactly the same state 
as his, corrupt not from scribes’ mistakes, but from age and decay 
and reciters’ confusions and forgetfulness. The Hyndla Lay and the 
Mill Song, for example, evidently show the same symptoms as Weyland’s 
Lay or the Wolospa. Can there have been a collection, which stood 
to Flatey-bok, to the compiler of Codex Wormianus and to the scribe 
of ‘r,’ as # stands to R, to 748, and to[P]? Such a collection would 
among other things have comprised the Mill Song, Righ’s-mal, Hyndlu- 
liod, Biarka-mal. 

We know that there were collections of poems, dealing with Danish 
tradition, known to Saxo or his Icelanders [Thylenses]; such poems 
as the lost Lay of Amlodi [Hamlet], Hagbard and Signy, Starkad’s 
Death Song, a Proverb-song [which Saxo makes great use of], Biarka- 
mal, Rolf Craci at Upsala, the Lodbrok Lays, etc. . 

That some Lays were separately preserved one might also expect, and 
one finds from Ynglinga that Ari knew the Old Ritual poem in a dif- 
ferent text to ours. Snorri knew the short Sibyl Prophecy separate 
from Hyndla Lay. The genealogical portion of the Lay of Hyndla has, 
when in a much purer and completer state than we possess it, been 
paraphrased (see Flatey-bok, i. pp. 24-25). 

Snorri, no doubt, had access to some collection of old poems, now 
lost, whence he cites fragments and paraphrases of incidents throughout 
his Gylva-ginning. It must have been a mythic collection [see Bk. ii, 
§ 3], for he speaks of a Heimdal’s Charm (‘Heimdalar galdr’), para- 
phrases a lost song on Balder’s Funeral, cites from lost Lays of Grow 
and Gua, and must have known some more bits of Lays which he has 
used to draw upon for material for his tales, the d//legory on Hel] and 
her abode for instance [vol. i, pp. 125-127]'. 

Snorri used for the Beguiling of Gylfi a different text of Wolospa to 
ours, a text in which the order was distinctly better than ours. It is not 
certain however that he had not also our text; for the ‘ Dwarf inter- 
polation’ (vol. i, p. 79) is in W, r, and U; and he may have borrowed 
these lines from our text. We can hardly suppose any text earlier than 
ZE to have contained them. 





1 In this connection it is well to note that the discoveries of ‘ Odinic fragments’ 
in the Shetlands are utterly illusory. A poem in a fragmentary and corrupt condi- 
tion, in fact in an advanced stage of decomposition, is taken down in the twelfth 
century just as it is fading out of tradition; and it is believed that this very fragment 
(covering, it is to be observed, by a miraculous coincidence, a space included in the 
fragment we already have) can be still on record in the nineteenth century, a 
fragment which yields nothing new, no fresh word or idea,—Credat Judzus Apella ! 
Let us remember, putting aside all other possibilities, that Resenius’ printed text, 
with a Latin translation, has been accessible for more than two hundred years. 


LOST EDDIC POEMS. Ixxv 


As to other lost Songs of which we can gather some evidence :— 

. In Ynglinga Saga, ch. 40, 41, there is a paraphrase of a lost song of 
the Helgi-type. 

The compiler of Scioldunga Saga, a work which is unfortunately in a 
terribly imperfect state, paraphrases a song of the Aristophanes-type, 
The Flyting of Iwar [i. 123, and Reader, p. 191]; a Lay of Gorm’s 
Death [see Reader, p. 193], which, we take it, was of the type of the 
Weyland Lay; a Lay of Hrolf’s visit to Upsala [i. p. 190], known also 
to the interpolator of ‘r;’ Starkad’s Death Song, a rather late poem 
which Saxo knows and paraphrases; the Biarka-mal [i. p. 188]; a 
Ragnar’s Lay, the old song on whose fragments—such phrases as ‘I will 
die laughing ’—the late poem Kraku-mal was afterwards built up in the 
West, In the lost portion of Scioldunga would have been the para- 
phrase of the Amloda Lay, and the Lay of Harbard and Signy, a once 
popular poem, the story of which is frequently alluded to. Hrolf Kraki’s 
Saga, wherein Biarka-mal is paraphrased, is just, to our mind, a diluted 
paraphrase of a lost chapter of Scioldunga, which itself was founded on 
an old cycle of poems early lost. 

In fact, the DANISH CYCLE seems to have been the biggest next to the 
WOLSUNG CYCLE; and, if we could have sat at the court of Eadgar with 
the Danish emigrants and adventurers which he gathered round him, 
we should have heard other poems of this cycle and have seen perhaps 
some of the composers of those very Lays we still have. Yet, it must not 
be supposed that we would derive all tradition from lost poems; there 
is, in every instance we have named, either an alliterative phrase, a 
peculiar turn of the story, an imagery or poetic word or simile, or 
some more or less evident token, which forbids one’s assigning a prose 
tradition or Saga as the source of the story. Thus, Thor and Outgarth 
Loki is distinctly a story; there is nothing unproselike in its form or 
phrase. But the Death of Gorm, with its alliterative ‘Denmark is 
drooping, dead is my son!’ its characteristic touches, the good wise 
queen, the fiery warm-hearted old king [reminding one of Goethe’s 
Es war ein Kénig im Thule], the dark hangings in the hall where the 
scene passes, the pure poetry of Thyra’s apologue, the stern brevity of 
the phrase which tells of Gorm’s death and lights up the speechless 
heart-broken figure sitting bolt upright dead in the royal seat—all 
point to the ‘sacer vates.’ 

So again the similes in Amlodi’s madness, as calling the sand on the 
shore the ‘meal ground by the gales,’ the rudder a ‘monstrous knife 
gashing the huge flitch-like waves,’ mark the story as having passed 
through the crucible of song, and received the stamp from a poet. 


We have menticned the [P] text which the Wolsunga paraphrast 
used, This P text was perfect, whereas in our R there is a great 
lacuna. We have therefore from the Paraphrast a means of finding 
out something about the Lays which once steod in the now vacant 
spot. We have therefore translated literally such chapters of Wolsunga 


Ixxvi INTRODUCTION. 


Saga as contain matter no longer found in R, and printed them in 
appendix to vol. i. [pp. 391-399], and the text itself is appended to vol. ii. 

How much is lost from R, one sheet or two? The Editor now believes 
that only one is gone. The poems in the lacuna were all certainly of 
the Wolsung cycle, the greater part by the Tapestry Poet, as is mani- 
fest from several scenes and treats in the paraphrase. From the 
one sheet in R represents; taking the one sheet after the lacuna as 
an example, it is roughly about ro4o lines, besides the average prose 
stuflings. We can hardly imagine that there were rooo lines more of 
Wolsung Poems, especially as the amount of poetry underlying the 
Wolsung prose need not have exceeded 1100 lines. The prose of the 
lacuna is a little above the average sheet, for instance, of the sheet fol- 
lowing after the lacuna; the reason we take is, that in the lost sheet the 
paraphrast stuck a little more closely to the text than is usual with him; 
for we have also to make allowance for songs or bits of songs not 
paraphrased, since there are sure to have been some lay of which no 
trace is left, just as in the post-lacuna sheet the Lay of Ordrun and the 
Lay of the Weeping Gudrun and the end of the Great Brunhild Lay 
have been passed over; because there was too little action in it the para- 
phrast thought, or that it was too poetical, or that it was a double text, 
like the two Atli Lays. For all this one has to leave some margin. 

The age of the unique MS.! (No. 1824, New Collection, Royal Library, 
Copenhagen) of Wolsunga is of the end of the fourteenth century, but 
it is not by the original compiler, for two reasons. (1) There are 
Rimur, Wolsung’s Rimur (ed. Mébius) of the fifteenth century, which 
are founded on the first eight chapters of the Wolsunga Saga, but in 
a detter text than ours, so that 1824 is not a first generation MS. 
(2) There are many evident scribe’s errors in our text, not owing to 
the poems, but to false copying of the prose. Dr. Bugge in his last 
edition has not observed this; yet the mistakes are obvious; we have 
tried to put right the most glaring ones, so as to make a translation 
feasible. See the foot-notes to the translation, vol. i, Append. p. 391 
sqq., and to the text, vol. ii, Append. p. 532 sqq. The original MS. was 
probably compiled about the year 1300. 

There is another paraphrase, Norna-Gests Thattr, found in Flatey- 
bok, which cites the Old Wolsung Play with the interpolation, and the 
end of the Long Brunhild Lay. The compiler (whom we take to be the 
Wolsung paraphrast) must have had our text. 

Hromund Gripsson’s Saga we shall speak of in the next section. 


§ 11. CITATIONS OF Eppic Lays. 


In tracing the history of the poems a word may be said on the cita- 
tions of them which can be discovered, bearing in mind the distinction 
between quotations made from the living poems and from them when 





1 It was a gift of Bishop Bryniolf to the Danish king. See Prolegom. and § 3. _ 


Pi 

“nl 

2a 
—— +, 


ok > 


THE EDDIC POEMS CITED. Ixxvii 


collected and written down. We noticed above the quotations of 
Eywind and Wolf Uggason, c. 980. Next comes Arnor’s quotation from 
Wolospa in a Dirge made in the Orkneys on an Orkney Earl, c. 1064. 
Eighty years later, in Iwar’s Dirge on Sigurd Slembi, a Western Islander, 
are three lines which echo the Helgi Lay. About the same date, in the 
Orkneys, Earl Rognwald in his Hatta-lykill says, echoing the Helgi 
Lays,— . 

Hafdi Helgi i hidrva gny 

ged-stein hardan?, gott drengja val, 

hialm hard-sleginn, hid! mundrida, 

sverd snar-dregit, ok snara brynjo, 

Var rénd rodin, rido skolkingar *, 

fello fyrdar i flogi vapna, 

ato ernir af iofurs dolgum, 

reyféuzk ramnar yfir re-kesti. 

King Swerri, who was born in the Faroes and brought up in the 
Western Islands, cites in his speeches the Old Wolsung Play, Il. 83-84, and 
from the lost lays, i. p. 314, ll. 1-2. And this implies evident familiarity 
with the poems, which we may fancy him learning in his youth in the 
West. We have his speeches from his own report, so that it is not 
necessary to believe that the snatches he cites were as familiar to his 
hearers as they were to him. The ‘remanieur’ of Fostbrodra Saga cites 
a ditty of the Guest’s Wisdom, calling it a snatch of song, ‘ kvidling,’ 

Besides these few direct quotations, there are several instances in 
the Icelandic Sagas where one is struck by a slight departure from 
the normal treatment, by a more romantic colouring and an unrealistic 
air, which are in direct contrast to the true spirit of the Sagas. 
In such cases one can hardly fail to recognise the influence of epic 
traditions, often no doubt derived from lost poems, but sometimes 
directly drawn from extant sources. We have treated this subject 
separately [Excursus III, vol. ii]. 

But there are a certain number of places in which we have paraphrases 
taken straight from Songs, and these may be enumerated here :— 

Ari shows knowledge of several Eddic poems,—stray Lays one would 
say,—the Ritual Song, detached, not as we have it now, and from a 
better text than ours (see Ynglinga Saga, ch. 6-7); the Lay of Righ 
(see Ynglinga Saga, ch. 21, ‘Sonar Rigs er fyrstr var konungr kalladr 4 
Danska Tungo’).—Not to speak of the songs referred to in Edda, 
Gylfaginning, the staple of which treatise are the three Lays, Wolospa, 
Watfthrudni, and Grimni, and a few fragments of lost songs already 
mentioned. 

Of Scioldunga Saga we have spoken above. 

Gisli’s Saga has a lost Lay of the He/gi type twisted into relation with 
its Icelandic hero’s fortunes (see ii. p. 331). 

Hromund Gripsson’s Saga contains a paraphrase of the third part of 
the Helgi Triology (i. p.148), an incident copied from the second part 





1 Helgi, i. 1, 223. % Id, 1, 105. 


Ixxviii INTRODUCTION. ° 


of the Angantheow Cycle [see i. p. 348], and a pretty close prose version 
of some Dream Lay, in which the two doomed men, Blind the Balewise 
and King Harding, talk over the former’s dreams. (Whether this 
Dream-Lay was originally concerned with these two heroes or others 
we cannot even guess.) 

The following extracts from Hromund Gripsson’s Saga will give the 
reader all the help that can be got out of it. The first treats of 
HELGI’s LOvE Cara. 


“Said Hromund [Helgi’s brother in this Saga, really Helgi himself here]: ‘I 
had bad dreams last night, and all will not go as I could wish, wherefore I shall not 
go into the battle to-day.’ .. , They came into the battle and went forward boldly, 
and every one of the host of the Haddings that met them fell before them. There 
was a witch-wife came there in the shape of a swan; she chaunted with such 
mighty spell-songs that none of Olaf’s men thought of defending himself. She 
flew over Gripsson, singing loudly; her name was Cara. Helgi the Bold met the 
brothers at that very moment, and slew the whole eight of them together,” And 
again :— 

‘*Helgi the Bold had ever gotten the victory, and he won it by sorcery. His 
mistress was called Cara, she that was in the image of a swan. Helgi brandished 
his sword so high above him that it cut asunder the leg of the swan [so Cara dies, 
and Helgi’s luck is gone].” See Griplur. 

[A piece about a MAGIC sworD Mistletoe—an echo of the sword in the Angantheow 
and Herwor Lays down to its loss and recovery from the maw of the pike—now 
comes in, then follows the episode of the Seancu For HeEtel (here called Hromund), 


an episode from which the Niala compiler has borrowed the motif of his escape 


of Thrain, an episode even more nearly copied in another Icelandic Saga. | 

‘* Blind goes with some men to Hagal’s house and asks if Hagal is stowed away 
there. The old woman said that they would not find him there. Blind sought 
carefully and found him not, for she had hidden him away under the cauldron. 
Blind and his fellows went off, but when they were come on their way Blind said, 
‘Our journey has not been glorious, let us turn back again,’ They did so, got 
back to the house, and met the old woman. Blind said that she was full of 
wily tricks, and had stowed away Hagal under her kettle. ‘Seek and catch him 
then!’ said she. But she said this because as soon as she saw that they were 
turning back she had put Hagal into a bondwoman’s dress, and set him to grind 
and turn the hand-mill. While the maid was turning the mill they were all about, 
but she kept looking fiercely at the king’s men. Then they went away without 
having found anything; and when they were come on their way, Blind said that 
the old woman must have wished to beglamour their sight, and he thought it very 
likely that Hagal might have been there turning the mill in woman’s clothes.” 

‘*‘ Blind dreams that a wolf ran from the east and bit the king, and wounded him. 
The king reads the dream, that a king should come to see him, and that their 
meeting should be fierce at first, but end in peace. Blind dreams a second time of 
a number of hawks sitting in a house, and among them the king’s falcon, all 
featherless and stripped of his skin. Says the king, ‘ There shall come a wind out 
of the clouds and shake our burgh.’ In Blind’s third dream he saw a herd of 
swine running from the south to the king’s hall, rooting the earth up with their 
snouts, ‘That means a high sea, wet weather, and great crop of grass, which shall 
grow lush from the damp of the water when the sun shines upon the ground,’ says 


brie hail 
. F = 
5 


THE LOST PARTS OF THE CARA LAY. | Ixxix 


the king. Blind’s fourth dream—* I saw an awful [some beast *] come from the east ; 
he bit you and made a great wound.’ The king answers, ‘ Heralds shall come to 
my hall; they shall....all their weapons, and I shall be angry.’ ‘ My fifth 
dream,’ says Blind, ‘is that I thought I saw a grimly snake living in Sweden,’ 
‘A great war-ship shall come ashore laden with treasure.’ Sixth—‘I thought I 
saw a black [gull?] with claws and wings, which flew away with thee, O king, and 
there was a snake at Hagal’s, methought, which ate me up and all the king’s 
men.’ But the king answers, ‘I have heard of a great bear lurking in the wood 
by Hagal; I shall hunt it, and it will bite me.’ ‘I thought,’ went on Blind, 
‘that a dragon’s skin with Hagal’s belt on it was drawn through the hall.’ ‘That 
is the sword that Hagal lost with his belt in the water.’ Blind goes on, but the 
king always reads the dream for luck, till Blind says, ‘I thought an iron ring was 
put about my neck.’ ‘This dream foretells thy being hanged, and I believe we 
are both fey.’”’ 

[Hagal soon after breaks suddenly upon the king and slays him, hangs Blind, and 
marries Swanwhite, daughter of King Olaf.] 


The Rimur Griplur (of c. 1480) is taken from a text better than 
ours, which certainly contained some of the original verses; we therefore 
give a few citations (from Prof, Kolbing’s notice, for we have no com- 
plete copy at hand). It would be worth while to publish the whole of 
Griplur, simply for the chance of recovering a word or two to eke out 
the scanty fragments of the third part of the Helgi Trilogy :-— 

pa skal pegn sem piddin fregn i Dyjar kledin fera.—Helgi and Kara, 4. 
pegninn stdd i }yjar vd : prifr méndul stinnan.—Zb. 

pu hefir megn at mala i gegn : mina kvern at krera.—Ib. 13. 

* Mindul’ dré af magni své matti ei orku stilla—JZb. 11 and 13. 
Ambatt sti var eigi tru: Adan st6d hia /éidri—ZIb. 7. 


The Saga compiler appears to have larded some bits of the Lay into 
his Saga, whence the Rimur maker again took these words. 


With this may be compared the prose of R :— 

“King Sigmund Wolsungsson had to wife Borghild of Bragrove. 
They called their son Helgi also, after Helgi Hiorward’s son. Hagal 
fostered Helgi. Hunding [read Harding] was the name of a mighty 
king after whom Hundland is named, He was a great warrior, and 
had many sons who were a-warring. War and feuds there were be- 
tween King Hunding and King Sigmund [read Harding and Sefi]; 
they slew each the other’s kinsmen. King Sigmund and the men of 
his race were called Wolsungs and Wolfings. Helgi went and spied 
secretly at the court of King Hunding. Heming, the son of King 
Hunding, was at home.... The name of Heming’s son was Hagal, 
King Hunding sent men to Hagal’s to seek Helgi, and Helgi had 
no other way to escape than to take a bondmaid’s clothes [pyiar kledi 
above] and betake himself to the mill.... Helgi got away, and went 
aboard a war-ship. He slew King Hunding [Harding], and was after- 
wards called Hunding’s Bane [Harding’s Scathe]. He lay with his host 





_ ESS 
1 Hriki, unknown what beast is meant, See Dict, s.v, 


Ixxx INTRODUCTION. 


in Bruin Bay, and held a ‘strand-slaughter’ there, and ate raw flesh 
there. There was a king named Hogni [Halfdan]; his daughter was 
Sigrun [Cara]. She was a Walcyrie, and rode over air and water; she 
was Swafa born again.” 

The prose has also preserved the name of the Lay :— 

“ Sigrun was short-lived for the sorrow and woe [that she had]. It 
was the belief in the old days [heathendom] that men were born again, 
but that is now called an old wife’s tale. Helgi and Sigrun are said 
to have been born again; he was then called Helgi Harding’s Scathe, 
and she Cara Halfdan’s daughter—as it is said in the Lay of Cara—and 
she was a Walcyrie.” 

Though unknown even to the minstrel from whom the bits in R were 
taken down, the identity is as apparent as day at noon (Hagal, Hamal, 
Blind the Bale-wise). As for restoring the names—the alliteration of 
some is the same: for Sigmund read Sevi(?): for Hunding read 
Harding: for Hégni read Halfdan: for Hundings-bani read Haddingja- 
skaéi: for Sigrun read Cara: Hagal, Hamal, Blind, remain untouched. 

In Bosa Saga, ch. 12, one of the latest and worst of the mythical 
Sagas, is a notice of a lost Hiarranda Lio, Hiorrend’s Lay, the hero 
of which, the mighty harper, is a prominent figure in some of the later 
North German poems of the Gothic Cycle. He is earlier mentioned in 


Deor’s Lament :— 
pet ic bi me sylfum secgan wille 
pet ic hwile wes Heodeninga scép 
dryhtne dyre : me wes Dedr noma. 
Ahte ic fela wintra folgad tilne 
heoldne hlaford, 66 pet Heorrenda nu 
lidd-creftig mon lond-ryht gepah, 
pet me eorla hleé zr gesealde, 


§ 12. THE ORIGIN AND OBJECTS OF COURT-POETRY. 


We now come to the CourT-PoEMs. On this head there will be 
found some information in the introductions to the various poems; 
as to their metrical peculiarities, their curious synonym system, these 
are treated in a separate Excursus. 

The Court-poetry is a species of poetry distinct and peculiar to the 
Norwegian court, whence it afterwards for a short time spread to Den- 
mark and England, but not further’. It is the outcome of the Wicking- 
tide and the growth of the great Norwegian kingdom. It will be 
necessary, in order to understand its peculiarities, which are at first 
so unfamiliar and even repulsive to the student, to see how it arose 
and what were the intentions of its creators. Only by doing so is one 
able to appreciate their ingenuity and estimate the worth of their 
work. 

- The first Court-poems are the Shie/d-Songs [Book vii], poems re- 
counting a series of- mythical incidents, and dedicated to a king or 





1 The poems on Swedish kings are of very doubtful character. 





rg 


ORIGIN OF COURT-POETRY, Ixxxi 


patron. Of the like type is the Lay of the House [ii. p. 22], in which 
Wolf tells over the tales depicted in his patron Olaf Peacock’s new 
hall. From such poems the transition was comparatively easy. 

We have two early species of Lay dealing with kings and princes, 
and no doubt composed for their pleasure: the Genealogies, such as 
Ynglinga-tal [Book iv], and the Praises and Dirges of epic character, such 
as Eric’s-mal, Haconar-mal, and that remarkable poem the Raven Song 
of Hornclofi [Book iv], in which a Walcyrie questions a raven about the 
deeds, warriors, champions, poets, wife, and jugglers of Harold Fairhair— 
a significant poem, openly praising a /ive king, which hitherto had not been 
done. For the older encomia and didactic heroic poems, like the older 
epics, are always the traditional praise of the mighty dead, Lays made 
on. exploits that were magnified by the haze into which they would 
soon have vanished altogether had not the poet appeared and put down, 
what he could discern, in immortal verse. But it is not to the flattery 
of poets nor to the vanity of monarchs that this change is to be put 
down. It was the desire of endless fame which led such a king as 
Harold Fairhair or Hacon to wish that his deeds should be preserved 
for ever. And how could this be done? Writing was unknown for 
any*historical or descriptive purpose: songs were, as Tacitus says, the 
only chronology and the only history that existed. It is to song, ‘ which 
never dies,’ that the record must be entrusted,—song, which had pre- 
served the deeds of Sigfrid, of Sighere, of Attila, of Angantheow, of 
Waldhere, and Weyland, and Alfwine, and many more. 

Accordingly the king commands the poet to put the Annals of his 


reign into regular order, in the same way as he would the myths on 


a shield ora cup. Theresult is the regular Encomium ; which is addressed 
to a king or prince, opens with a statement of the poet’s motive in com- 
posing, contains a series of strophes, dealing in strict chronological 
order with the patron’s exploits, in the form of simple direct statements, 
full of names of persons and places, and even of dates, and often winds’ 
up with a request for largess. The burdens which divide the strophes 
are short laudatory sentences, after the model of those in the Shield 
Songs. The poet, having composed his poem, now goes to the king 
and begs to be allowed to deliver it; and this is done publicly in a loud 
voice in the hall or at the moot (almost as a piece of evidence before 
witnesses). The king then gives the poet a gift as guerdon for his song, 
such gifts being often kept long and treasured by the donee. Our intro- 
ductions to the various Court-poems, to which we beg to refer the 
reader, contain many lively and dramatic scenes of this poem-reciting,. 
The poet is then bound to ¢each his poem, we can hardly doubt, for only 
so could the king’s fame be securely established, and an elaborate Court- 
poem would want to be repeated several times in order to fix it in the 
hearers’ memory. It must also be smooth and flowing and pleasant to 
the ear, or no one would or could learn it. 

Who made the first Court-poem we cannot say Glymdrapa [ii. p. 27] 
is so unsafe we can build little on it. There are similar fragments on 


f 


> 





Ixxxii | INTRODUCTION. 


Hacon the Good (in a terrible state now), though the finest poem on 
him is in the old epic form. The first really sound Court-poem is Glum 
Geirason’s Dirge on Greyfell, c. 976 [ii. p. 37]. After this, curiously 
enough, the craft soon falls almost wholly into the hands of Icelanders. 
Why, is not quite clear; but we know that the kings loved to attach 
foreigners to them—and these men were unaffected by Norwegian politics 
or ties, and noted for their fidelity. Young Icelandic gentlemen going 
abroad, as was the practice, to take service with the king or to trade, 
found it to their advantage to practise poetry; and the poet’s position at 
court grew into a kind of regular office held by an Icelander [Book viii]. 

Beside regular Encomia, the poets would compose an Ode, ‘ flockr,’ 
on any great occasion, and these ‘ flockr’ were remembered, and would 
no doubt afford materials as regards facts for the Dirge-Encomia so 
frequently recited to the young king after his accession, poems which 
were in reality the verse chronicles of his father’s reign. 

The height of Court-poetry was reached in the days of Harold 
Hardrede (d. 1066), who was as ambitious of fame as he was of wealth 
and power, and had a great love for this kind of composition. It is, we 
can hardly doubt, owing to him that the Encomia were so well remem- 
bered, for he would, as the story of Stump shows [ii. p. 221],—a tale 
which of course is not to be taken literally,—listen to old poems with 
pleasure, and a poet in his day was bound to have by heart a consider= 
able number of Encomia, Odes, and the like. Thus the eleventh cen- 
tury was ‘bridged over’ in tradition, so that by Ari’s time these poems 
were not lost, but he was able to collect a sufficient number of such as 
he could use for the basis of his great history, whereby the desire of 
the good old kings for everlasting glory was in a way realised. 

And this is no small matter, for every line of the Court-poetry em- 
bodies a fact, an annal, which would else have perished. One might, if 
one had seen only one of the Embroidery-poems, form a very good guess 
as to the age, style, and even matter of the others; but where a Court- 
poem has been lost, a number of real facts has disappeared for ever. 
Without the Court-poets Ari’s work would have been impossible. 


§ 13. STATE OF TEXT AND REMANIEMENTS OF COURT-POETRY. 


We have now merely to deal with the question of the text of the Court- 
poems, summing up the results arrived at by a careful and minute con- 
sideration of the poems themselves. 

The results here put forth are entirely new, and go to the root of the 
old historiography, affecting as they do the main questions of the au- 
thority and authorship of the Kings’ Lives. 

To Ari’s preface to the Book of Kings, which he compiled, we have 
first to turn for information. He therein says, speaking of the autho- 
rities he has used: “ Somewhat [also I have written] that is found in the 
Genealogies, wherein kings and other men of great race have drawn up 
their family-relationship. And somewhat is written according to old 
traditions, or poems [Court-poetry], or epic lays, which men haye used 


ee 


THE TEXT OF THE COURT-POEMS. _ Ixxxiii 


for entertainment. Though we have no proof for such matter as this 


[the epic tales, etc.], yet we have this evidence [authority] thereon, that 
old historians [not necessarily writers] have taken them to be true.” 
Ari here mentions the Genealogies, prose or verse we know not; if 
verse, such poems as Ynglinga-tal are meant: ¢raditions, court-poetry, 
and epic tales, Eric’s-mal or Haconar-mal would perhaps represent this 
last species of composition. Further on he says: “ Attached to Harold 
[Fairhair] there were poets, and men still know their poems [on him], 
and the poems or encomia of all the kings that have been in Norway 
since. And we draw the greatest part of our facts from what is said in 
these encomia, which were delivered before the princes themselves or 
their sons, We take all that is found in these encomia about these 
princes’ expeditions or. battles to be absolutely true. Now it is the 
way of poets to praise their patrons most highly; but this will never lead 
them to attribute to a man himself deeds which all who are listening 
know to be imaginary and false, not to speak of the patron himself. 
For to do so would be mockery and not praise.” [See Reader, p. 14.]. 
Now these Encomia have not been preserved in their integrity, but 
there are inserted piecemeal in the text of the Kings’ Lives and in 
Scaldscapar-mal and Skalda a considerable number of stanzas from 
them. As to those in the Kings’ Lives they are put in as citations. 


_ €Such-and-such a thing happened, as it is said in So-and-so’s poem,’ is 


a standing phrase of Ari’s, coming over and over again. Ari’s words in 
his preface are positive enough; he'was going to draw his facts from 
these poems, and he has done so. 

But when one comes to look a little closely into the relations between 
his clear matter-of-fact statements inthe prose and the verse which is 


_ cited in support of the statement, we are struck by the inexplicable but 


constant fact that the prose is not supported by the verse cited. The 
verse is hazy, nebulous, full of ingenuity and mouth-filling phrases, but 
its modicum of fact is of the very smallest. How is this? Is Ari’s 
preface merely a pretence? It is incredible that he, whom the ancients 
call the ‘truthful’ [sann-ordr], should speak of basing his history on 
the poems, if he had not done so, Yet how reconcile the discrepancy 
between the prose statement, purporting to be drawn from the verse, 
and the empty worthless verse standing by it, in which no such statement 
occurs? Again, if Ari did not get his minute facts—the exact plan of a 
battle, the exact numbers present, the exact day it took place, the 
boundaries of a nobleman’s domain, the distance of a day’s march in 
a foreign land, and the like—from these poems, whence on earth did he 
get them? Tradition does not busy itself with such matters; and from 
local tradition, the most exact of traditions (though that is vague and 
untrustworthy enough too, as Ari very well knew), he was far removed. 
He must either therefore be a Defoe, capable of making a story 
minutely exact to impose on his reader’s credulity,—a thing utterly 
alien to his age, his character, and his other work, and in reality impos- 
sible,—or we must seek some wig explanation, 
2 


Ixxxiv INTRODUCTION. 


This problem had long puzzled the Editor, but he had not been 
able to solve it, till, when engaged upon the text of the Court-poems for 
the present volumes, and comparing carefully the parallel prose and 
verse, he hit upon what we take to be the true solution. It was a 
startling and unexpected one’, for so smooth and regulat is the verse, 
so uniform in style and manner, that not a doubt has ever been cast 
upon its purity, Yet the greater bulk of it has been entirely remodelled. 
It once did indeed contain all that Ari says it did, it really was his 
storehouse of facts, and even now under the smooth palimpsest phrases 
of the ‘remanieur’ one can again and again detect the very word 
(usually a name or place) which Ari has cited. The text, as we have it 
in the Kings’ Lives, is in fact a textus rescriptus. It is beneath it we 
must look for the original one. And we have done so with regard to 
the Court-poetry throughout the present edition, printing the text as 
it is in the vellums, but noting in every case by inverted commas the 
places where the text is demonstrably a falsified one, and translating as 
far as possible in accordance with the prose, drawn from the verse when 
it was in its perfect and unadulterated state. Often too, where the 
prose failed us, we have been able to see merely that the text was 
unsafe, but have had no means of determining what its original sense 
was. In such cases we have simply obelised the doubtful matter and 
given a version of what little fact remained in the verse, 

It is notable that this deliberate falsification (for there is no ques- 
tion of decay or corruption here, the verses all read evenly, all in good 
metre, will construe, but are completely bald, empty, and exenterate) 
extends from the Court-poems of the days of Harold Greyfell down to 
those of the reigns of Harold Hardrede and of Olaf the Quiet (c. 
970-1070), when it abruptly stops. It is notable also that it only . 
extends, as a rule, to those in Court-metre, and that it does not so 
seriously affect the stray verses or loose epigrams (Visor) and the like, but 
is universal in the Encomia, both Drapa and Flock. Notable too it is 
that the tone of the Kings’ Lives, founded upon these corrupted Court- 
poems, down to Olaf the Quiet’s reign, is distinctly epic and archaic, 
while the Kings’ Lives after their period are wholly different in tone 
and style”. 

Every page of our text in the second volume, down to p. 226, abounds 
in examples, but we may give a few of the most capital at the cost of a 
little repetition. In Vellekla (which has suffered terribly from the leprosy 
of ‘remaniement’) there is a verse referred to as. authority for the fact 





1 The. supplementary entry on ‘tla’ in the Dictionary, p. 760a, merely dealt 
with what the Editor believed to be an isolated fact. He ‘had not then (early in 
1873) arrived at the present conclusions. 

2 We believe we have here a clue to how far Ari’s Lives of Kings did go—jnst 
as far as the remaniements. The ‘ water-shed or division line’ between the ‘rema- 
niements’ and the untouched poems and between the Archaic Sagas and those of the 
new style coincide. 





<= EEF St 


SPECIMENS OF FALSE TEXT. Ixxxv 


that ‘ Earl Hacon by the strength of his kindred held Throndham three 
winters, so that Gundhild’s sons gat no hold in Throndham; he waged 
great battles against the Gundhild’s sons, and there were slain many men 
on both sides.’ But the verse merely says that the prince had a fleet, 
that he was joyful in battle and waged war—a hazy, factless, inverte- 
brate sentence, which might refer to any prince in any war ;—the sort of 
stuff that no poet would compose, no patron would pay for, no one would 
listen to, and surely no one remember as a piece of history. But under 
these meaningless words lurk the very facts Ari has learnt: ‘Svaf%i bil’ 
conceals ‘ Swafni’s bél’ [ winters, years], and under ‘ etjo-lund’ lies ‘ ztt- 
16nd’ [his native soil—Throndham]. The ‘remanieur’ has changed all 
that was concrete into ideal, altered the simple factful phrases into long 
commonplaces, elegantly expressed; but he has not obliterated all 
traces of the past; an ingenious alteration of a letter or two in the 
stressed words has often been sufficient to serve his turn, the rest 
of the verse of course he has treated much more freely. Ari, again, 
quotes the stanza of Vellekla in support of his statement that Hacon 
‘had a great levy from Haloga-land and Naum-dale, so that the whole 
way from Byrda to Cape Stadt he had the levy from all the coast-coun- 


tries.’ The verse says nothing about any places, but contains a vague 


phrase, ‘the earl went north to Sogn, he had with him a levy,’ but 
underneath the silly synonym words ‘sto’ and ‘byrjar’ are hidden 
from us Ari’s ‘Sta’ and ‘ Byr%éa,’ well-known places on the marches, 
the bounds of Hacon’s power. 

Again, the fact, referred to by Ari, of the earl’s sacrifices and throw- 
ing the holy twigs for an oracle. ‘ At the mouth of the Gaut-skerries he 
cast the holy lots’ is hidden under the empty phrase ‘ He sought the 
lives of the Gauts.’ Then in the verse which tells of the fighting at the 
Dane-work, the momentous struggle between Otho the Second and the 
Danish king, in which Earl Hacon played a not undistinguished part, 
the emperor’s very name ‘Odda’ is hidden in a common phrase beneath 
the word ‘ oddom’ [edge]. 

The Encomia on Olaf the Saint are in just as bad a state as those on 
Hacon, as a specimen or two will show. The verses which tell of the 
dispositions and numbers of the king’s army, details of no small interest, 
and of the clothing and arms of the king himself, are metamorphosed. 
* He had dirty bodies of forty men’ is turned into ‘he had fought tqventy 
pitched battles;’ ‘the Swedes from the East stood on his left hand’ is 
turned into ‘the Swedes waded in blood;’ ‘the stout king bore a 
golden helm’ is buried beneath the words ‘ Olaf felled many a man 
victoriously.’ Everywhere it is the same; smooth vapid phrases, which- 
tell us nothing new, are substituted for the rougher original lines which 
once bristled with hard facts. 

Another good instance of the way the poems have been treated 
occurs in the famous Dirge on Erling Skialgsson. There are statements 
in the prose of the Kings’ Lives that he wasa great husbandman, a man of 
quaint words, of peaceful disposition, who never, probably, fought a battle 


Ixxxvi “INTRODUCTION. 


in his life’, that he was brother-in-law to Olaf Tryggwason, and that he 
was the most mighty of Western barons, swaying the whole land from 
Sogn to Rygiar-bit or Naze. But the Dirge says of him that ‘there 
never was a baron who fought more battles, that he went in first and 
came out last,’ etc. (which is commonplace enough, and which besides we 
know to be untrue), and leaves out all about his wide domain, which we 
know it once contained; and in fact under this very palimpsest phrase 
we can discern the words ‘stodir runno undir... til Sogns sunnan... 
til Rygiarbitz vestan.’ 

So it is at every step. In poems relating to England and Denmark, 
which Ari has not cared, or was not able, to make such minute excerpts 
from as he has from those which relate to Norway, the Old English 
Chronicle and the Map are our best guides. Some future Munch, with 
as marvellous an eye for historical geography as the Norwegian historian 
possessed, will no doubt be able to identify places which we have failed 
to discover. A local knowledge of parts of Denmark has helped the 
Editor to light on one or two concealed place-names—Ramunlausa, Hel- 
singe, Saurar, Grip-skogr, Andverdo-skog, etc. See vol. ii, pp. 203, 217. 
One more instance of this will be found in vol. ii, p. 89, where the 
important statement ‘the battle was fought on the wide sound of 
Hedinsey’ is turned into a simple battle synonym, and the ‘swirl of 
Hedin’ into ‘ Bellona’s champion.’ 

Further illustrations would be fruitless; it is time to take up the 
questions which these phenomena force upon one. How, when, and 
why, and by whom was this ‘remaniement’ effected? The bigger 
MSS. of the Kings’ Lives, Hulda, Hrokkinskinna, Morkinskinna, the 
big St. Olaf Saga, and the Heimskringla MSS. carry one back to the 
middle of the thirteenth century, about the time of the death of Snorri. 
These all are of the same type, and yield only the same overdaubed 
adulterated verse-text. And of the few MSS. which go back beyond 
this, Agrip (which contains amid its few verse quotations a typical line 
or two) shows the same text also. So with the verses in Snorri’s 
Scaldskapar-mal and Olaf’s Essay,—all are in the same case, which 
carries us back to or even Jeyond Snorri’s lifetime. 

Hence we may conclude that Snorri did not, and could not have 
gathered any facts from the corrupt text he knew ; ergo, he was not the 
author of the Preface, or the early Kings’ Lives. Was he then the ‘ re- 
manieur’ himself? Hardly; he was an historian, and had no reason, 
as far as we know, to change good evidence into useless balderdash ; 
and lastly, he wrote verse of a wooden, awkward, hard type, very 
unlike in style to the smooth, regular, even-flowing lines of the 
remodelled poems. It was all done 4fore his time, we have no doubt, 





1 He did not fight at Nesia; the Earls in fact lost the battle by his neutrality, 
a fact which adds pathos to Erling’s fate. The phrase in ch. 44 of St. Olaf’s Life is 
an insertion, we have no doubt; his whole course and family position forbid its 
acceptance. 


Seana ate at 


DATE OF TEXT-CHANGE. Ixxxvii 


but how soon after Ari’s, for, as we have established, Ari had the pure 
text before him? 

Who did it is a matter of comparatively little importance. The 
Editor has {ii. 258] given his reasons for thinking it to be Einar Skulason 
who did this miserable work. He was a smooth, polished versifier, 
a man of ready skill and great industry, leader as it were of a poetic 
school, just such a man as @ priori one would pitch upon as a likely 
person to set up and carry out a strict canon of poetry, improving the 
old poems in accordance with his ‘new and better way,’ just as the 
Restoration poetasters polished the ‘rude blank verse’ of Shakspere 
and Marlowe and Massinger into heroic rhyming couplets, or even 
‘elegant and correct prose.’ 

Einar may very possibly have made a first draught of Scaldscapar- 
mal; a bare gradus of classified synonyms one would think. The 
inserted stories are evidently in Snorri’s style, and the dialogue form, 
with the framework—in short all that is beautiful therein’, Snorri did 
not however finish his work, and the annotator (Olaf the Whitepoet 
or another) has not added all the illustrative verses, for there are in 
the lists of the gods’ names, for instance, several synonyms for which 
there is no corresponding verse, though in some cases we still have 
the verses from which these synonyms were evidently culled. 

When were.the verses first added to the Kings’ Lives? Ari we 
cannot fancy to have put in any verses at all; he had distilled what was 
good out of them; he had cited his authority; what need had he then 
to put them in? They must have been added afterwards. The first 
Kings’ Lives, where verses seem to occur naturally, are the Gilchrist’s 
Sagas, and it is perhaps in imitation of these very Lives that there grew 
up a fashion of putting in verses to break up the level prose of a 
Saga. Hrafn’s Saga, which we can date c. 1220, has genuine verses 
put in by the author, and the Icelandic Sagas edited in the thirteenth 
century are filled with spurious verses to suit prevailing fashion. What 
has happened to them has happened to the Old Kings’ Lives, When 
the great Corpora of the Kings’ Lives were formed, the references of 
Ari were glossed by thé scribes with quotations from the poems, which 
quotations were taken from the remodelled text known to the glossators. 

Not all the verses of every Encomium cited were inserted into our 
Saga texts, and so we need not try to find every statement in the few 
‘remanied’ fragments that are left us: only the staple verses are in- 
serted, and Ari knew and used and extracted facts from a great deal 
more. All this he appears to have done in a critical, sober, sagacious 
way; a mere hint was often enough to a historian like him. 

Our solution of the problem we have had to attack happily brings us 
to the conclusion that the Early Kings’ Lives are even of greater 
authority than was formerly imagined, for they are dri’s own work 
Sounded on contemporary documents. We are as confident of his good 





* *Seulement le beau !’—M. Renan’s quiet answer to*the antiquary who wished to 
show that the Greeks were not original, that they discovered nothing new in art. 


Ixxxviii INTRODUCTION. 


sense and authority in dealing with verses now perished, but which he 
knew, as we are of his faithful presentiment of the facts he has gathered 
from sources which we still have access to. It would be a worthy task 
to extract from the Lives all annalistic matter-of-fact statements likely 
to have been extracted from the poems. 


§ 14. TEXTUAL EMENDATION. 


For dealing with the errors of the existing MSS., which are in 
the most important cases unique, the qualities absolutely necessary 
are, a thorough sympathy with and knowledge of the poems, so that 
one.can be continually comparing line with line, epithet with epithet,— 
for the poems are their own interpreters, when their indications are 
patiently listened to and carefully followed,—and also an accurate 
acquaintance with all the phenomena of the MSS. in question, so that 
a graphic picture can be formed of what the scribe must have had 
before his eyes as he wrote. Then it is necessary to note the exact 
style and position and relations of the poem one is working on; so 
as to look in the right quarters for help from analogy, imitation, and 
the like. It will not do to emend Egil on the same principles as one 
would ‘ Reynard’s Story’ or ‘ Merlinus Spa;’ and the Court-poems, as 
we shall see, require wholly different treatment from that which can 
be applied to the Eddic poems. A Aybdrid clause, lame in grammar, 
inane of sense, and unfitted to the context, is, in our poems and in Ice- 
landic MSS., an unmistakable mark of a corrupt text. The key-note 
to a correction is an outward resemblance either in sound or in appear- 
ance [observe, in shorthand vellum writing (p. xxxviii), for words, utterly 
unlike in modern print, will in a vellum often deceive the eye]. But 
this resemblance is uzreal, for it is an essential mark of a true emen- 
dation, that the sentence which comes out of the crucible has no 
resemblance in sense to the false one. This is easily accounted for. It 
is like a popular etymology, as Shotover for Chateau Vert, where the 
sound is alike, but the meanings are wide apart. The sham resem- 
blance is either one to the ear; in that case the error is owing to the 
minstrel, the listener, the collector; or it is to the eye, in which case it 
is due to the scribe. But in either case, scribe or listener, eye or ear, 
the brain or fancy has been at work; the man who makes the mistake 
coins a sense out of the words as the delusion of eye or ear prompts to 
him. Icelandic is very rich in word doublets. 

An editor must try to catch the key-words of a corrupt passage, 
the rest of the phrase will then come out clearly. Emendations so 
found are the safest of all, paradoxical or bold as they may look; indeed, 
there are many we take to be absolutely certain: in most cases, there 
is but one possible way out of the difficulty, so, strictly speaking, it is 
not conjectural emendation; we must either take that or, missing the 
cue, leave the passage in its degraded state. 

An emendation should be thorough; a cheap emendation is worse than 
none. Unless an emendation cuts deep and to the core of the ill, 





bin os 
Rae ¢ “ 


Sey 


GOOD AND BAD EMENDATIONS. Ixxxix 


unless it be a pregnant one, which lights up the text, ten to one it 
is fallacious, a mere semblance of emendation, one possible reading out 
of a hundred’. We have preferred in such instances to obelise the 
text rather than put in a feeble and worthless suggestion. Thus— 

In the Old Gudrun Lay, |. 99, one might insert an ‘ok’ between 
‘hregifr’ and ‘hugin ;’ this would be a cheap emendation, and, as it 
destroys the rhythm, it must be a false one: the evil lies deeper; but if, 
in ‘hugin’ we suppose an adjective meaning ‘greedy,’ a word ‘hekin’ 
suggests itself at once; it meets all requirements, it resembles hugin 
(in sound here); it is a rare or even unknown word in Iceland, though 
well known in Scandinavia— hekjen’ in present Norwegian, ‘hige’ in 
Danish. The Icelandic scribe could not catch it, whilst hugin (Woden’s 
raven) here suggested itself to him. 

In Volsunga Saga, p. 150 (Bugge’s Ed.), which is full of errors, Gund- 
here retorts on Brynhild, who had chided his mother. The context 
requires, ‘ She was never false to her husband like thee, nor did she,’ etc. 
Here the MS. has ‘ eigi yndi hon ver sinu, sem pu gorir’ (the scribe was 
thinking of, ‘She was not worse pleased with her lot than thou art,’— 
a feeble, lame sentence). Now ‘ver’ is usband and ‘undir’ under; here 
is the resemblance and here is the key; we at once recognise the law 
term ‘taka mann wadir ver sinn,’ to cuckold one’s husband; hence we 
read, ‘eingi mann t6k hon undir ver sinn,’—an absolutely certain emen- 
dation, where no other is possible. 

A few specimens of the way in which we have worked will make 
the matter clearer. 

Taking first emendations founded on scridal errors, good instances 
are the Hyndlu-liod, 1. 94, where the_scribe has ‘ani 6mi,’ but his copy 
undoubtedly read ‘arn g’mi.’ A spot of ink, a scratch, or a faintness 
of the curves below the body of g being practically all the difference 
between the senseless and the true reading. 

In Hus-drapa the MS. has ‘ge% nifpar,’ which is a simple mistake 
for ‘geS mtkar’ (Wolf was thinking of Egil’s mun-strandar). Yet all 
the difference in the MS. is the prolonging of a down stroke. 

In Egil’s Sons’ Wreck, 1. 49, the scribe has ‘m biarnar,’ which is an 
easy misreading of ‘ari biarnar,’? one stroke more making the whole 
difference. 





? A good instance of the fallacy of cheap emendations occurred to the Editor. 
In the printed edition of Heidarviga Saga occurred the words ‘ verksmid mikinn,’ 
which were evidently wrong, for ‘smid’ is a feminine word. In the Dict., p. 698, 
the correction ‘mikla’ (fem. form agreeing with smid) was (in 1872) put forward, 
and seemed satisfactory enough. But two years afterwards (in 1874) the Editor 
had for the first time the opportunity of seeing the MS. of the Saga at Stockholm. 
He looked at the first page (very bleak) for a few minutes, and a few lines apart 
he found two errors; one was our word in question. The MS. really read ‘ verk- 
snvé mikinn.’ So that this easy correction, far from healing the text, would really 
have removed the omly letters which could have led to the discovery of the true 
reading. Now the editor of Heidarviga Saga was a man of sterling accuracy, but if he 
could pass mistakes which bear contradiction in their fac®j how much more often must 
such errors have arisen and been present in the work of scribes of the old days? 


me et INTRODUCTION. 


In the same poem, 1. 2, the MSS. give two readings, ‘lopt uzi’ and 
‘lopt ztt;’ the real reading is ‘lopt uzt,’ the dotted ‘t’ for ‘tt’ béing 
misread by one copyist for ‘i,’ by the other a letter being dropped. 

A marvellous instance of the danger of blindly accepting words of 
nonsense as a true reading, of trying to crush meaning out of a passage 
which is certainly corrupt, is found in Menglad’s Lay, where the paper 
copy reads ‘ kristindaud kona’ [a Christian dead woman]. This is simply 
the scribe’s perversion of ‘ kuelldridW kda.’_ ‘ Kveldrida’ (witch, night- 
hag) was abracadabra to the scribe, it only once occurs in any literature 
he could have known [Eyrbyggia], while it is easy to see how little diffi- 
culty there was in reading ‘krist’ for ‘kuell,’ and ‘daud’ for ‘ drid’ 
[Loddfafni’s Lay, ver. 2]. Observe the two d’s, distanced by two 
letters. The emendation we hold absolutely safe, yet what conclusions 
have not been drawn from this ‘dead Christian woman!’ ‘ This (it is 
said) is manifestly the youngest of Eddic songs, yet here we find a 
Christian dead woman detested as a fiend; hence the poet was a 
heathen. How much older then may we suppose such lays as Wolospa,’ 
etc. etc.? Arguing in false premises, however well and cleverly, is but 
building a strong castle on sand. 

In Sonatorrek, |. 50, Ketil Jorundson, who always writes ‘ei’ for ‘ ey,’ 
has the words ‘ bre%ra leisi’ where the MS. we think had ‘ bre%ra leyti.’ 
The latter word is a rare one (spelt in a Norwegian fashion, / for 4/), 
which he did not understand, and has therefore turned by the change 
of one letter, ‘s’ for ‘t, One can see how the acute over the following 
i made the preceding ¢ look like s (f), for ‘ bredra leysi’ would easily 
suggest itself to an Icelandic scribe. 

In the end-line is the meaningless ‘torvelldt tveggja boga;’ and 
strange words editors have squeezed out of this, ‘ Tveggi’ = Woden, or 
tveggja baga=‘double misery!’ Now, the Egils Saga tells us that the 
poet called his song ‘Sona torrek,’ Sons’ Loss, and that the sons were 
two; this title must (according to the use of the older poets) have stood 
in this very end-line when the Saga-man knew it. But in the mean- 
ingless jumble of words we see the syllables tor and tveggja (two), and 
boga, slightly wrenched from ‘bura’ or even ‘suna.’ This cannot be an 
accident, we are on the scent of the true reading—‘ Torrek .. . tveggja 
bura’ (or ‘svna’), the loss of two sons, The very name of the poem 
reappears before our eyes, and the noble poet’s words breathe again. 

The alliteration often helps one. In the last line of the Ordeal a 
word is clearly dropped; an s-word it must needs be, and ‘sykn’ meets 
the requirements of metre, sense, and grammar. So again in the Raven 
Song, logondom /fifom for Gfom. 

The other class of corruptions, arising from imperfect memory or 
bad hearing, is even harder to deal with. The Sound semblance is our 
guide here, often assisted by a good analogy from another poem, an 
imitation in a later poet, a prose paraphrase, or the like. 

A ludicrous instance of the way reciters will turn phrases they do 
not understand into /ike-sounding phrases, which convey a meaning, but 





a ee =. 


EXAMPLES OF EMENDATION. xci 


do not make real sense at all, occurs in the Long Lay of Brunhild, 
ll. 309-12, where for the proper words which mean ‘I dwelt with Hami 
[Heimi] eight years in Lymdale and led a happy life,’ there is a like- 
sounding phrase substituted with the ridiculous meaning, ‘The noble 
king had the skins [‘hami’ for ‘ Heimi’] of us eight sisters taken under 
an oak!’ [‘und eik’ for ‘ unéak’], a phrase which has not the slightest 
reference to any other words in the poem, or indeed justification of any 
kind. It is one of the lost lays of the lacuna that here gives the key. 

As instance of emendation from another poem, the Greenland Lay 
of Attila was composed by a man who knew the Old Attila Lay and 
imitated it. The word ‘dag-megir,’ ]. 231, makes no sense; the real 
word, an uncommon one to the people who later on repeated the 
poems, was the Old Attila Lay’s word ‘drott-megir.’? Here the younger 
poem is corrected from the older. In Arinbiorn’s Lay the reverse 
process may be exemplified; 1. 93 reads in the MS. ‘mal pion,’ which . 
is certainly wrong, but in Geisli the expression ‘mal-tol’ is found, 
which is plainly founded on his, remembrance of the old poem, and 
directs one to the right reading in Egil’s poem, ‘ mal-porn.’ 

An instance in which the text can be restored from the paraphrase, 
where the reciter has forgotten the right word and simply put in another 
with the needful alliteration, is to be seen in Wolospa, ‘ go%in Gll gildi’ 
being substituted for ‘ gislar oc gildi,’ which is seen from Ari’s paraphrase 
(Ynglinga Saga, ch. 4) to be the right reading. The postponed article 
alone would condemn the corruption in the MS. Note, that the /eague 
and the 4ostages between the Wanes and the Anses were the two important 
facts, and that the alliteration remains unchanged in the corrupt text. 

In the Long Lay of Brunhild the MS. reads ‘pvi-at Iormunrecr 
oparft lifir,” i.e. ‘for Iormunrec leads a useless life,’ which certainly 
construes, but is neither idiomatic nor sensible. Hamtheow’s Lay 
here gives the key to the phrase we want, ‘for Eormunrec shall tread 
her to death with his horses,’ i. e. ‘ pvi-at hana Iormunrecr idm of troe%r,’ 
which has some sound and even eye resemblance with the corrupt text, 
and gives the right sense. 


With regard to the COURT-POETRY, the treatment pursued has been 
necessarily different. The corruption here is of such a peculiar cha- 
racter that full textual emendation is in most cases impossible, though 
in many cases we can clearly point out where the poems are corrupt, 
and even see the underlying names of place or person which have been 
scribbled over as it were. As in the Court-poems we are dealing with 
annals, not literature, that is sufficient, nor would it be possible to do 
more; we have therefore obelised the corrupt text1, and translated ac- 
cording to the original contents of each verse [as pointed out at the 
foot of the page]. 





» Té avoid confusion, the inverted commas have in both volumes been solely used 
for marking corrupt text, head and foot-stones as it wef€ over a buried verse which 
we could not disinter, 


xcii INTRODUCTION. 


§ 15. Past EDITIONS AND COMMENTARIES. 


Between the discovery of R and its arrival in Denmark (1642-1662) 
several copies were no doubt taken, but none of those of the first 
generation have been preserved, though some of the later copies which 
we possess are certainly derived from them. 

As we know that Arne Magnusson used to collect, not only vellums, 
but also paper copies of the Revival time (1640-1700), this complete 
absence of Edda copies of that time would be very striking, save that 
it is explained by certain memoranda in Arne’s own hand, which the 
Editor disinterred. In one he says that there were ‘ plenty of copies of 
Semund’s Edda;’ from another we know that he possessed the early 
vellum copy which the Bishop had taken; and a list of his, first printed 
in Prolegomena (p.149), gives the names of a number of copies of 
Semund’s Edda (none now extant). There is little doubt but that 
they all perished in the great fire*. And here it is fortunate that we 
have Arne Magnusson’s distinct statement, that ‘ All the copies [of the 
Poetic Edda] which I have seen are younger than the beginning of the 
episcopate of Bryniolf [that is, A.D. 1639]%.’ From their descendants, 
now in the Royal Library of Copenhagen, we can form a good idea of 
their character. These paper MSS. are little Corpora Poetica, each 
comprising, besides the Lays of Cod. Reg., many other old pieces which, 
either in style or subject, were consonant with them. In fact their owners 
wished to make for themselves a collection such as is put forth in our 
vol. i. Each collector followed his own fancy; thus there are Lux- 
dorph’s Edda, Suhm’s Edda, etc. Not one is of any value, and it is 
absurd to collate them alongside of the vellums R and A. There 
are many late copies of the last century, well written, but often badly 
corrupted. 





1 Arne Magnusson in AM. 739, 4to:— 
‘Semundar Eddur geysi-margar :— 
Med hendi Jéns Gisla sonar. to. 
Magnuss Sigurés sonar. Folio, 
Arma Alfs sonar. Folio. 
Med hendi Sira Olafs Jéns sonar. - 4to. 
Med hendi Mag. Bryniolfs framan af, fra Oddi Sigurds syni. Folio, 
Med hendi Bidrns 4 Skarésa, 4to, gaud-réng. 
Meé hendi Sira Jéns i Villinga-holti. Folio. 
Med hendi Sira J. . . . - 8vo, 
Sira porkels Arngrims sonar, 8vo, ényt. 
Sira Arna i Gerdi, 8vo, dényt. 
Sira Einars i Géréum, 8vo, dnyt. 
Sira Halldérs i Reykholti, 4to. 
Sigurdar Biorns sonar l6gmannz. Folio. Med tvé-faldri Voluspé. Badar 
eins rangar, J Mag. Bryniolfs var fleira en i membranis. 
Jons { Oddgeirs hédlum. 4to. 
Med minni eigin hendi. Folio. par af hafa copiur sira Jon i Hitardal 
og Pall logmaér.’ 
2 «Oll exemplaria, sem eg séd hefi, eru yngri en initium episcopatus Brynolvi,’— 
AM. on a slip. 








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4 
‘ 
| 


EARLY EDITIONS OF EDDIC LAYS. xciii 


It is curious that, in spite of all the interest and pride felt by the 
early scholars in the ‘Edda’ Codex Regius, it was not printed for a 
long time. Resenius put forth Hava-mal and Wolospa in 1665, with 
learned notes and a Latin translation by Stephen Olafsson the poet 
(several of whose ditties are given in our vol. ii, p. 408 sqq.) This is all. 
His version is interesting to read, it shows him as an intelligent and 
gifted young man; it was done for Ole Worm in the year 1644, for 
Stephen Olafsson went home to Iceland in 1648. Of his invitation 
from Mazarin to come to Paris we have spoken in the Prolegomena. 
From this time for more than a century there are only a few frag- 
mentary quotations (e.g. those in Bartholinus De Causis Contempte 
Mortis, etc.) given here and there in different books, through which 
some knowledge of the stories and striking phrases from the poems 
themselves became known to the ‘learned world.’ 

At the end of last century there was a large and complete edition 
projected at Copenhagen, the first volume of which came forth in 
1787, containing the Mythical Songs with a Latin version and notes, 
There is also a smaller separate reprint of Wafthrudnis-mal by the 
same editors, dating 1779. 

In 1812 Van der Hagen edited, in a neat little octavo, the whole of 
the heroic Wolsung-lays, an unpretending but useful book, giving a 
faithful text by no means far removed from the MS, 

In 1815, on the eve of the Battle of Waterloo, there came out 
a charming volume by the Brothers Grimm, then in their bright youth 
and at the height of their literary powers. It contains the text of Wey- 
land’s Lay, Helgi and Swafa, the two parts of Helgi Hunding’s Bane, 
the prose paraphrase of Sinfitela’s. death, the Prophecy of Gripi, the 
Old Wolsung Play (cut up into sections on Regin Hnikar, Fafnir, and 
Sigrdrifa), the Short Brunhild’s Lay, the Long Brunhild’s Lay (broken 
into Sigurd’s Lay and Brunhild’s Death-ride), Facing the text is a 
literal translation, and there are a few good notes below. But the 
great beauty of the book lies in the version at the end (with fresh 
pagination), in which the story of the poems is told in the inimitable 
style which has made the Marchen a classic work for ever. Lexicons, 
Grammars, Comparative Mythologies, however good, must, like men, 
die when their time comes, but there is a spark of immortal fire in the 
Marchen. And these few pages on the old legends of Weyland and 
Helgi and Sigfred are worthy to be reprinted and prefixed to the 
Marchen, to go down with them to be the pleasure of the young and 
the wise of all time '. 

But when this delightful book came out, it was apparently not received 
as it should have been, for the projected edition, of which it was to be 
the first instalment, was never finished. In the Bodleian copy there is 





- + The first volume of Marchen appeared in 1812, the second in 1814 ; the Miirchen- 
frau died in 1816; a collective edition (the first re-toldfin part from the Mirchen- 
frau) appeared in 1819, So this Edda and the Mirchen are nearly contemporary, 


Xciv | INTRODUCTION. — 


a letter to a (Dutch?) friend, in Wilhelm Grimm’s autograph, which 
we give as bearing on the subject :— 


‘ Wohlgeborner Hochgeehrtester Herr und Freund. 

‘Ewt Wohlgeb. sende ich hierbei die eben fertig gewordene erste Abtheilung 
des Iten Bandes unserer Edda mit der Bitte solche als ein freundschaftliches Geschenk 
anzunehmen, Wir wiinschen daz Ihnen das Buch nicht ganz missfallt, seyn Sie 
aber so giitig uns Ihr Urtheil itber die Behandlung zu schreiben und tiberhaupt, wie 
Ihnen das alte nordische Epos gefallt. Auf diese erste Abtheilung wird eine andere 
folgen die den Urtext vollig mit theilt, der II Band enthallt dann das Glossarium, 
der dritte den Commentar. 

‘Die Einlagen an H* Hoekstra und Hr Bilderdyk bitte ich gefalligst auf die Post 
geben zu lassen, da ich die Adresse des letztern nicht genau kenne, bitte ich gleich- 


falls sie zu zu fugen. 
‘Mein Bruder wird Ihnen von Wien aus selbst geschrieben haben, ich hoffe ihn 
bald hierzusehen. Behalten Sie uns in freundschaftlichem Andenken, ich bin mit der 


vollkommensten Hochachtung. 
*Ewt Wohlgeb. 


‘ Erbgebenster, 
‘CassEL, 18 May, 1815. ‘W. GRIMM.’ 


But there were still some Eddic poems in MS. unprinted, and they 
did not see the light till three years later, in 1818, when Rask published 
the two ‘Eddas’ in two volumes at Stockholm. Rask was then in 
health and strength, full of hope and zeal, preparing for his journey to 
the East. Ere starting he passed a winter at Stockholm, and there he 
prepared his edition. His friends saw it through the press after he left 
for India, and these volumes are really the editiones principes of the two 
collections. Rask’s visit, and the appearance of this edition, is the first 
sign of a dawn of philology in Sweden. The notes are fresh and straight- 
forward, and testify to Rask’s colloquial knowledge of Icelandic, which 
he had acquired on his recent journey to Iceland. Here again we 
have the names of Grimm and Rask associated as pioneers of Teutonic 
Literature and Philology. 

In 1818 came forth the second volume of the ponderous Copenhagen 
edition, and in 1828 the third and final volume, which contained the re- 
mainder of the poems, and the bulky, but not unwelcome, Lexicon 
Mythologicum of Finn Magnussen, which is a work of considerable 
labour and diligent reading, though not of course of high philological 
value. ) 
In 1838 Dr. Bergmann put forth his Poémes Islandais (printed at 
Paris),—an edition of Wolospa, Wafthrudnis-mal, and the Flyting of 
Loki, which marks an epoch in the study of the Eddic poems. It was 
the first attempt to apply the higher criticism to them. The Editor 
can remember as far back as 1852, at evenings in the house of Niels 
Mathias Petersen (Rask’s friend and school-fellow; both were born 
within a mile of each other), how the Danish historian used to speak 
of Bergmann’s Wolospa, and declare that he found new and true ideas 
in the book. y 





MODERN EDITIONS OF EDDIC LAYS. XcV 


Then follow a series of hand-editions ; that of Munch and Unger, in 
1847 (Christiania), deserving of note, as containing a few important 
text emendations; it was intended for use as a class-book. That of 
Mobius was issued in 1860, a neat and handy volume. That of Liining 
of the same year was published at Zurich; a grammar and glossary 
accompany the text; an industrious and careful book. 

In 1867 came out the best edition that has yet appeared, that of 
Dr. Bugge, the Norwegian philologist, which in a faithful and accurate 
way follows the MS. spelling, etc., and is indispensable for the scholar. 
There is much cumbrous irrelevant matter (notices of former scholars’ 
often inane opinions, etc.) in the notes, but ever and anon among 
these there glitters out the gold of the editor’s own brilliant textual 
emendations. In fact this book is the first in which the art of textual 
criticism was applied to the Eddic poems. The reader will find in our 
first volume several valuable corrections which we have adopted from 
this genial scholar, marked by his name. 

Bugge’s edition has been the staple out of which subsequent editions 
have been, especially in Germany, manufactured. The only books on 
the subject, since his, which are deserving of notice are the Danish 
edition of 1874 by Dr. Grundtvig, the well-known compiler and editor 
of the Danish Kempe-viser; and the German 1875 edition of Hilde- 
brand, a promising young scholar, whose premature death is to be 
regretted. In the latter edition the distinction between ‘i’ and ‘j’ 
is first made aright, a distinction which we have adopted in the present 
book. 

We must here mention Mallet’s work. Mallet was born in Geneva, 
1730; lived at Copenhagen, 1751-1762, as tutor in French to the Danish 
Crown Prince. Here, in 1755, he published his book. It contains, in 
a French translation, (1) The Gylfaginning, divided, on the scheme of 
Magnus Olafsson, into thirty-three legends; (2) Prose translation of the 
Havamal group, of Krakomal,-Harold’s Love Song [ii. 228], the Doom, 
and Hakonarmal. The book had an influence quite out of proportion 
to its merits. Percy, Scott, and those who wrote on Northern subjects 
in English, all read and were inspired by it, and it is hardly too much 
to say that the ordinary notions of the Northern Mythology, both here 
and in America, are based solely upon it. It was a revelation of a new 
world even to such spirits as Goethe’s, the precursor of the medieval 
or ‘Gothic’ Renaissance of the beginning of this century. It acted 
directly upon Macpherson and Chatterton, and many more of less note. 

Dryden’s Miscellany contained the Waking of Angantheow, text and 
translation, possibly the first English rendering of any Old Norse poem, 
Gray, Herbert, Cottle, and others used the Latin translations of the 
Danish antiquaries for their versions. But the enumeration of English 
imitations, translations, and paraphrases belong rather to English bibli- 
ography than to our province, and we are the more willing to relinquish 
the task, as, with the exception of Gray’s lines¥rom Darrada-Lio® and 
Aytoun’s yersion of Krako-mal, few of them are of any real merit. 


ae eee 1, 4 


XCVi INTRODUCTION, 


Tennyson, Swinburne, and Longfellow are perhaps the best known 
modern poets who have sought subjects from the Eddic poems. 


The history of the critical treatment of the poems is not a very 


lengthy one. The Icelandic scholars of the seventeenth century began by — 


Commentaries upon single Lays. Biorn of Scardsa wrote Commentaries 
on Hofudlausn, Heidrek’s Riddles, parts of Wolospa, etc. (1625-42). 
Magnus Olafsson interpreted the verses of Orkney Saga and some verses 
from Scalda (which he calls Scioldunga-visor). Hallgrim Peterson wrote 
upon some thirty-one stanzas of Olaf Tryggwason’s Saga (c. 1650). All 
these are in MS. Philologically they are almost incredibly worthless, 
and will speedily convince any one, who chooses to take the pains to 
peruse them, of the idleness of supposing that any ‘living Icelandic tra- 
dition’ of the old heathen days had survived the Middle Ages, and prove 
how thick and black was the wall of darkness which separated Snorri 
from Bryniolf, Gunlaug from Biorn. 

In the eighteenth century Gunnar Paulsson (d. 1791) headed a second 
school of commentators, to which Eggert Olafsson (d. 1768) and many 
other scholars at Copenhagen belonged. With them began the ‘ Skyr- 
ingar,’ a mode of dealing with the Court-poetry which is copied from 
the French plan for translating Greek and Latin poets: each stanza is 
re-arranged in the ordinary prose order, and then it is commented on 
where necessary and translated. 

This methodical but practical treatment was not very fruitful in 
results; but it at all events was carefully applied, and sufficed in almost 
every instance in which the text was sound. Unhappily for the com- 
mentators this was rarely the case. The crowning work of this class 
of interpracy is the twelfth volume of Fornmanna Sdégur (1838), which 
is a masterpiece of its kind, brief, sensible and clear, containing an expla- 
nation of the verses of the Kings’ Lives by Dr. Sveinbiorn Egilson. One 
feels that wherever it was possible to arrive at the truth by the methods 
then employed, the truth has been ascertained; that where Dr. Egilson 
has failed, some other means than his must be employed. His Lexicon 
Poeticum, which is the last work of this now departed school, is a work 
of great industry and ingenuity, but it is unsafely based, as it wholly 
neglects textual criticism and the comparative method’. It is not how- 
ever upon either of these works, meritorious as they are, considering the 
time and circumstances of their production, but upon far higher work 
that the name of Dr. Egilson will rest—his beautiful prose translations 
of the Odyssey and Iliad. This version of Homer (especially that of 
the Odyssey) has to our mind not been surpassed by any, prose or verse, 
in any tongue with which we are acquainted. The translator’s heart 
was in the work; it was a labour of love; and the fine sympathy between 
the two tongues, Greek and Icelandic, is thoroughly well brought out 





1 Owing to the ‘remaniements’ spoken of in § 13, a large percentage of its 
vocabulary and phrases must, as mere medizval fabrication, clean disappear from 
future Lexicons, 





5 oo 


TF eee a ae 


—_ = 


-_——WTSSWSE A. 


THE GROWTH OF THE PROSE EDDA.  xecvii 


in it. His commentaries on the Court-poems, etc. were faithfully 
performed, but his mind was really too bright, his sympathy too fine 
to be content with such arid toil. For in the days of these old com- 
mentators the field of Northern scholarship was a vast plain, filled with 
dry bones, and up and down there walked a company of men, doing 
their best to set these bones in order, skull by skull, thigh by thigh, 
with no hope or thought of the breath that was to shake this plain 
with the awakening of the immortal dead. Since that day Philology 
and History have transformed the whole aspect of scholarship; but 
it is with deep gratitude that one looks back upon the progress, small 
but real, which the scholars of the prescientific days made in spite of 
so many difficulties. 


§ 16. THE TRUE POSITION AND VALUE OF THE PROSE EDDAS. 


One of the chief results of our work at the text of these Eddic 
poems has been the Editor’s late discovery with respect to the relations 
of the prose and verse glosses in the Prose Edda, and the conclusions 
that are to be drawn from these observations. 

‘Tout savant est un peu cadavre’ said a good judge, and it is because 
those who have handled our ancient Songs and Sagas have been content 
to remain in a lifeless routine-bound condition of mind, that the real 
state of the matter has not been perceived long ago. Editors and 
commentators have been content to look upon our Lays and Stories 
and like books precisely as if they were books of their own day, the 
creation of one man, handed down mechanically from age to age, 
nothing changed, nothing omitted, like a printed volume. 

With regard to all such works, however, it is, and must necessarily 
have been, far otherwise. The great Books of old time are accre- 
tions, our Psalter is such a one, Homer is such a one, the Sagas 
are such. An inspired beginning is made by one man of genius, and 
accepted by all hearers; his work, as it passes from hand to hand, 
gathers bulk, another man of genius adds his masterpiece, perhaps even 
a third makes a contribution to the mass, then the Era of Production 
is closed, the Age of Commentators, Copiers, Glossators begins, and we 


are happy if we can get the book as it then stands before the Age of 


Neglect and Decay has come on and the work has partly perished. 

The men of antiquity were not (in such societies at least as that of 
early Scandinavia) antiquarians, they were rightly delighted with the 
great works of their predecessors, and they handed them on, but they 
were men of flesh and blood, dealing with spiritual things, not mummi- 
fied Alexandrian grammarians anatomising dead matter. It is, indeed, 
impossible in the course of the three or four generations, which must 
have elapsed between the age of creation and the age of committal to 
paper, but that great changes even of word, order, and phrase must have 


& 





xevili INTRODUCTION. 


been suffered by such poems as Wolospa, not to speak of the alterations 
caused by forgetfulness, confusion, repetition, and the like. . 

To take the particular case of the Prose Edda, here in Gylfa-ginning 
is a prose paraphrase, clear and consistent with itself, fringed and 
glossed with citations of poems. At the first glance all looks smooth 
and plain enough, but directly one begins to look into the relations be- 
tween paraphrase and citation precisely the same phenomenon appears. 
As we have observed [§ 12] with regard to the prose and verse of the 
Kings’ Lives, the verse-citations do not contain the facts, which in the prose 
is supposed to be drawn from them. Our conclusion must be the same, 

the citations are added later, and are from a corrupt and maimed text. 
' Numbers of instances which might be adduced to support the pre- 
misses of the argument will, as far as feasible, be found in the notes to 
the two Wolospas, but among the most striking a few may be given. 

1. There is a long piece of prose-text relating to the Doom of the 
Gods, containing a clear and striking account of the Last Battle and 
the signs that preceded it, evidently derived from a poem; and there is 
a long citation from Wolospa in support of its statements,—a confused, 
pell-mell jumble of broken, distorted verses, as if the lines of the poem 
had been shaken up together in a bottle; and, though there are names 
and phrases enough in the prose to show that it is Wolospa that is 
meant and no other poem, there are several striking incidents about 
which the verse, as it has come down to us, says absolutely nothing. 

2. In the account of the Creation of the World, the prose is orderly 
and right, the verse gloss is obviously disordered in an absurd way— 
light from the sun defore the sun is set in heaven, and so on. 

3. In the account of the Golden Age, the prose is straightforward 
enough; but the lines of verse containing the phrase ‘smféa ... or 
golli’ are evidently dislocated, so that as it stands the passage is un- 
compe and impossible. 

. In the notice of the Birth of the oe maggots kindling in 
die diets of the cosmic Titan Ymir, there is a distinct reference to a 
myth drawn from some poem; but the citation, in its present state, 
is poor and pithless, and does not give the cited fact at all, though under 
its corrupt ‘morg’ one can see the original ‘or mo®écd’ plain enough 
when once attention is directed to the verse. 

5. The account of Sigyn sitting over her husband Loki with her 
bowl, catching the poison that would drip on him, and the writhing 
of the tortured Titan which causes earthquakes, when the venom 
burns him, as the faithful wife turns away for a moment to empty 
the bowl, all this is no doubt drawn from Wolospa, but we have only 
a mangled fragment of a colourless verse remaining in the glossators’ 
text. That Loki is bound by the guts of his own son is noticed in the 
prose, and mention of it can be detected beneath the corrupt text in R. 

6. In the description of the Holy Ash and the Norn’s brook, the verse 
is mangled and misplaced, and can only be rearranged and restored by 
the help of the prose paraphrase. However the one word ‘ priar’. 


adie rn ee erm 


CONDITION OF EDDA TEXT. Xcix 


proves that these lines have been dislocated, that the three Midwife 
Norns were once mentioned in it, and that Wolospa is indubitably the 
paraphrast’s authority here '. 

There are besides many names which, from their type and con- 
nection with extant verses, we cannot but suppose to be taken from 
the Wolospas, though no trace of them be left in our mutilated text. 

The texts of Grimnis-mal and Wafthrudnis-mal, also paraphrased, do 
not appear to have suffered so much by corruption, though here too, 
as can be seen by the omissions in our present texts, verses or strophes 
have fallen out and perished between the time of the paraphrast and 
the days of the glossator. 

The glossator we may pretty confidently put to the date of the 
glossator or glossators of the Kings’ Lives, and so dismiss him; but 
with regard to the paraphrast, who knew and used the perfect text of 
these great poems, who was he, and when did he live? Was he Snorri 
or another? 

In style the paraphrase looks rather more complex and scientific than 
those parts of the Prose Edda that give its chief beauty to the book— 
the tales of Thor and Utgard-Loki, with their bright humour and 
their sly fun, which one unhesitatingly puts down to Snorri. Again, 
one notices, that the dialogue frame-work is not of the same style as 
the paraphrase, indeed it rather hinders than helps the course of the 
narrative, while it seems to belong to the humorous part of Edda. One 
would fancy, that the paraphrast belonged to an older generation than 
Snorri; that he made out of the old heathen poems, which he collected, 
a little treatise in prose; that this book came into Snorri’s hands, and 
was enlarged, added to, and re-edited, so to speak, with a new frame- 
work, which fitted it for entertainment, breaking up the prose treatise 
into little sections, which could be recited one by one, and spreading 
out the incident, exactly as is done in the later versions of the Icelandic 
Family Tales (Islendinga-Ségur). The glossator who added the cita- 
tions, and the theory-monger with his Trojan-myth, etc., are subsequent 
to Snorri®; of a generation later at least, one would think. 

These views must be carefully considered; the question is ripe for 
study. We have tried at all events to state and describe the difficulties. 
It is a great pity that no man of talent has ever really taken up and 
studied the Prose Edda. Jacob Grimm, who was a genius, only used it 
as a help to his other work, and never attacked the book itself. Niels 
Matthias Petersen alone felt and expressed to the Editor long ago that 
the conventional beliefs respecting it could not be true. The Prose 





* With these Norns compare the Casmenta of Professor Nettleship’s article, 
Journal of Philology, No, xxii, 

* The article on Snorri, in connection with Edda in Prolegomena, though right in 
direction, will have to be corrected in detail in the light of our present standpoint ; 
for instance, the distinction between Snorri and the Gl@ssator, which was not then 
known to us, must now be definitely made. 


£2 


c INTRODUCTION. 


Edda is not a ‘ Livy,’ mechanically written by a learned man for learned 
men in a literary age, and transmitted with learned accuracy; it is a 
complex work, stamped with the mind-marks of the several men of 
genius who worked at it one after another, and transmitted it with that 
royal carelessness which has let so many unworthy works perish, and 
preserved, as if by accident, those which were the finest and best. 

The authority of the book is enhanced by the view now first put 
forth; and it may be added, that the best evidence we can gather 
seems to place the date of the paraphrast about the beginning of the 
twelfth century, for the text of Wolospa used by Ari in Ynglinga is 
evidently the full and pure text, while of subsequent use of this pure . 
text, save in the Prose Edda, there is no further trace whatever. 

It is perhaps well to note here, that throughout these volumes we 
take for granted the conclusions which we long ago arrived at and have 
fully stated in Prolegomena with respect to the authorship of Kings’ 
Lives—namely, that ARI THORGILSSON (1067-1148) was the author 
of the first draft of the Kings’ Lives down to Magnus Bareleg, and that 
SNORRI STURLASON (1178-1241) re-edited this work, putting into 
dramatic form, with great beauty, pathos, and humour, those stories 
which have made the ‘Heimskringla’ so justly famous. These con- 
clusions resting, as they do, not only upon the scanty external evidence 
left us by antiquity, but also upon numerous historical and literary 
inferences, drawn from the documents themselves, have been amply 
confirmed by the new and unexpected mass of evidence, which have 
been the result of our work upon the old poems in these two volumes, 
And these views give a fixed and stable basis, upon which to build up 
further conclusions. It is of little value to have a statement referring 
to Harold Fairhair, or even to St. Olaf, if we cannot tell when, or 
where, or by whom it was recorded; or, if we are to suppose it first 
set down in the thirteenth century: whereas to know that a fact, or 
date, or genealogy was set down by a painstaking, truthful scholar of the 
eleventh and twelfth century is a great gain. The old vague use of 
Snorri’s name (still a blot on Scandinavian histories) must be definitely 
given up; it is not Snorri, but Ari, that is the authority for the data 
of the early Kings’ Lives: to Snorri, on the other hand, let us give full 
credit for those masterly dramatic touches, which have kindled and 
quickened Ari’s sober facts into breathing life, and turned a chronicle 
into a drama of the highest form and beauty. ‘Suum cuique tribuere’ 
is even in literary ways, on high authority, the essence of human duty; 
it is also a high pleasure, for, as Jacob Grimm pertinently observes, 
‘Es ist in der literatur-geschichte ebenso néthig und gedeilich, einen 
schrift-steller aus dem recht herauszuweisen, in dessen besitz er un- 
verdienterweise gelangt ist, als dasz es erfreuet, einen verkannten ruhm 
zu sichern und zu erneuern’ [KI]. Schr. vol. vi]. So much it was ne- 
cessary to say to warn the reader against the slipshod use or rather 
abuse of names of authority, idle statements copied from one book 
into another by that laziness of mind, which has led to the survival 





ease 


MINGLED MYTHS OF THE EDDIC LAYS. ci 


of such baseless statements as—‘Saemund wrote the Poetic Edda,’ 
which we have now refuted for the second time (though we find it 
still repeated in books which purport to be authorities, by men who 
should know better), and this, that ‘Snorri wrote Heimskringla,’ which, 
as has been shown in Prolegomena, is every whit as groundless, taken 
in its bald every-day sense. 


§ 17. SoME MyTHOLoGIC ASPECTS OF OLD NORTHERN POETRY. 


Throughout these volumes we have consistently tried to adopt a 
chronological basis, and to keep clear of the old, but persistent, error 
of viewing all Teutonic mythology as a complete system, which it never 
was and never could be. Carlyle never forgot that myths were Jeliefs, 
and that they enwrapped the deepest and wisest thoughts of sages of 
old—dumb inarticulate modes of expression, it may be, but tokens 
not to be mistaken of the true and fervent thought that produced 
them. He saw clearly, that there are not one but many mythologies 
in the Eddic poems— 

‘All this of the old Norse belief which is flung out for us, in one 
level of distance in the Edda, like a picture painted on the same canvas, 
does not at all stand so in reality. It stands rather at all manner of 
distances and depths, of successive generations since belief first began. 
All Scandinavian thinkers, since the first of them, contributed to that 
Scandinavian system of thought; in every new elaboration and addition, 
it is the combined work of them all’ [ Heroes, Lecture I]. 

True of all mythology this, and a very precious lode-star in the 
dark journey along the far-stretching roads and wandering by-paths of 
the myths, which these Eddic poems testify to. As one goes through 
the poems, one is ever and anon face to face with a myth of the most 
childish and barbaric type—the world a giant, slain by the gods, who 
make heaven out of his skull, sun and moon from his eyes, earth out 
of his flesh, ocean out of his blood, clouds out of his brains, dwarves 
out of the worm that bred in his body, and so on,—a story that carries 
one back to pre-Aryan days, and must, one would fancy, have rather 
suited the imagination of the Ivernian thrall, than of his Keltic lord, 
or his Scandinavian conqueror. 

Another almost as archaic is the early myth of the holy cow—first- 
born of things, a figure common to Indian and Teutonic fancy. But 
side by side with these old out-crops of primeval granite rock comes 
the latest strata, a wholly new system of beliefs, coloured through and 
through with Christian ideas,—a heaven with a supreme God, angels, 
demons, a Holy Tree, a hell, and a doomsday. 

Of these beliefs, so diverse in time and degree, some are indigenous, 
some are borrowed and grafted more or less completely on the native 
mythology. And, though there will always be a halo of glory about 
the late Walhall and Walcyrie system,—albeit ig was simply a wicking- 
faith, lasting some three generations at most, the outcome of a notable 


cli INTRODUCTION. 


age, but never a universal or family religion at all—yet it is still 
more interesting to deal with the earlier myths of home-growth, or, 
at all events, of. such vast age, that they have become completely 
assimilated. We may briefly touch here upon ‘one or two of those 
archaic beliefs, which it has been a pleasure to us to try and draw 
forth from the obscurity in which they have been left; for they, and 
not the Walhall system, are really the substance of our forefathers’ 
religion, from Tacitus’ days to St. Olaf’s and Ari’s. 

First of these we would notice the belief, on which we have treated 
at length in our commentary on Hyndla’s Lay, of the divine descent of the 
pure race of kings, sprung from the God and Mother Earth. 

Another, of which one can only just catch a glimpse as it vanishes 
into the darkness, is the old myth of the great bird that laid the world, 
the beautiful fancy which Aristophanes in his most noble chorus sets 
forth with such delight :— 


Xdos jv wal Nig ”EpeBés Te weAav mpBrov kal Tdaprapos eipis’ 
7 8 od8 dnp ovd ovpards jv" ’EpéBous & év dmeipoor KéArois 
tixre: mpwriotoy innvéepwov Nvé 4 peAavdrrepos gov, 

ef ob mepiTeAAopevaus Opaus EBAaaTev "Epws 6 Tobewds, 
oTiABwv varov mrepvyouw xpucaiv, eixws dvepmneor Sivas. 
ovros 5¢ Xdec wrepdevte puryels vuxiw Kata Tdprapov ebpdv 
évedtrevoey yévos HueTEpoy, Kai mp@Tov aviyaryev és pas. 
mpdotepov & obk Hv yévos Gbavarav, mplv "Epws fuvéwigev Arava’ 
fuppryvopevev 8 érépwv Erépois yéver’ otpavods wKeavds TE 

kal yh wavrwy Te Oedv pardpwy yévos apOirov. Bde pév eopev 
Todd mpecBiTaTa TavTew pakdpwy, hueis 8 ds éopev “Epwros 
mohAois djAov.— Birds, 693-704. 


Upon what proofs we are now able to say, that this myth was once 
known to our forefathers also, is worth recording. There is a story of 
the creation of man by three wandering gods, who become in medizval 
stories Jesus and SS. Peter and Paul walking among men, as in Champ- | 
fleury’s pretty apologue of the Bonhomme Misére, so beautifully illus- 
trated by Legros. In the Eddic legend one of these gods is named. 
Hene, he is the speech-giver of Wolospa, and is described in phrases 
taken from lost poems as ‘the long-legged one’ [langi-fétr], ‘the lord 
of the ooze’ [aur-konungr]. Strange epithets, but easily explainable 
when one gets at the etymology of Hoene’=hohni= Skt. sakunas = Gk, 
cficnos=the white bird, swan or stork, that stalks along in the mud, 
lord of the marish—and it is now easy to see that this bird is the Creator 
walking in Chaos, brooding over the primitive mish-mash or tohu-bohu, 
and finally hatching the egg of the world. MHohni is also, one would 
fancy, to be identified with Heimdal the walker, who is also a creator- 
God, who sleeps more lightly than a bird, who is also the ‘fair Anse’ and 





1 The long diphthongic vowel co bespeaks an assimilation, a guttural or palatal: 
our Teutonic # or Greek-Aryan #, which brings one to the true etymon of this 
hitherto unexplained name—the Greek xv«vos. 





A tae 


THE SCANDINAVIAN SOMA-MYTHS. ciii 


the ‘ whitest of the Anses, the ‘waker of the gods,’ a celestial chanticleer 
as it were. 

But beside the myth of the creation of the material universe, there 
was also the myth of the origin of the spiritual universe. This was the 
subject of many legends, which told of the breathing of the true 
ghostly life into this upper world, under the figure of the adventurous 
god getting the Holy Drink. This drink—blood, wine, mead, beer, 
grain, or whatever it be called—was brewed by the Dwarves 
(nature’s creative forces) before the beginning of time, stolen from 
them by the Giants, who concealed the precious treasure in their 
deep caverns, locking it up unproductive and useless for eons, till 
Woden came and won it by his superior craft at the risk of his own 
life. From him it passed to gods and men, and became the inspirer, 
under whose influence all wisdom, learning, knowledge, and poetry 
were produced. Of this myth, so thoughtful and deep, there are 
many variations. In one, the god beguiles the giantess daughter of 
the Titan, in whose charge it is, and so stea/s the drink. She is 
described like the guardians of the holy water of the Accadian legends, 
as sitting on a golden throne. 

In another, the wine is kept by a witch, who enchants and spell-binds 
men; but Woden breaks from her spells and carries off his prize. 

In a third, the god hangs from the gallows over the abyss, and lowers 
himself into Hades, whence he brings up the gift of knowledge, of 
which Giant Midvitnir, the father of Bestla, was the warder. 

In a fourth, deeper and more philosophic perhaps than the rest, there 
is a sacred Burn of Wisdom in the earthly Paradise under the Holy Tree 
at the garden of the Norns', whence Mim, the giant-judge, quaffs 
every day huge draughts of knowledge in the magic horn. But Woden 
gives up one of his eyes to buy a single draught, and so the giant is able 
to see, as well as know, everything that goes on in the world; but 
Woden’s one draught has been sufficient to give us all the wisdom that 
is in mankind or the gods. The solar bearings of this myth are evident, 
but there is more to be got from it. What better emblem could there 
be of the disparity between man’s drop of knowledge and the boundless 
ocean of the Unknown, than the contrast between Woden’s cupfull 
and the bottomless well-spring of the Wisdom of the Universe! 

In a fifth kindred tale, Woden visits a giant in quest of wisdom, 
and risks his head to get answers to his questions, destroying the giant 
in the end by his craft and cunning. In all these myths Woden is the 
type of the sage and seeker of all times, a single-eyed, hooded, bearded 
figure, who has drunk once of wisdom but is still filled with a quench- 
less thirst for it, and is ever wandering pilgrim-like up and down the 
world, seeking to lure the boon he craves for from the blind, dull, 
dangerous, and relentiess forces of nature. The very name ‘ Woden’ 





1 Cp. the ‘ Garden of Okeanos’ in Aristophanes, 


Civ INTRODUCTION. 


tells the same tale, being, we hold, an appellative akin to the Latin 
‘uates,’ a prophetic singer or bard. Cf. O.N. 66-r, inspiration". 

This myth, in its various forms, was evidently a favourite with those 
unknown thinkers and philosophers, who were the parents of a race 
that has since given great poets and great thinkers to the world; and 
we seem to catch even faint echoes of their thoughts on the subject 
in the words of Tacitus: ‘ Ulissem quidam opinantur, longo illo et 
fabuloso errore in hunc Oceanum delatum, adisse Germaniae terras, 
Asciburgiumque, quod in ripa Rheni situm hodie incolitur, ab illo con- 
stitutum nominatumque. Aram quin etiam Ulissi consecratam, adiecto 
Laertae patris nomine eodem loco olim repertam monumentaque et 
tumulos quosdam graecis litteris inscriptos in confinio Germaniae Rhae- 
tiaeque adhuc extare.’ Here we can see that the wandering god’s 
adventures had induced the Roman traders to talk of him as ‘ Ulisses.’ 

And after all, may we not go a little further, and look to the various 
adventures of a god, in search of wisdom, for the origin of the ad- 
ventures of Odusseus himself. The toils of the god are given to the 
hero, as the Sun’s labours to Herakles, or the Moon’s to Psyche. 
Odusseus goes down to the Unseen World to win knowledge, outwits 
the witch Kirke, beguiles the daughter of the Sun, risks himself with 
a giant, Poluphemos [Much-talker ?], all adventures parallel to those 
of our Woden, and varieties of the Soma-myth. The adventures of 
Odusseus have in their turn not only furnished Persian story-tellers 
with some of their most thrilling tales, but inspired Vergil, and through 
him the ‘highest poet’ of Italy, the greatest voice of medizval Europe. 
So fruitful, true, and enthralling has been the very tale of the Quest 
for Wisdom. 

These archaic myths, with that vast mass of beliefs and superstitions 
which enwrapped the subject of Death and the Dead and are summed 
up under the term Aucestor-worship, and that system of Divination and 
sacrificial observances on which we have written a separate Excursus, 
made up the religion of a Teuton sage of the days of Tacitus, and 
of his successors down to the days of Charlemagne. For it will be 
clear and patent to every observer, that this Wandering God, as well 
as the different tribal deities (deified kings and priests), and the rude 
Nature-myths are quite incompatible with the Walhall pantheon, in which 
Woden dwel/s, with his host of Amazons and Heroes. 

And now to glance at these /ater myths, the last Act as it were of the 





* The phonetic change is analogous to that in mater mddar; ¢, d following 
Verner’s Law; heona (a hen) is a cognate word, 

? The original form of the myth seems to be clouded here in the Greek. Polu- 
phemos is intoxicated himself, which may or may not be part of the original; the 
real essence of the story is the false name, the clever escape under the ram’s belly, the 
folly of the presumptuous giant ; all found also in Woden’s case, he never gives his 
real name, and always outwits his cumbrous foes. Odusseus takes away the Giant’s 
eye, as Mim took Woden’s. Can the mythic names Hallinskidi or Heimdali, given 
to the Ram in the Thulor, have been culled from a Northern Poem, telling the story 
of this escape in some form ? 


ee Tee 


7 


er ee ee ee a ee 


LATER CHRISTIANISTIC MYTHS. cv 


heathen religious Drama. The effect of the contact with a new civili- 
sation upon the English cannot be clearly made out, for there are no 
data left from which to draw evidence; but in the Walhall system 
one can clearly see the effect upon the Northman of the Roman 
civilisation, the Christian religion, and the Carling organisation, with 
which he was brought suddenly face to face. This warrior religion, 
with its gross heaven of fighting, feasting, and drinking, its creed of 
dauntless fatalism, its scorn of death and peace, reminds one of the 
practical working faith of the followers of the Prophet, who were at 
that very time running a somewhat parallel course in the south of 
Europe to that of the Scandinavians in the north. But though the 
Northman’s creed was far lower than that taught by Mohammed, the 
Northman was the ‘heir of progress,’ and he flung away his fighting 
faith of his own free will, and accepted the higher teaching as soon 
as it was worthily put before him. 

The Wicking religion will always be a noble memory to us, as repre- 
senting one aspect of the master-minds of the Scandinavian peoples 
at a period when they were helping to mould modern Europe. Its 
armed angels are splendid figures; its unselfish, single-hearted, fate- 
defying heroes are of a noble type; its god, albeit bloody and boastful, 
is yet not beyond our sympathies as he sits feasting in heaven with his 
friends, ever ready for the final death-grapple, in which he must fall, 
as he knows, before the fiends of hell. 

But there are also among the Eddic poems records, happily pre- 
served, which tell us how the new world of thought and life looked 
to the Northern sage (just as Walhall shows the impressions of the 
Northern sea-rover). In the strange, beautiful myths of the gallows- 
tree, that fills the whole universe, holy, life-giving, sprinkled with the 


. white ooze, there is indeed plainly to be seen the reflection of the Cross ; 


while in the eschatology, with its Doomsday and battle of Armageddon, 
and the glorious myths of the golden age that has gone, but will come 
back again with the new heaven and new earth, we can feel the very 
echo of the mighty vision that has inspired poet, and painter, and 
thinker ever since it was told by the seer who had seen the fate of 
Jerusalem. 

These later myths, so largely tinged with foreign hues, are purely 
Scandinavian, whereas the older strata of myths are really the common 
Teutonic religion. ‘There can however be traced among the very oldest 
myths one set which bears a distinctly northern stamp, namely, that of 
Thunder (Thor), who seems to have been the favourite god of the west 
Scandinavian tribes, as Frey was of the Swedes. These myths are of 
most archaic type, simple nature myths—Thunder slaying and driving 
away the foul mists and clouds, and protecting his mother earth and 
her children from all harm; but they, in some special way, caught the 
fancy of the Northern farmers and fishermen, and they have put into 
them that simplicity, observation, and keen an@ broad humour, which 
seem to have distinguished them among the sister Teutonic tribes. 


evi INTRODUCTION. 


Just as the Burgundians were the most good-natured, and the Saxons 
the cruellest, so the Reams, and Theles, and Throwends, and their 
companion folks seem to have been the most humorous of the 
Teutons. We have also the great advantage in the case of the Thor 
myths, of having them told by Snorri in his best style, with that in- 
imitable mixture of naiveté and humour, strong sense and fun, which 
has its only parallel in the best of Grimm’s Marchen, 

One must not pass over without mention the occurrence in Wolospa 
of the old myth of the frst murder and the first woe, brother slaying 
brother, and the hapless mother weeping in the waters for her beloved 
son. A story which most probably sprung from Accadia, like other 
primeval legends, though, of course, it may be here merely a distorted 
view of the later Hebrew scriptural Cain and Abel, borrowed directly 
through Christian sources from the Jews. 

The reconstruction of Wolospa has brought out very clearly, what 
the very use of the preterite ‘I saw’ not ‘I see’ had hinted at, namely, 
that the death of Balder does not precede immediately Doomsday, but 
is on the contrary the jirst crime. The Achilles parallels of Professor 
Bugge and even the Christ-parallel (save so far as Abel is and must 
be the type of Christ) thus vanish and fall away. In the medizval 
myths the weeping of Eve, neck-deep in the Euphrates, is the mourning 
of Frigg; no doubt, too, that pearls are those of her tears that fell into 
the water, as the little nuggets of surface gold are the tears she shed 
upon the hills and plains. | 

One other myth claims a few words. The “legends of Loki bear 
evident and tangible marks of divided origin. First, there is an old 
Titan Wloki (Lupus Behemoth)! chained, like Enceladus or Typhon, 
beneath the mighty mountain, in the pit [crater Hver-gelmi] *, causing 
earthquakes as he writhes in his torture-spasms, a monstrous, bestial, 
scarce human figure, which can by no means be lacking among the 
old anthropomorphic Nature-myths. There is another Loki, the 
mocking Meimos, the wicked, spiteful, cunning, sharp-tongued, weak- 
thewed jester of Walhall, an old character, taken and put to a new 
part, giving many of the traits of the medieval Devil (though we do 
not believe that his name has anything to do with Lucifer, or his 
brother Byleist’s with Beelzebub). A strange metamorphosis for the 
old Titan, for which he is indebted to his one great act of villany, 
Balder’s betrayal; this has justified his being drawn out of his old 
monster-shape, and belied into a puny cunning tempter, powerless in 
the hands of Thunder, and merely tolerated, like some Archy or Will 
Somers, for his scathing words. 

Late writers on this subject have, we take it, confused the whole 
matter of the Christian and foreign influence upon old Scandinavian 





1 The chained wolf Fenri is merely a doublet of Wloki. 
2 In Wolospa we read ‘ Hvera-brunni,’ Cauldron Well; in Aristophanes, Peace (like 
our Truth) is prisoned in a ‘deep well,’ whence she is pulled up. 


2S ae 


°°? re a 4 


Tee 


Soin ae) te te = 


prs; 


as 


rie 


le Onl 


ar yEs 


RESULTS OF THIS INVESTIGATION. cvii 


mythology, by fancying that the characters of the Walhall religion are 
new. Not so, they are the old primitive figures, common to old Aryan 
age and pre-Aryan beliefs, Hell, the black foul ogress, a figure known 
as well in Tahiti as in Germany; the monstrous Beasts that swallow 
the sun and moon, believed in to-day in China as fourteen centuries 
ago in England; the Earth-serpent, that is said to be found in South 
American myths as well as in those of Old Norway; even the belief 
in the ill-faring of criminal ghosts common to Homer and the Wolospa- 
poet; punishment of crime, as Tacitus notices, being part of the old 
Teuton faith, though the Christian idea of sin is of course a later con- 
ception. These archaic figures and fancies are merely employed in a 
new connection, and mingled with new personifications (whose very 
names betray their recent origin—Glad-ham, Corse-strand, Muspilli, 
Swart, and the like) and so often obscured and altered, so that it 
often requires careful investigation to trace their real character, origin, 
and bearing. 

The results of our work here also are truly conservative. We have 
tried to gain a clearer conception of the old Teutonic religion among 
the Northern folks (essentially the same as the faith of our English 
forefathers), the true character of which has been obscured by false 
historical perspective. We have also, by setting the Wicking religion 
in its proper place and in its proper light, endeavoured to obtain a 
deeper insight into the spiritual life of the Wicking-tide than has 
hitherto been possible. Questions, many and important, arise as the 
consequences of the conclusions we have come to, but these we may 
confidently leave to the care of living scholars in this place, who, by 
intimate and minute knowledge of comparative Indian, Greek, and 
Semitic mythology, are so eminently qualified to treat them. And it is 
especially with a view of bringing these unsolved problems to their 
notice that this imperfect sketch has been written. 


§ 18. SPELLING AND ARRANGEMENT OF THIS EDITION. 


The system of spelling adopted in these volumes must here be ex- 
plained. As to the early poems, the MS., in which the chief of them 
are preserved, is one of the transition period, an era between Ari the 
historian and Snorri, when Icelandic phonesis was passing through 
a change which was complete about 1230. Two modes of treatment 
are therefore possible—to normalise the spelling down to the classical 
spelling of the fourteenth-century MS., a plan hitherto adopted, or to 
do as we have done and put the spelling 4ack before the change, to the 
normal spelling of Ari’s time as near as may be. Thereby we get 
nearer the MS. from which the scribe of R copied; we approach more 
nearly the language in which the poems were composed ; for where, if 
not in these songs, should we learn the oldest forms of the Northern 
tongue? We have been careful throughout tg use no form for which 
there is not good MS. warrant, 





cviii INTRODUCTION. 


We make the distinction between 9, ce (¢)1; we prefer inflexive o to u, 
as R does; though, following R, we have, wrongly perhaps, preferred 
inflexive i to e; for the oldest MSS. use e, not 7, and to an English eye 
‘time’ looks more homely than ‘timi.. We have not changed the 4 
into ¢, for two reasons: the change would be meaningless, a mere 
pedantry, and it is inconvenient for dictionary purposes, etc. 

A few things require special notice :— 

We print vowel before .vowel, irrespective of natural quantity, as 
short; that this was a phonetic law with the ancients is borne out by 
the metric evidence: words as bua, trua are never found in the tro- 
chaic third or sixth measure of Court-poetry, whereas they are frequent 
in the last measure of the Dialogue metre line—bua, Old W. Pl. 193; 
buinn, 50; bua, G. W. 74; snuask, Alvm. 2; trui, Love Less. 56; hloa, 
Grimn. 90; nio, Niord and Skadi; gloa, Alvm. 18; veom, Grimn. 46; 
soit, Love Less. 54; blyi, Sun Song 124; skiom, 76; sxing, 68;—an 
evidence that it was sounded vv, not -v. 

That this too was the pronunciation of Thorodd the grammarian 
appears from the phrase (as once restored by the Editor, Dict., p. 335 a) 
‘ par vas pu at (pu-at), as ma@r kefidi pvatt,’ to be sounded pu-at or pw-at, 
the uw sounded with a slight touch of w. The strange pronoun (Dict. 
p. 738 a, s.v. pinn B) owes its origin to the same phonesis—pu-inn, 
pwinn, pinn. In like way we have by preference written pvi-at, po-at, 
sva-at, sa-es, su-es, and so on. We must not count syllables here, doth 
vowels were distinctly seard, but slurred or rapidly pronounced*. The 
sound was, we take it, like ‘io, mio, miei, tuoi’ in Italian. Such lines 
abound in Dante and Petrarca. 

Mr. Alexander Ellis urges that the so-called hiatus in Latin were in 
fact ‘slurred vowels;’ each vowel being sounded though they did not 
make a syllable. 

We distinguish between vowel i and consonant i (/); it is vocalic—(1) 
as in fiall, iord, iardar, (2) as in the diphthong of bid%a, idk; the sound 
in all such cases was, we take it, purely vocalic, like Italian io, mio, or 
the like; the alliteration bears ample evidence to its being sounded as 
vowel, differently from the modern Icelandic pronunciation (y). Again, 
z is consonantic in inflexions, such as gledja, dynja, midjom, as evi- 
denced not only by the etymology, but by these syllables being long 
by position, which is seen by the frequent occurrence of these words 
in the third and sixth measure of the six-measured Court-metre, which 
here requires —v. So, too, the 7, coming between two vowels, pre- 





1 See Dict. p. 761. The form ‘ao,’ it should be noticed, is far more correct than 
the hurried script form ‘9g.’ It is also better, for it shows its:meaning at once, and 
is analogous to the other forms ‘&,’ ‘c&.’ We have preferred it to the Old English 
form of the Parker MS. ‘ 0,’ as more consonant with the modern-type shape of ‘a,’ 
The 9, ¢ forms, so much affected nowadays, are neither so shapely nor so correct, 
nor do they tell the eye what they mean. 

An inflexive syllable counts as short, e.g. ganganda (— | uu), Less. Lodd. 87. 
In Lokas. 59 skraut odr is treated as a double word, 


tae, al ei 





SPELLING OF THIS EDITION. cix 


serves the length of the former, e.g. nyjo (Lat. novo) (-—v), whilst 
nio (uv) (Lat. novem) '. 

Again, though it is certain that, when the poems were composed, the 
final inflexive ‘r,’ Y, was a sibilant (z) not a fricative (r), and that the 
fricative did not come in till a much later date than is generally sup- 
posed, we have not ventured to make the change in printing. It is 
difficult to fix the exact date of such phonetic changes, and it will not 
be the same date in different countries, so that, while in the earlier 
poems it would be more correct to print ‘stadz,’ ‘ Haralldz,’ ‘ Alafz’ 
nominative, it would be impossible to draw a correct line fixing what 
poets first spoke ‘r’ instead of ‘z?.’ 

So, too, we might well have printed ‘w’ for ‘v’ throughout the first 
volume at any rate, for there is no doubt that ‘v’ was pronounced 
‘w’ as late as the eleventh or even twelfth century, and it would 
have given the book a more homely look to English eyes. However, 
a great part of the text was already clean copied and it was deemed 
hardly worth while to make the change. In a future edition of any 
of the poems we should be willing to adopt the ‘w’ as truer and 
speaking more clearly to the eye. At any rate the reader must sound 
the ‘v’ as ‘w.’ 

We spell hana (illam). The word is hardly ever found in MSS. un- 
contracted; that it was sounded long we know, (1) because we have 
once, in Sturl. Cod. B. (a hand which distinguishes between a and aa), 
actually found it written so in full; (2) by its use in Placidus-drapa, 
‘fran-pvengs sa es gat hana’ (the sixth measure requiring —v); (3) by 
the analogy with hanom; for it is only before a double consonant that 
the vowel is shortened. 

The double ‘ss’ in genitive inflexions, as bass, less, sk¥ss, tf¥ss, Freyss, 
rikiss, stilliss, etc. [from bi, le, sky, t¥-rr, Frey-rr, riki, stillir], are war- 
ranted by the best vellums, and represent the pronunciation. So also 
vatz, botz, from vatn, botn—‘vatns, botns’ are purely manufactured 
book-forms, and should, with so many other like things, be banished 
from our grammars and paradigms; they are not once met with in an 
old vellum, nor are they ever heard in modern speech. 

_ The old forms wr (wreka, wreiér, wrangr) might in many of the 
songs, e.g. the Aristophanic poet, have been restored. Yet the MSS. 
in no instance retain the ‘ w,’—it is merely from the alliteration that we 
learn its existence, as with the digamma in Homer,—for the songs have 
had to pass through the hands of Icelanders, to whom the w was a thing 
of the past. r for wr is merely a West Norwegian idiom. The Swedes 
and Danes even at the present day say wr in most, though not all 
words where it is etymologically due. Even the Icelanders have in 
a few cases substituted an 4r (see Dict., p. 672, B 111),—a mark that 





? Grimn, 22 must be wrong for ‘ glymja yfir’ or the like. 

2 In these ancient times nominative and genitive case were distinguished, one 
being -z, one -iz; of which archaic genitive a few remains are seen in the laws 
and poems, as heimis, svefnis. 


cx INTRODUCTION. 


at no remote time the qw sound was still heard in words whence it 
has now vanished. 

As for the article, ‘en’ is the sole form in the oldest vellums, then 
‘in,’ and lastly by analogy ‘hin.? A young Swedish scholar, Mr. Axel 
Kock, of Lund, has lately demonstrated the etymological identity of the 
Scandinavian and the Anglo-German article; the ‘en’ was sounded 
‘zn,’ the initial p being dropped—‘ pan’ being the stem of our present 
Northern article, whether prefixed or post-fixed (enn géde madr or 
madr-enn). Thus an old and hard puzzle has at last been solved. 
R spells in and en (ins, ens) promiscuously. In this edition we should 
have given ‘e’ throughout, without regard to the vellum. 

The preposition and particle should have been ‘ of’ or ‘umb’ through- 
out; though R prefers ‘um,’ which form can hardly haye existed in the 
tenth or eleventh century. 

As to proper names, in the older poems we have kept to the normal 
eleventh and tenth century forms, for example preferring ‘ Aleifr’ 
[* Anlafz’] and ‘ Sigroeér’ [‘Sigfridz’]. In the later dated poems we 
have kept their contemporary ‘ Olafr’ and ‘Sigurdr.’ In the transla- 
tion, while keeping to the familiar Olaf and Sigurd, our rule has been 
to put the names as far as possible into their English forms; thus to 
prefer Woden to Odin, Eadwine to Audun, lfwine to Alboin, Wolf 
and Worm to Ulf and Orm, Thorfrid to Thorrod or Thord, Garfrid to 
Geirrod (but Gard, Bard, Thord, in later cases), Anses to Ases'. For 
‘ Sigroedr’ in the text there is MS, authority once or twice in W, but 
it is not certain at what time the ‘frid,’ ‘ fred’ was degraded (by analogy 
with ‘rad’ probably) into ‘rad’ in so many cases. Sigroedr must have 
passed into Sigordr about the eleventh century, when we have ‘ Sigordr 
com nordan.’ From this the latest form Sigurdr regularly comes. 
Accordingly the forms are, Sigfroedr (ninth century), Sigroedr (tenth 
century), Sigordr (eleventh century), Sigurdr (twelfth century). 

The history of the name of Olaf is as follows:—The White Dublin 
king, the Aud’s husband of the Northern genealogists (A.D. 850), would 
have been called ‘ Anlaif.’ The second, his great namesake Trygg- 
wason (965-1000), must, to judge from the poems, have been known as 
« Alaf’ (there seems here to have been a Western influence in turning 
the laif, leif, into 14f; Sighwat has Aléfar fris gafo). The Quiet King, 
who loved the farmers, was called, we know, Oldfr [Ol4f, sélar]: the @ 
is here rounded into 6. We have thus nasal Anlaif (ninth century); 
Aléf (still nasal? tenth century); Olaf (eleventh century); and lastly, 
Olaf (the modern form). The pet-form Léfi, beside Leifr, still pre- 
serves the quantities of the name, which was raised to such popularity 
by the veneration paid to St. Olaf. 

There remain other things for remark in this connection; however, 
we must needs stop, with a hearty apology for slips and casual incon- 





1 A very strict consistency would have required Gundhere everywhere for Gunnar, 
Binki for Bikki. 





EXCLUDED MATTER. | cxi 


sequences, having had much else to mind of even greater moment 
in this edition. Grimm once (KI. Schr.) speaks of ‘falsches streben 
nach kalter richtigkeit.’ 


Touching the extent or limits of this work, it will be well to notice 
at least the names of certain poems which, for various reasons, we 
have not included in the present volumes. The chief of these are the 
two metrical poems Hatta-/lykill and Hatta-tal. Of the first, the fol- 
lowing account is given in the Orkneyinga Saga: ‘These two together 
[Poet Hall and Earl Rognwald, vol. ii, p. 274] made the old Metre-Key, 
setting five verses to each metre, but afterwards that was thought too 
long, and now there are two pieces of verse to each metre*.’ 

In 1222 Snorri’s Hatta-tal was composed. It is a poem in honour 
of Hacon and Duke Sculi. It is wholly uninteresting, gives no historic 
fact, and as many of its metres are mere fanciful inventions of its 
author, it is by no means a safe authority to follow. It has lately been 
critically edited by Mébius, who is now engaged upon the Hatta-lykill. 

The poems by Snorri, Olaf and Sturla in Hacon’s Saga, Sturlunga, 
etc., being purely artificial and imitative poetry, and having been lately 
edited elsewhere by the Editor, would have been rather out of place 
in these two volumes. In the same category fall the fragments in 
Hrafn Sweinbiornsson’s Saga and Aron’s Saga. 

The poems in Orkneyinga Saga are also beyond our limits, though 
we have taken some of the most important of Earl Rognwald’s, 





* It is of little interest, save as containing the following names of heroes :— 


[Three lost. ] : Hedin. 
Hogni. 
Gundhere. Harald. 
Attila, Hiarrandi. 
Hrolf Kraki, 
[Two lost. | Hialmar, 
Ragnar Lodbrok. Eirec Victorious. 
Eirec. Anlaf Swedes’ King. 
Agnar. Gautrec, 
Biorn, Styrbiorn, 
; Sigfred Snake i’ th’ Eye. Harald Fairhair, 
q White-Sark, Eirec Bloodaxe, 
, ; F Hakon the Good, 
[Four lost. ] Harald Grayfell. 
Swein Forkbeard, 
a a Canute the Great. 
peek: ages Olaf Tryggwason, 
"4 St. Olaf. 
Frodi. Magnus 
° . 9 * 
Helgi Hunding’s Bane. Harald, 
Harald Hild-tooth. | Olaf. 
Hring. - Magnus Bareleg. 
Angantheow. [The end ? stanzas lost.] 


The knowledge of the Helgi story in the West is worthy of remark, The MS. at 
Stockholm is very corrupt, and we have had no means of making a satisfactory text, 


cxii INTRODUCTION. 


To another category altogether belongs the Early Book-poem,. 
Hugsvinnz-mal, a translation in the old Dialogue metre of Cato’s 
Moralia. We take it to be of the early twelfth century, for later 
the Dialogue metre would hardly have been known or used. It was 
published by the late Dr. Hallgrim Schewing as a School Program, 
Bessastead, Iceland, 18311. 

There are also some book-poems on sacred subjects, Harm-sol, Leidar- 
visan, Liknar-braut, all from Arna Magn. 757, and the Placidus Drapa in 
a twelfth-century MS. (AM. 673), which are mere cloister-work, void 
of inspiration and purely imitative. They have been edited as School 
Programs, by Dr. Egilsson, 1833 and 1844, as also was the spurious Olaf’s 
Drapa (from Berg’s Bék), mentioned vol. ii, p. 89 ”. 

In the edition of Bishops’ Lives, vol. ii, fasc. 1, the Editor published 
(1861) a text of the Gudmund Encomias, of Einar Gilsson, Abbot Arngrim, 
and Abbot Arni (1345-80). Of the Lilja of 1350 (on the Virgin, by the 
Augustin Eystan) a critical text has appeared, by Cedershidld, 1881. 

It was not worth while to reprint these poems in our volumes to 
the necessary exclusion of more important original work. We have 
by omitting them gained space for all that is of real original value in 
Northern poetry down to the Reformation, and been able to include 
such important poems as Skida-Rima, Skaufhala-balkr, to put in the 
Ditties, the Ballad Burdens, etc., and to give a more complete view 
of the whole subject than we could otherwise have accomplished. 

A few fragments from the Scalda Essay from poems on Saints have 
been likewise left out, as they are of no original value whatever. 

No attempt had till now been made to classify the Eddic poems in 
the order of development or to fix their subordinate relationships. It 
has been one of our chief aims to do this, for. without some such 
general scheme there is no comprehending the poems themselves, 
and their use as historical documents and their exact position in 
literature is merely a matter of guess-work. We have endeavoured: 
to look at the whole matter from as broad a point of view as pos- 
sible, taking into account the literary evidence afforded by the other 
fragments of early Teutonic literature and the historic testimony pre- 
sented by English and German chronicles. And it was only after weigh- 
ing every consideration as well as we could that the plan of each poem 





1 It is found in AM. 624, a fifteenth-century vellum, and is very corrupt in parts; 
we have only noted the final stanza :-— 


Hugsvinnz-mél lét ek fyr holdom kvedin, 
ok syndak rekkom rad, 

hyggins mannz leysta ek hulda speki. 
Her ro 1id6 um lokin. 


The MS. reads, ‘let ek,...holda speki....Her er nu.” Yet in a new edition ; 
this interesting but very corrupt vellum would have to be re-read and re-considered ; 
the poem if printed should in due order follow the Merlinus sp4. 

2 By a strange chance, ‘Placidus’ is, as to MSS., the oldest bit of Northern 
poetry, for AM. 673 appears to be older than our R by some thirty or forty years. 





a 





NAMING AND NUMBERING OF THE POEMS. cxiii 


was decided upon. We may at all events humbly claim to have buoyed 
the way, and whatever modifications our classification may undergo 
from the result of future research, we trust that the main grounds 
on which it rests will not be shaken. 

As to the Court-poetry, it should be noticed that, though in Snorri’s 
Edda the bits cited are, in most cases, simply referred to the poet 
without giving the name of the poem, yet there is very seldom 
any doubt as to the exact piece from which they come. The in- 
ternal evidence is, in ninety-nine examples out of a hundred, pretty 
conclusive. The Editor first classified them twenty years ago, and 
in not more than half-a-dozen cases has he thought it needful to 
alter the classification then arrived at, though he has gone over each 
verse again and again. 

It will be seen that the whole of the Court-poems are fragmentary; 
in no case have we a perfect, complete work. It is impossible in all 
cases to show exactly where there is a gap and how much is 
missing, but by classing the lines according to subject, and marking 
the text and translation whenever the subject changés, enough is done 
to indicate the state of the text. 

With regard to the naming of the poems we have adopted the follow- 
ing rule. Where there is an old title fixed by MS. authority we have 
kept it, translating it also. Where there is a modern fabricated title 
(such as Sigrdrifu-mal) without any authority, we have given an English 
name. Hencé the names at the top of the pages are sometimes in 
the Old Northern, sometimes in the English tongue; thus Hofudlausn 
is vouched for by Egil himself, but Wolundar-kvida is a mere fabri- 
cation, and we use the descriptive English title Weyland’s Lay. The 
reader will thus be able to distinguish between true and false titles, for 
the only Old Northern titles used have good MS. authority. 

Such names as the Atli- or Attila-poet, the Brunhild-poet, the Western 
Aristophanes, the Tapestry-poet, the Ballad-poet, are convenient titles 
for different anonymous poets whose work we have arranged and 
classified. There is in every case certain internal evidence for the 
works classed under the same head, e.g. Helgi-poet, being of the same 
school and often strong proof that they are by the same man. But it 
is sufficient to'bear in mind that they are of the same time, plan, and 
style. 

The mode of citation followed in this edition is new, but it is 
strictly necessary. We cite by line, not by stanza, most of the poems 
hitherto cited by stanza being wholly unstanzaic. The system of citing 
by stanza is altogether unsatisfactory; only two modes of citing the 
older poems being really right, viz. they must either be cited by the 
line of the Codex Regius, which till the Codex Regius is published in 
a facsimile edition it is impossible to do, or the line must be quoted 
according to the plan invariably followed in all other poetry, Greek, 
Latin, or English, - 

The Court-poems having been here collected and arranged for the 

h 


CXiV INTRODUCTION. 


first time, they have been numbered both by stanza and line, so as to 
facilitate future references. 

In the case of the complex masses of verse, such as Havamdl, where 
we have had to disentangle the component parts, we have added in 
brackets the old-fashioned stanza-number, to enable reference to be 
made with certainty to older books. 

The abbreviations employed in citation are marked in the Table of 
Contents ; they are, as far as possible, identical with those used in the 
Lexicon, but in many cases changes were imperatively necessary, owing 
to needful re-arrangement of poems. 


§ 19. THE TRANSLATION.—ITS PURPORT AND DESIGN. 


It will be right, if only in self-defence, to say something about the 
translations included in these volumes. They are primarily intended 
as a help to the scholar, and a faithful rendering for those who wish 
to know the contents of the various poems and citations, without 
having mastered the tongues in which they are composed. This aim 
has been, as far as could be, kept in view throughout; and it is from 
this point of view, rather than she a purely literary standpoint, that 
they are to be judged. 

There were no light difficulties in the Translator’s way, and they 
have not, by any means, always been overcome, though they have at 
least been honestly faced and grappled with. In the first place, it is 
no light task to deal with songs of such high beauty and power as 
many of these poems are, it is only a great thinker and poet that could 
worthily achieve a noble transfusion of them. Like all masterpieces of 
literature they have a style, a phraseology, and a savour of their own, 
which it is easy to feel, but singularly hard to transmit to another who 
is not already en rapport with the tongue or the age in which the 
poems were composed. Then the syntax, simple as it looks at first 
sight, is really very difficult ; so delicate and fine are the minute shades 
of difference which the same tense, for example, may express in 
several phrases,—a peculiarity which readers of Professor Driver’s 
monograph on the tenses in Hebrew will see closely paralleled in that 
tongue. Then there are numerous technical phrases, legal, political, 
martial, naval, colloquial, economic, not found elsewhere, the meaning 
of which has to be discovered, settled, and duly brought out, a process 
often of extremest difficulty. All this is work, which not even a born 
Icelander is at all fitted for, unless he has not only studied the old 
tongue, but the old Jife in all the extant evidence possible; indeed, it 
would be easier in many cases to get help from old English and old 
French scholars than from Icelanders, so different is the old diction and 
the old circumstance of the poems from modern speech and social 
existence in Iceland. Again, it will not do for a scholar, who is merely 
a philologist, to presume to deal with the translation or edition of 
the old literature of our own or any other tongue. The letter, sacred 








THE TRANSLATOR’S DUTIES. CXxV 


as it is, kills; and one, whose chief interest in a poet is to know how 
often he uses such and such a word, and who is mainly taken up with 
considering how far the ‘copyist’ is changing the ‘é’ into ‘e,’ should 
not (without help from some one who knows and feels the life and 
beauties of the literature in question) deal with literary matters at all, 
or he will be likely to fall into some such error as a certain dis- 
tinguished scholar did when he mistook prose for verse, and gravely 
told his reader to take the poems he was noticing as models of 
classic prose style. The philologist’s work is of the very highest value ; 
but in precise proportion as a man is a good philologist, or indeed a 
specialist of any kind, he must take especial care to prevent his interest 
from becoming contracted, and his senses blinded to other than the 
small round of daily objects which his particular specialty brings before 
him. There is perhaps no work more likely to turn a man into a 
gerund-grinding machine, ‘sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans every- 
thing,’ wholly insensible to the real beauty and worth of literature, than 
what is often misnamed ‘pure scholarship ;’ while, on the other hand, 
no critic can enjoy the best books so well as the rightly educated, 
widely read, and thoughtful philologist. 

It must also be remarked, that it will not do to use one style of 
English to render the wide varieties of poem and prose met with in 
these volumes. The Biblical phraseology, which will aptly render Paul 
the Deacon’s paraphrase, would not give the quaint half-pedantic effect 
of Saxo for instance; while the calm, unruffled serenity and purity of . 
diction, which marks the poet of Wolospa, is very different to the 
rugged, passion-wrung lamentation of Egil. The legal phrases of the 
Greenland Lay of Attila and the Euripidean softness of the Gudrun 
Lays are very far removed from the antique Homeric beauty of the 
old Attila and Hamtheow Lays. 

There is one grave error into which too many English translators of 


_ old Northern and Icelandic writings have fallen, to wit, the affectation 


of archaism, and the abuse of archaic, Scottish, pseudo-Middle-English 
words. This abominable fault makes a Saga, for instance, sound unreal, 
unfamiliar, false; it conceals all diversities of style and tone beneath 
a fictitious mask of monotonous uniformity, and slurs over the real 
difficulties by a specious nullity of false phrasing. The idiomatic 
spoken tongue of the Saga-makers should be rendered as far as possible 
into an idiomatic spoken tongue’. | 


One great advantage the translator has had. English is, of all existing 





It is perhaps invidious to mention instances of failure, but among examples of 
more successful rendering, one is glad to put Sir Edmund Head’s Viga-Glum’s Saga, 
Mr. Sephton’s Eric the Red’s Saga, Sir G. W. Dasent’s Gisli the Outlaw. While on this 
subject, it may be noted that there is a very great difference between the styles and 
worth of different Icelandic Sagas, and even parts of them; there are parts of Niala 
which are certainly below the level of true classic writing, and the greater part of 
Gretti’s Saga and Egil’s Saga is mere fictitious ‘padding.’ Future translators 
would do well to consider this point when dealing with thé’ Icelandic Sagas proper. 
A man who has a real pleasure in his work will have- a. pretty safe guide in his 

ha 


cxvi INTRODUCTION. 


tongues, from the richness of its vocabulary, the laconic power of its 
idioms, and the simplicity of syntax which it admits of, the best vehicle 
for a translator from the old Northern speech to work im. The Eliza- 
bethan dramatists, the Bible, and more modern classics, such as Defoe 
and Carlyle, pithy, phraseful, idiomatic, give the translator an inexhaust- 
less mine in which to quarry. There is always the right word some- 
where in English, though it is not always that one can hit upon it at 
the right time. Especially: useful also to him, who would attempt to 
English the Songs and Sagas of old, is a knowledge of the spoken English 
of the country-folk, who (as Mr. Barnes has proved to those who re- 
fused to see it before) often preserve the best English phrases which 
the miserable, conventional, hack-English of this and the preceding 
century has scornfully passed by. Some knowledge of Greek, especially 
of Homer, Hesiod, and Herodotus, and some acquaintance with what 
is known of the older Greek life and ways, will often avail the translator 
when nothing else can.. It is obvious that he should know something 
of Old English literature, law, and history, familiarity with which again 
and again will prove his best guide against mistake, and his best help to 
the right handling of his subject-matter. 

The task is not one to be entered upon with a ‘light heart,’ and the 
translator may: at least claim to have been aware for years of the ob- 
stacles in his way; now that. he has gone through with the work, he 
cannot profess to be satisfied with his results, save in a very modified 
degree. At best his version is to the original as the thin, muffled, 
meagre, telephone-rendering is to. the full rich tones which it transmits, 
faithfully, it is true, but with what a difference to the hearer ! 

There are many instances in which the translator has had to choose 
between a poetical rendering,.and one which, awkward though it was, 
yet had the quality of suggesting the real meaning; and in every case 
he has preferred the latter. Had he been making a purely literary 
version, which should not. be merely,.as it. were, an interpretation, but 
a representation of the original, he would have decided otherwise. 
Hence in the qualities of rhythm, flow, and roundness of phrase, the 
present version is obviously all too often lacking, and this is, as the 
writer feels, a very serious defect; but there seemed no: help for it. 
A translator, even of Chapman or North’s calibre, could such a one 
be found, must. sometimes come to a place where two roads fork,.and 
will not always follow the right branch of the Pythagorean letter. More- 
over, in the present case, it was necessary very often to decide quickly. 

Wherever, too, there were phrases which, though ‘they construed,’ 
would not ‘make sense,’ the translator has chosen to omit them rather 
than give a guess rendering, which would make his version read more 
easily, but. at the same time mislead the innocent reader. 





instinctive feelings, and should. follow them in making his selection of what should be 
translated; and if he thinks, above. all, of making himself intelligible, he will not 
be likely to fail absolutely in. conveying-his matter into readable and actual English, 














THE SCOPE OF THIS TRANSLATION. _ cxvii 


It is not with a desire to forestall criticism, that thus much has been 
said, but from a wish to set forth plainly the aims, sie. and scope of 
the present version. 

Besides the poems, the translator has in the course of these two 
volumes given a rendering of all that part of the Prose Edda which has 
not yet been translated or printed in England, a version of the para- 
phrase of the lost Lays of R, and an anthology of all the best passages 
relating to poetry or poets which occur in the Iceland Book of Set- 
tlement or Landnama-bok, the Kings’ Lives, and the Icelandic Family 
Sagas, as well as many of the most noteworthy parts of Jordanis, Paul 
the Deacon, and other writers, of which there is either none or no 
accessible English translation. 

The translator must in fairness add that he has received no help 
from any former versions, English or foreign; his success or failure, 
such as it is, is his own. When he took up his task the text of most 
of the poems was in such a chaotic condition that, till the work of 
arrangement and reconstruction was well under weigh, it was impossible 
really to make a beginning at all. Every word and phrase has been 
reviewed three times; and, though there are far too many slips and 
shortcomings even upon the face of the translation, yet considerable 
pains have been taken to bring it into harmony with the finally settled 
text above it. In the case of the Wolospas and Hyndlu-liod, the 
translation in the Appendix is of course to be preferred. 

The hope with which the translator has laboured has always been 
that of inducing Englishmen and Americans to seek back for themselves 
into the Homeric age of their forefathers, to turn to the rock from 
which we are hewn, and to make it possible for those who cannot go 
straight to the original work of this period to get some knowledge at 
second-hand of its glories and its greatness, of its highest creations and 
its deepest thoughts. Any real, however scanty, knowledge of these old 
Northmen’s finest poetry and noblest era of history is of solid value 
and interest; the men from whom these poems sprung took no small 
share in the making of England, their blood is in our veins, their speech 
in our mouths, their law in our courts, their faith in our hearts; and if 
there be, as the sage has said, no ingratitude so base as self-forgetful- 
ness, surely we of all men should look back to the great Wicking-tide, to 
which the finest of the Lays in these volumes are due, as a momentous 
era in the world’s history and our own. 

Let Goethe speak on this head—‘ The most singular and deepest 
themes in the History of the Universe and Mankind, to which all the 
rest are subordinate, are those in which there is a conflict between 
Belief and Unbelief, and all epochs, wherein Belief prevails, under 
what form it will, are splendid, heart-elevating, and fruitful. All 
epochs, on the contrary, where unbelief, in what form soever, main- 
tains its sorry victory, should they even for a moment glitter with a 
sham splendour, vanish from the eyes of postefity, because no one 
chooses to burden himself with the study of the unfruitful.’ 





CXvili INTRODUCTION. 


§ 20. THE GROWTH AND AIMS OF THE PRESENT EDITION. 


As early as 1861 the Editor began to make a collection of the Court- 
poetry, including all written in that style down to the fourteenth 
century, copying, classifying, and arranging the scattered materials with 
a view to the publication of a ‘Corpus Poetarum Aulicorum.’ This 
plan was extended by degrees, till the idea of a complete Corpus Poeticum 
was reached, and the Eddic Poems were for the first time classified and 
put in some order. The work was interrupted, and the intended pub- 
lication in Germany, which had been the Editor’s ultimate end, set 
aside by a summons to England, where other and engrossing toil put 
a stop for a long time to any projects of the kind, But already some 
results had been achieved; the half-begun work had not been fruit- 
less, though there were still many questions left for future solution ; 
for instance, the Editor had convinced himself that the Helgi-poems 
were the work of one author, that Skirnis-mal and Harbard’s Lay and 
Loka-senna were the work of one man, that the Tapestry-poems were 
later than the Helgi-poems, that the lays of Arrow-Ord and Half were 
spurious epics, etc.; he had also arranged the body of the Court-poetry 
—an elementary and rough sketch, yet it is the foundation of great part 
of the present book. 

The textual restoration has been a hard task, and the measure of 
success therein attained is sure to seem but small in comparison to the 
pains spent upon it; for there are still scores of passages which have 
foiled our best efforts, and which, after much labour lost, we have been 
compelled to leave obelised for future toilers to grapple with. Former 
editors have not even been aware of the fearfully corrupt state in which 
the text stands in R; they have taken the MS. as literally exact, with- 
out seeing the often absolute necessity of changing its order, of disen- 
tangling its intertwined poems, or even of pointing out the breaks of 
sequence and gaps and blanks which disfigure nearly every lay. They 
have busied themselves with disputes about stanzas in old unstanzaic 
poems, and endeavoured with all manner of grammar-defying devices 
to squeeze sense out of the senseless corruptions of a mangled text; or 
else they have vexed their souls over questions of spelling, whilst they 
left the sense smothered and choking, without lifting a finger to rescue it, 

When the text and translation had at last been put into shape and order 
for printing, and had passed through the press in due course, the text was 
subjected to two rigorous revises at some months’ interval of time, first, 
for the Excursus (especially Excursus I to vol. ii), and again for the — 
Notes, so that the final result, as embodied in the Excursus and Notes, 
may be looked on as, in some sort, a second or even third edition. It has 
been highly satisfactory to us, that our subsequent tests have been con- 
firmatory of our first conclusions as far as they went, and that we have 
in each successive revision of the poems accumulated new evidence with 
regard to such cardinal points as the Western origin of the Helgi and 











USE OF EXCURSUS AND NOTES. cxix 


Wolospa Lays, the religion of the Northmen, the classification and chronolo- 
gical order of the various poems and the like. It is perhaps inevitable in 
a case like this, when we have’ had to work from our own printed or 
written text, no other being in the least degree helpful for our purpose, 
that there should be numerous fresh text-emendations and alterations 
of detail; but the reader will not, we believe, be puzzled by this, if 
he will only take the trouble in every case to consult the Notes and 
the Appended List of Final Readings, as well as the prefaced introduction 
avhen he peruses the text or translation of any given poem. He must also 
bear in mind, that for the greater convenience of historians and 
scholars, and to save space and needless repetition as far as might 
be, we have preferred to throw the main results of our work on the 
Metric and Vocabulary of the poems, on the Chronology of the early 
poets, and on the Mythology Ritual and Religion of the Old Scan- 
dinavians into the form of connected Dissertation or Excursus, rather 
than strew them up and down the whole book in scattered notes. 
Such textual alterations as are of the greatest moment we have, for the 
reader’s behoof, postfixed to this introduction. 

The Excursus on Metric is a piece of pioneering; for nothing at 
all conclusive to our mind has yet been attempted in this direction. 
It endeavours to account for the whole mass of phenomena, presented 
by Early Teutonic metric, in Old English, German, and Scandinavian 
poems, according to orderly and historical principles *. 

The Excursus on the Synonyms? will practically fulfil the need of 
a small poetical Glossary, as it includes nearly every genuine and 
original phrase under a regular classification which permits a ready 
comparison with the Thulor Lists. It also carefully excludes that 
mass of unauthoritative and parroty kennings® which were the manu- 


_ facture of the Remanieur of the Court Poems,—a rank and file of 


wooden dummies, that choke the dreary pages of the Lexicon Poeticum 
and of many an Icelandic commentary or ‘ Skyringar,’ and hide the 
quick life that there is in the fresh and thoughtful kennings of the early 
Encomia. 

The two Excursus on Mythology and the Early Beliefs of the Scan- 
dinavians are of course toa large extent sketches; we have merely tried 
to give the prime out/ines of the religious phenomena which our subject- 
matter presents, phenomena that have hitherto been obscured and 





1 That the introduction of line-rhyme into Northern poetry is due to Celtic 
influence (long our conviction) was first suggested in print by the late Dr. Edzardi, a 
young German scholar, in Paul Braune’s Beitriige, 1878, an essay which for clearness, 
ingenuity, and conciseness might serve as a model to other writers on such subjects, 
His suggestion that the first feeling towards line-rhyme may be traced in such lines 
as Wolospa 3, 5, 79, 93, we can hardly accept (though it would fall in with the 
general Western influences so marked in that poem), for the instances seem to be 
mere coincidences such as might easily occur in any poet with a fine ear who always 
sought to make his verse harmonious and varied. Cf. Beowulf, 1. 1009, 

* Supplemented by the two Graduses, vol, i, fine, and gol. ii, p. 618. 

* Yet even of these a sample is presented to the reader in vol. ii, pp. 600-6: 2. 





cCxx | INTRODUCTION. 


ignored. Thus the great facts of Ancestor-worship, and the many 
beliefs and ideas connected with it, are here plainly if briefly pointed 
out. We have also endeavoured to show the true standpoint of that 
late and artificial system that, as set forth in the two splendid poems, 
the Greater and Lesser Wolospas, has so impressed itself upon modern 
students, that they have mistaken its age, its character, and its origin. 
With this Excursus, § 16 of this Introduction should be read, as it 
touches upon another side of the same subject 3. 

We have in the course of these volumes practically included the 
whole body of mythological evidence for Old Northern Belief, the 
main mythic contents of the Prose Edda, and its appendices, as well 
as the material afforded by Ari’s works—the Landnama-bok, Kings’ 
Lives, etc., and by the Icelandic Family Stories [Islendinga Ségur]. 

A novel and interesting question is handled in the Dissertation on 
the traces of Teutonic Legends in the Icelandic Sagas, and the little 
note on the Hymiskviéa from the Fereyinga Saga and Grettla? must be 
referred to in connection with it. It should also be observed that in 
the French Chanson de Geste are a number of incidents founded 
upon early Teutonic legends, and though we have here no time or 
space to treat of this matter, which is in great measure beside our im- 
mediate subject, we would at least suggest this fruitful and charming 
field of research to Old French as well as Old Northern scholars. 

The Translator’s note on the English Ballads touching their con- 
nection with older poems and their kinship to the Scandinavian Ballads 
may be mentioned in this place. 

The Excursus on Chronology as well as the Introductions to each 
book and section of the Court-Poems, containing, as we believe, many 
noteworthy corrections and rectifications of some of the most capital 
chapters of Northern History, the age of Fairhair, the career of 
Tryggwason, the character of St. Olaf, the impostor kings and their 
destinies, and the like, we commend to the notice of Scandinavian 
friends and historians, and especially to the judicious and philosophic 
Sars of Christiania, and the ingenious and careful Steenstrup of Copen- 
hagen, as well as to those many distinguished Englishmen who are 
labouring in the field of Old English history and literature. 

Towards a complete Verbal Commentary, what is strictly necessary 
has been done at the foot of the page and in the brief, added notes; 
the text will speak for itself. To fully illustrate the poems, e. g. with 
parallel passages from Greek, English, Indian, and Hebrew poetry, 





1 Our amiable and learned friend M. James Darmesteter of the Ecole des Hautes 
Etudes of Paris has given the Editor an unexpected confirmation in the matter of 
the Heathen Calendar discussed in this Excursus. He has quite independently dis- 
covered that the old Persian week was a pentad, a fact which throws no little light 
upon the Editor’s theary, founded upon the oldest Northern poems, that the Old 
Teutons reckoned by months made up of six weeks of five days. 

2 Given in the notes to the Lay of Hymi. 


AIMS OF THE PRESENT EDITION. Cxxl 


would alone require another volume, and we have perforce allowed 
ourselves but few notes on this head. 

Indices have been reduced to the smallest practical limits; the full 
tables of contents and the chronological arrangement adopted furnish- 
ing themselves the most useful index which we could contrive. 

What we have tried to do here with regard to Old Northern poetry 
we hope to see done some day for Old English poetry and literature. It is 
ever to be deplored that that most gifted scholar Kemble, who had 
the deep philological and literary sympathies and wide knowledge 
required for such a work, should have died so untimely. However, all 
knowledge did not perish with him, and we look to the rising gene- 
ration of Old English scholars to set about this long-neglected work, 
which the late much-regretted Grein did so much under such pathetic 
discouragement to smooth the way for. The Editor owes a deep debt 
to him; for his book was the only firm piece of Old English lexico- 
graphy which he had to help him in much of the comparative part 
of his Dictionary, as to wit, towards settling what words in English are 
Scandinavian loan-words. 

England and the other English-speaking countries are in one respect 
singularly happily situated, in that learning and literary interest is not con- 
fined to a class as abroad within the walls of universities where a man is 
aut Professor aut nullus, All over the British Empire and the United 


States, often far from big towns or universities, often little known, 


humble, and unpresuming, there are to be found earnest and devoted 
scholars, who take up and pursue studies of various kinds, purely from 
the love of them, without any desire for reward or fame or publication. 
This is a class which every writer must cherish as furnishing many of 
his best readers, and we have throughout these volumes endeavoured to 
hold the wants and requirements of such students in view, and taken 
pains to put things as plainly as possible, and*to keep as free from all 
needless technicalities as might be. 

It were much to be wished that every scholar and man of letters had 
some handiwork, which he could take up during his spare hours for the 
strengthening of his body and the freshening of his brain; and indeed 
all wise men of letters have ever had some ‘ hobby,’ carving, turning, 
boat-building, or the like', And it were also an excellent thing if every 
handicraftsman and trader, great or small, had some literary or artistic 
occupation or amusement for his leisure time. To those of this class 
who are willing to take a little trouble for the sake of a great gain, 
we can recommend no more delightful study than that of the Old 


Northern Literature, with a part of which we have endeavoured to deal 
in these volumes. 





1 «T never look but with reverence on the features of an aged carpenter, now four- 
score, with whom, encouraged by the family laws of my father’s house, 1 used to 
work in my boyhood, I first learnt in his work and at his bench what I have now 
related; and never, as a child, saw him at his work, but ghat I felt the nobleness of 
labour.’ —Dr. Acland. 





CXXil ie INTRODUCTION. 


The Editor may be allowed here to notice an amusing attack, that 
has been brought against him by certain of his own countrymen, of 
lack of patriotism; the chief charges of the indictment being, that he 
spelt his Christian name in English fashion, and that he used ‘ we’ 
and ‘our’ in speaking of English things and ways. His answer to this 
must be, that he writes in English because he writes for Englishmen, 
who publish, buy, and read his books, and that, as Sterne says, he 
may ‘at least be permitted the licence accorded to a heathen Roman,’ 
and allowed to speak rather from the reader’s point of view than his 
own, just as if he were a humble correspondent of Cicero or Pliny 
or even Julian. In penning one phrase at least, which has been 
adduced against him, he was, as now, writing in conjunction with an 
Englishman, and their joint views are therein expressed. 

With respect to the arguments that have been brought against 
the Western origin of some of the Eddic poems, the Editor has more 
sympathy, for they represent what were once his own views. During 
his life he has indeed passed through several stages of opinion on Eddic 
questions—at first accepting the generally accredited view that the 
‘ Eddas’ were the holy books of the fourth and fifth centuries. Next, 
when such ideas on closer inspection proved baseless and visionary, he 
came round to the notion that they were Icelandic (of the Western 
colonies they must be, as he soon felt) of a comparatively late date 
[see Dict. p. 2 b]—a theory now held by the patriotic school, but which 
he was the first to put forth, and which, from his letters and conversa- 
tion, has passed into circulation. But this theory, after full, careful, 
and mature consideration, he finally abandoned in favour of the one he 
now holds, which has since he first formed it received an abundant 
mass of confirmatory support from all kinds of unexpected sources’, 





1 The fresh and charming little book of Professor Rhys, ‘Celtic Britain,’ pub- 
lished by the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge, has even, as we 
are passing through the press, furnished fresh and new arguments to our position. 

For instance, Professor Rhys speaks of the Dog-men, sons and slaves of the Dog, 
an un-Aryan, un-Celtic, un-Teutonic nomenclature, peculiar to the pra-Celtic popu- 
lation of Great Britain, with whom the Northmen came into contact at a time 
when feelings and ideas were strong in the mixed Celtic and half Celticised kingdoms 
of Scotland and Ireland. This phenomenon of nomenclature recalls at once the 
Hundings, Dogsons, of the Helgi Lays—Macbeaths and Maelbeaths, due, we have 
little doubt, to Ivernian influences. 

Again, ‘ond’ is pre-Celtic for stone, In the Helgi Lays one meets with an oath 
sworn at the ‘ Unnar-stein,’ though to swear by a stone is un-Teutonic. Is not the 
word a mere doubling of the Ivernian word, such as there are many instances of 
elsewhere, e, g. the Isle of Sheppey, Bardsey Island, and the like ? 

Further, there are in Ireland and Scotland place-names in Ith, Magh-Ith, the plain 
of Ith, though Ith is not a Celtic vocable, but probably the Ivernian name of a tribal 
and ancestral deity. What if Wolospa’s ‘ Ida-vdllr’ were merely the same word? 

The Brownies and Fairies too of Wolospa, etc., one dwarf actually bearing the Welsh 
name Dwryn, are these not borrowed Celtic or pre-Celtic figures? But we must 
forbear here, confidently leaving the final working out of these questions to our 
learned and ingenious friend, 


AIMS OF THE PRESENT EDITION. CXxiil 


We have now to add in a few words the brief history of these two 
volumes. 

é In June, 1880, the Editor and Translator proposed to the Delegates 
of the Clarendon Press, through the ready and hearty mediation of the 
Dean of Christ Church, who has always shown the warmest interest in 
Northern studies, to edit and translate a Corpus of Old Northern 
Poetry. The Delegates were good enough to accept the proposal, 
and the work was at once begun, some part of the text having been 

already put in order and prepared by the Editor. 

It was at first proposed to include the whole Corpus in one volume, 
but as the work proceeded it became evident that the subject naturally 
fell into two distinct parts, and the separation into two volumes—one 
of Eddic and one of Court-poetry—was decided upon, with the kind 
approval of the Delegates, who have throughout the work given continual 
evidence of their goodwill and indulgence, for which we beg to tender 
them our best thanks, 

As to the several shares of the Editor and Translator in this book, 
what was said in the preface to the Sturlunga Prolegomena need not be 
repeated here, it is sufficient to say that their co-operation in the work, 
extending over nearly three years, has been of a still closer character. 
To enter into fuller detail would be impertinent, ‘nec debet prologus 
enormior esse quam fabula.’ Without more ado, therefore, we bid our 
book good speed. We have bestowed on it no small time and thought, 
but we know full well that it is not the quantity but the quality of the 
labour spent that gives it what value it has, and we are most surely 
aware how hopeless it is to expect any work of this kind to wholly 

: fulfil its designs, aims, or completely.satisfy their ideal. Still, as we 
have done our best, we are content to adopt the words of the sweet 
singer of Germany— 

‘Wenn dirs im kopf und herzen schwirrt 
Was willst du bessres haben: 


Wer nicht mehr Jiebt und nicht mehr irrt, 
Der lasse sich begraben.’ 


4 
: 
| 
I: 


OxrorD, March 1883. 





CXKXiV 


INTRODUCTION. 


FINAL READINGS. 
(See Introduction, p. cxix, 1. 8.) 


VOLUME I. 


Guest’s Wisdom— 
Line 34. enn at vidi vrekask. 
102. skalat maér Onn ala. 
190. ef hann at sumblj sitr. 
303. étr sem solginn sé. 
306. pdtt hann sét veddr til vel. 
Song of Saws— 
24. hvars pi ol drekkr kids-pu per 
igll ok eigin (?). 
46. opt es und hedni vandom hendr 
vaskar (?). 
Lesson of Loddfafui— 
1. Rédomk per Hoddfafnir (?). 
14. annars kvan teygdéo per aldregi. 
58. primr vordom senna: skalattu per 
vid verra mann, 
82. varan bid ek pik vesa, ok eigi 
_ Ore-varan, 
83. vesbu vid Ol varastr ok vid annars 
kvan. 
97. gest pu ne geyja, ne 4 
vrekir. 


grind 


Woden’s Love Lesson— 
17. astar 6sk6p ne einir vitit, 
24. vard-drétt 6 um vakin. 
25. med brennandom lidsom ok med 
bronnom vidi. 
53. at Bélverki beir spurdo ef hann 
veri at bidri(?) kominn. 
63. 61 alda sonom. 
The High One's Lesson— 
4. hlydda-ek & meyja (?) mal. 
14. hveim hann af rétom renn. 
17. 66...eknam... 
24. vord mer af vordi vordéz leitadi. 
50. 1idd ek per pyl es kannat piddans 
barn. 
yo. & rétom ras-vidar. 
77, 78. ef med dldom fara | nid. 
106. telja tiva rok. 
Spell Song— 
4. Hodd-fafnis (?). 
12. ok 4 pvi hveli es snysk und reido 
Vingniss. 





Guest's Wisdom— 
34. many lucky men may be driven 
to the woods, 
102. ‘a man must not nurse envy.” 
190. when he is at a gild-feast. 
303. eat like one starving. 
Song of Saws— 
34. Take angelica and the wheat- 
sprout. 
46. There is often a stout hand 
under a tattered coat. 
Loddfafni’s Lesson— 
1. Hoard-Fafnir [Dragon of the 
Treasure], 
52. mindless fools. 
82. I bid thee be wary and not un- 
wary. 
102, bring down every plague upon 
thy limbs, 
Woden’s Love Lesson— 
17. lest any should get wind of our 
ill-fated love (?). 
1g. I came back again thinking to 
win my will from the maid. 


53. asking for B. if he had got at 
the ale or whether... 

68. Ale is not so good for the sons 
of men as it is said to be. 
A verse from Guest's Wis- 
dom. 

The High One's Lesson— 

17. I got the draft of inspiration, 
then I fell back. 

50. I chaunt thee songs such as no 
king’s son knoweth. 

70. by the roots of ... wood. 

77. An eighth I know if there be 
any quarrel among men. 


106. till the Doom of the Gods. 
Spell Song — 
4. out of the Treasure-Dragon’s 


horn, 

12, and on the wheel that turns 
under Wingni’s car [Thor’s 
goat-cart]. 

14. on Bragi’s [i.e. Woden’s] tongue. 

16. on the Raven’s wings and on 
the Whale’s tail. 








FINAL READINGS. CXXV 


16. 4 Bleings vengjom, ok 4 Bru- 
ungs spordi (?). 
The Old Wolsung Play— 
12, peir es liigask ordom 4. 
16. langar leida simar (?), see |. 258. 
34. morg es pegns pian (?). 
36-40, see p. 470. 
54. orn 4 ask-limom (?). 
80. ... skiarr vid skot. 
108. ok kidsa fra moedrom moégo ? 
109, I10, Nagénglar mégom hygg-ek 
at Nornir sé 
sundr-bornar saman. 
127, es med folkom koemr. 
T9t. kannat bann sia vid svikom, 
201. Morg ero lyda la. 
205. heil nétt med nidom! 
215. ok merkja tysvar Ty. 
224. & léfa skal per rista ok & lido 
spanna. 
229. ok eet, Elld ok Ar, 
258. grimmar simar ganga: af grida 
rofi. 
281. sifjar slitattu, né per til svefniss 
lada. 
292-4. vid heimska hali, 
berjask es betra an bregdask sé 
illom oré-stéiom, 


The Old Lay of Atli— 


4. 4rin-geypom at s. h. A, 
5. drukko bar drétt-megir—ne peir 
dyljendr ugdo— 
I2.... arin-geypan. 
14. hialma goll-hrodna, 
17. Vell lézk ykr ok mundo velja 
v. Gn. 
18, af geiri giallanda ok af gylldom 
sverdom. 
21. héfdi vatt b4 Gunnarr at Hogna 
ok sagdi— 
33- vargs hedni varinn, hygg-ek at 
h. v. b. 


45. geyja man grey-stdd, ef G. ne k. 
62-4. Betr h. pu, brédir, at pu at 
bekkjom fcerir 
med h... drin-geypom, an 
scekja heim Atla, 
setir bu at sumblum, etc, 
81, 87. pa kvad pat Gunnarr Gotna 
drottinn, 
Io7. Rin skal rdda 
skatna, 
Asa slig- gialdi, arfi Hniflunga. 
108, ivellanda vatni lysisk val- -baug- 
ar. 
140. naudig na... om, 


r6g-malmi 





The Old Wolsung Play— 


12. who speak lying words, 

17. long fetters will pain. 

36-40. Call swiftly on thy brother for 
the inheritance and the family 
land [that is thy share], for it 
ill becomes thee to let Fafnir 
keep the whole of the estate, 

54. If thou hear an eagle scream 
from the tree-branch. 

rog. I know that there came to 
children a midwife-Norns of 
very different kindred. 

127. comes into the host. 

132. thou madest a great blast’ and 
didst scream with a cruel heart’ 

191. He[Sigfred]|suspects no treachery. 

201, Manifold are men’s ills! 

205. Hail Night with thy moons, 

215. some on the hilt-band and mark 
T twice, 

22g. and brand them on thine oar, or 
andmark [runes] £Jdand Year. 

258. grim bonds come from broken 
oaths: most wretched is the 
man-sworn, 

281. brides on. the bench, do not 
break the bonds of kindred 
nor bed with them, 


_ 292-4. If thou art in a suit against a 


fool, it is better to fight than 
bandy words with him. 


Old Lay of Attila— 


5. The henchmen were drinking 
wine in the great hall, they 
had no thought of traitors. 

14. gold-decked helms. 

17. He says that he will give you 
the gold, 

18. whistling spears and gilt’ swords. 

21. turned his head to Hagena and 
spake. 

33. wrapt im the wolf’s coat [in a 
piece of wolf hide]. 

45. shall bite... the wolf shall howl. 
64. would, O brother, thou hadst 
stayed at home on thy hearth- 
encompassing’ benches, rather 
than come here to visit ... . 
81-87. Gundhere the lord of the 
Goths, 
107..The Rhine shall possess the 
strife-begetting treasures of the 
heroes, the: Anses’ ransom, the 
heritage of the Hniflungs. 
140. as dainty morsels the horrid 
caygion-feast, 
151. uproar among the women, 


CXXVi 


170. bridir Budla ungar brunno ok 
skiald-meyjar, 
Lay of Hamtheow— 
21. pa es kvisto skedja konor of dag 
varman. 
24. es id Sigroedr rokdosk svefni 
or (?). 
74. Allt es { blaudom hal brautar- 
engi. 
96. beindisk at brudi ungri, bodvad- 
isk at vini. 
102. god-borna guma festa 4 galga. 
Lay of Wafthrudni— 
2. at vitja Vafprudnis vea. 
5. Heima setja ok moenda Herja 
fOdr. 
83. enn af hans heila véro pau en 
hridfelido. 
ey manni sialfan um sia. 
Segdu pat it tolfta allz pu tiva 
Tok, 
Hvat malti Baldri, 4dr 4 bal stigi, 
Svidrir (?) i eyra syni? 
Lay of Grimni— 
22, unnir glymja yfir. 
103. 6fundar ord hann skal ofan bera. 
109. an pat of hyggi hverr ésvidra afa. 
p. 79, 1. 4, add, Nar ok Nainn, Nip- 
ingr, Dainn. 
p- 79, 1.12, add, Billingr, Bruni, Bildr 
ok Buri. 
Lay of Alwise— 
1I. vagna veds em ek 4 vit kominn. 


142. 
164. 


216. 


INTRODUCTION. 


110. kalla Hlid-bang Heljo {. 


King Heidrek’s Riddles— 
79. hvitar vadir ber of vetrom bera: 
€i svartar wu. s. 
108. pd la drykkjar dryn-rann yfir ? 


Lay of Swipday— 
27. varé-lokkor haldi ber & vegom 
dllom. 
34. goervir & gagnvegi (?). 
48. hregg né kuldi megit pino holdi - 
fara. 
56. mals ok mannvitz sé per 4 
minnis byrgi. 
heknir hrafnar skolo per & ham 
galga. 
padan rakomk vind-kalda vego, 
Uréar ordi kvidjar eingi madr. 


227. 


236. 
237: 


Flyting of Loki— 
34. bléndom bl68i { spor. 
. hitt es undr es Ass argr es her 
inn of kominn. 
. sendr at gislingo godom. 
. mergi smezra moeelda-ek pina 
mein-krako, 
pegi pu Byggvir! pu ert Beylo 
verr, 
198-9. pvi at pik 4 hidrvi skolo ens 
hrim-kalda idtuns 
gornom binda burar (?). 
206-7. fra minnis veom minom ok 
munar vOngom 
skolo per z kéld rid koma. 


184. 





170. smoked; the young maidens of 
Budli burnt and the amazons 
within sunk, etc. 


Lay of Hamtheow— 

21. when the women are lopping 
withies on a hot day. 

24. when you and Sigfred awoke 
out of sleep. 

74. There is ill help in a coward’s 
heart. 

123. Lack of wisdom is a sad lack in 

a man. 


Lay of Webstrong— 
83. were all - the stormy clouds 
made. 
142, over the waves; but is never 
seen of men itself. 
216, What didst thou, Woden, whis- 
per in Balder thy son’s ear? 
Lay of Grimni— 
103. he is bound to carry the words 
of mischief down. 


10g. than anyignorant man can know. 
Lay of Allwise— 
11. I am come to fetch Woden’s 
pledge [the Sun goddess= 
Woden’s Eye]. 
10g. Weald-fur. 
King Heidrek’s Riddles— 
79. they wear white raiment. 


Lay of Swipday— 
34. on the straight path [lit. short 
cut]. 
48. may neither sleet nor frost hurt 
thy body. 


53. may the evil night-riding witches 
not come nigh to palsy thee. 
56. given into thy breast. 
227. may the greedy ravens. 
Loki’s Flyting— 
34. blended blood in the foot-print. 
148. T. Frey is, etc. 
184. Be silent, Boor, Beyla’ s husband, 
206. From my heart and breast. 








FINAL READINGS. 


Lay of Skirni— 
17. méd-trega pina hykka-ek sv& 
mikla vesa, 
"39. pursa porp yfir. 
114. vexi per tar med trega. 
129. i 6nd ofan-verda. 
130, tilholtz ek rann: ok til ras-vidar. 
159-60. Ner pu at pingi vilt enom 
proska-mikla. 
nenna Niardar syni. 
Lay of Hoarbeard— 
46. sprakkar atto ver konor, etc. 
55. upp varp-ek augom Olvalda 
sonar. 
94. ek vask austr ok vid ingjona 
doemdak. 
Brudir Bergrisa bardak i Hléss- 
eyjo. 
119. Namk at 4r-ménnom beim enom 
aldroenom. 
The Flyting of Iwar— 
10. Hann vas Hgdr es hreddastr vas 
sa. 
Niord and Skadi— 
5. ulfa pytr bykkjomk illr vesa. 
Helgi and Sigrun, Helgi i— 
19-21. Hrafn kvaddi hrafn—sat 4 
him meidi 
andvanr 4to—ek veit emni nok- 
kur. 
25. drétt pétti dyrr déglingr vesa, 


105. 


CXXVii 


28, ungom foera imon-lauk grami, 
34. almr itr-borinn unnar liéma, 
63. ... or ulf-hedni. 
66. pidd-165 piggja (?), etc. 
74. konung éneisinn sem krako unga, 
89. beit 4 brim skrido, etc. 
92. enn einn konungi at 6drom sagdi. 
103. vig-nistingo 4 Varins-firdi, 
110. sem brim vid bidrg, etc. 
121. Enn peir synir Granmars fra 
Svarins-haugi. 
127. verp...vig-gyrdir... vikingar. 
179-80. Obelise. 
192. skalf mon 4 mari hvars meyjar 
foro. 
281-3. ne man af lidi lofdungs lidma 
bregda, 
renna und visa vig-bler hinig 
goll-bitli vanr, knegat-ek grami 
fagni. 
315-16. mal es mer at rida réda 
brautir, 
lata folvan id fogl-stig troda. 
348. sem ek lofdungi liféom moendak, 
Helgi and Swava, Helgi ii— 
58. po m4 at gddo goerask ef glikt 
? 


64, flagd eitt es Hedin fygjo beiddi. 
Helgi and Cara, Helgi iii— 


6. es-at pat karls ett es at kvernom 
stendr. 





Lay of Skirni— 
39: over Giant-Thorp. 
63. which of the sons of the Elves 
or of the Anses? 
67. I am no son of the Elves nor of 
of the Anses. 
Hoarbeard’s Lay— 
46. ‘Lively wenches they were. 
- 94. in adventure with a lass. 
105. I smote the brides of the giants 
[ogresses]. 
119. I learnt them from the ancestral 
spirits, 
_ 143. thou comest to the land of men. 
Iwar’s Flyting— 
2. the greed of Hell [a boundless 
ambition], 
Helgi and Sigrun— 
20. Somewhat of hopeful tidings I 
know. 
25. The household loved the king. 
28. bearing a fair sword to the young 
prince. 
63. The king called out from under 
his wolf-coat [skin-armour]. 


. bear him home with them that 
night. 
74. no better than a young crow. 
90. Then Helgi asked Hiorlaf, 
92. But one king after another 
answered. 
. they hoisted the wicker shield. 
. as if the surf were breaking 
against the rocks. 
. The sons of Granmar gathered 
at S. 
. The wickings’ ships are bul- 
warked for battle. 
179. and... that ragged hag, Imd’s 
daughter. 
. the horses’ manes fluttered out 
as they passed by. 
for me to ride the road of the 
wind [air] and let my fallow 
steed tread the bird’s path, 
Helgi and Swava— 
33. the curse of the shield. 
Helgi and Cara— 
33. whemI took [or slew] Biorn in 
Woden’s wood. [Lund?] 


315. 


CXXViii 


Helgi and Sigrun— 
.2, Vinna Skuldir sk6pom (?). 
Helgi and Rimegerd— 
75-6, Austr littu nu, Hrimgerdr, enn 
pik Helgi lostna 
hefir hel-stéfom. 
77. ok stiga-ek 4 land af legi. 
Western Wolsung Lay— 
5-10 and 35-38, see p. 494. 
48. par liggr Reginn, redr um svik, 
53. hegndi hénom svik ok, etc, 
87-8, see p. 495. 
Hialmar’s Death Song— 
40. austr vid sker Sota. 
The Waking — 
53- hialmi ok med brynjo fyr Heljar 
durom. 
71. skelfrad meyjo hnegg i mun-tuni. 
10g. sa ber mannz mi6tudr at meini 
verdit ! 
Lay of Wayland— 
3. ber i Sevar-st6d settosk at hvi- 
lask. 
64. Opt-es i holti heyrandi ner. 
66.. Tenn hans man teygijask, etc. 
69. ok setid hénom smidjo i Sevar- 
stod. 
102 [149]. slé hann bridst-kingor... 
140. Gakk pu til smidjo i Sezvar- 
std (?). 
Lay of Thrym— 
14. ok pé selja, at or silfri veri. 
72. pegi pu, porr, vesall peirra orda ! 


INTRODUCTION. 


go. nui foera mer Fr. at k, 
96-7. vas at kveldi bekkr konom 
skipadr, 
ok fyr I6tna 61 innar borit. 
105 [113]. sat in alsnotra ambétt fyr 
svOrom. 
1o7 [r15]. 4t [svaf] eyvit Freyja 
atta néttom, 


' Balder’s Doom— 


26. skirar veigar, ero skapker leyé- 
rod (?). 
50. Ertattu Vegtamr, sonr Valtams. 
The Mill Song— 
21. né hoeggi begn vi hvdsso sverdi, 
66. miskunnlauss, ok at mani hafdar, 
Lay of Biarki— 
20. visi inn vigdiarfi,Vaki B. . . (?). 
Hildibrand’s Lay— 
5. Tveir véro peir Tyrfingar goervir. 
10. ero par taldir tveir tigar ens attas 
17. mitt skaltu verja vadom liki. 
34. Huna kappi fadir HOdbrandz (?). 
The Sibyl’s Prophecy reconstructed, see 
vol. ii, p, 621. 
The Short Sibyl Lay, see vol. ii, p, 629: 
The Sun Song— 
53- Obelise, ‘ Munar-perna .. .’ 
perhaps. 
99. Obelise. 
139-40. hrafnar Heljar peim or héfdi 
slito 
sidnir sarliga. 


167. pet liggja gotor til gods. 





Helgi and Sigrun— 
1, thou hast been an Hild [Eri- 
phyle] to me. 
Helgi and Rimegerd— 
77. and if I step ashore. 
Western Wolsung Lay— 
48. Regin plotting treason. 
53. if he were to punish him for his 
treachery. 
Hialmar’s. Death Song— 
40. in the east at Sote’s reef. 
The Waking— 
53. before the door of Death. 
71. Thy daughter’s heart will never 
quake in her breast, 
109. May this Doomer of men do no 
harm to thee! 
Wayland’s Lay— 
3. at Sea-stead [an island]. 
64. ‘Woods have ears,’ The line is 
misplaced. 
69: and set down his smithy in S, 


Lay of Thrym— 
96. In the evening there was a 
bench set for the ladies, 
Balder’s Doom— 
21. Way-wont... War-wont. 
26, ready brewed, the bright cups 
and the ale-vats scoured, 
50. No Way-wont art thou, son of 
War-wont. 
The Mill Song— 
66. to the merciless king’s house. 
Biarki’s Lay— 
7. nor to woman’s whispers, 
Hildibrand’s Lay— 
10, counted thereon three score and 
twelve men. 
17. wrap my body in mine own 
raiment. 
The Sun Song— 
16, the doomed man’s race. 
53. Probably The Soul flew up. 
99. meal forthem that dwell in hell. 








FINAL READINGS. 


172-3. he bid-ek skilja, es oss skapat 
hefir, 


alla eyméom fra. 
The Christian’s Wisdom— 
20. pvi hinn sagdisk valadr vesa. 
33- aud né heill redr engi madr. 
63. pvi at peir menn hverfa es 
munom fylgja, 
115. allz andvani verdr s& es einskiss 
bidr. 
IIg. ping-logih . 
Lay of Hymi— 
3. hristo teina ok hlaut-spano (?), 
31-33. attnidr Asa! ykkr viljak 
hug-litla tv4 und hvera setja, 
es minn fridill . 
44. sé pu hvera setta und salar gafii, 
47. enn allr i tvau Ass brotnadi, 
77. att-runi iétna uitar foera. 
140, enn hraun-Vali hann alla drap(?), 
147. hverr hann af hraun-bua hand- 
laun um fekk, 
Hyndla’s Lay reconstructed, see vol. ii, 
P. 515. 
Lay of Righ— 
3. ofigan ok aldinn, ok As-kungan. 
23. hérfi sveipdo;_ héto pre. 
61. dukr vas 4 halsi, dalkr vas 4 
6xlom. 
107. keikr vas f. 
Ynglinga-tal—testored text, see vol. ii, 


. ek heitinn vas, 


CXXiX 


. vid inn-drdtt sina. 
34. reidoliga hykk ba or vérro roedi 
eysa. 
56. at hundi elskr Andabr heimsko 
drygir. 
65. med ginandom héféom ok gap- 
andom tinglom. 
82-3. valr la par 4 sandi vigér enom 
ein-eygja. 
Fiorgynjar faém-byggyi . 
Hakonar-mal— 


69. mérg es piddar pidn, 
Arinbiorn Lay— 
47... . ettar skati. 
50. ok var-liigr at Vidriss fulli. 
70-71. auds idgnéttir at cerno driuipa 
sem vatn-foll af vegom dllom. 
92-94. med mal-porns megin-verk- 
om: 


hl68 ek lof-kist pann-es lengi 
stendr 
ébrot-giarn i bragar tuni. 
Sonatorrek—see reconstructed restored 
text, vol. i, p. 544. 
Lay of Gripi— 
188. Giuka arfa 4 grid trudir. 
Long Lay of Brunhild— 
186. hon oss borinn évilja til. 





p. 655. Lamentation of Ordrun— 
Hotere text, see vol. ii, . 63-64. saperet - ++ & skriptom, 
657. “ee 5 eee 2 : 
roo. Hiymr vas at heyra hofgiallanda. 
The pid Song— sy. . 4 
93. ungr leiddisk slisvelli ok inni 122, scerva deili sem sialfri mer. 
at sitja Old Gudrun Lay— 
25. At Hiaskarla reido vilek pik 81. Fiolé fiér at pinn frum-ver 
spyrja... daudéan. 
Lay of Hymi— 93- labour of my speech-peg. 


3. and the blood-spills (?). 

31. Thou child of the Anses, I will 
set both you tremblers under 
the cauldron, etc. 

44. Look where the cauldrons stand 
under the gable, there they 


are, with a pillar before them, 
Lay of Righ— 
23. swaddled it in a cloth and called 
it T. (?) 
The Raven Song— 
65. and gaping beaks, 
Hakonar-mal— 


69. Many are the woes of men. 
Arinbiorn’s Lay— 
50. and mansworn at Woden’s toast. 


Gripi’s Lay— 

187. when thou with all thine heart 
art trusting to thy sworn- 
friendship with the sons of 
Guiki. 

Long Lay of Brunkild— 
24. or else he must die. 
186. ever for evil to us. 
Ordrun’s Lament— 
64. in the bower, she embroidered 
-.. and men on her roll 
how . 
122. I loved the generous hero, 
Old Gudrun Lay— 
23. South"Way [on the Rhine= 
Germany]. 


CXXX INTRODUCTION, 


Ordeal— 123-4. Roa namo riki, reedi skialfa, 
17. Lifa prir einir priggja tega manna. beysto bak-follom, brusto ha- 
Ig, 20. Hnuggin em-ek broedrom ok reidir. 

buri ungom. 179. undorn ok aptan, 6ndurdéa nédtt. 
hnuggin em ek 6. h. ie 
: ztttes— 
ee viene 4 bed. bxdi stigom. No. 1. Skald kalla mik, skip-smid 


Vidurs. 


The Atli Lay— 73. Ey man I, m. a. 1. 


29. Baro miédé meyjar, etc. 





Gudrunar-kvida— Ditties— 
75. a willow shorn of her leaves. 5. They call me Poet, Dwarf’s 
hip-builder. 
Attila Lay— Pi eae eS 


105-106. Transpose — the game is 
‘hurling,’ zof ¢ curling.’ 
235. Here shall lie for ever, etc. 


179. Afternoon and evening till night- 
fall, 


To be added to the Notes. 


It is worth noting that the Romance of Olger the Dane contains several late 
echoes of the old Helgi myth. a. The visit of the fairies by night to the new-born 
child, whose mother, we learn, died at his birth. 6. His childhood at an enemy’s 
court in danger of his life. ¢, His possession of a famous sword, Curtana. d: His 
rescue by a fairy from a terrible storm at sea. e, His return to earth after death or 
disappearance, like Ossian in the later Finn ballads. Mark that Holgi is the true 
old form (cp. Russ. Olga), and the one which should have been used throughout 
this book. Helgi is merely a piece of eleventh-century Icelandic ‘ folk-etymology,’ 
for really Holgi has nothing to do with helgi (holy); its true derivation is unknown. 
The old hero Holgi and the Carling peer Otgeir (Eadgar) are distinct persons con- 
fused by later tradition. 

Helgi i. 127. We adhere to the reading given in p. cxxvii. The sense requires, 
your ships are ready for battle; now the technical word for bulwarking the ships is 
‘viggyrdla’ (Dict. 715 a); the resemblance with vigrodi cannot be accidental; 
further, verpa is not idiomatic for throwing light (for which sla, lidsta are appro- 
priate) ; verpa um is to fence about, for casting a net or fence; so in Vellekla 70 
vorp would mean bulwark. From Merl. ii. 299 we may infer that the text Gunn- 
laug had in hand was the same as our disordered one. 

Christian’s Wisdom, p, 217. The Earth is figured as a ship, see Seneca, Nat. 
Quest. iii, ch. 14—‘ Que sequitur Thaletis inepta sententia est, ait enim terrarum 
orbem aqua sustineri, et vehi more navigii, mobilitateque ejus fluctuare tunc quum 
dicitur tremere.’ 

Long Br. Lay, 1. 103. Metre, grammar, and sense are faulty; the object to 
firrask is missing; we suggest svik: for fiand-gardi (an improbable word) read 
frend-gardi, a word we find in Sonat. 1. 26; see Excursus I to vol. ii, p, 473. Read— 

Kannat hann firrask svik or frend-garéi, 
He (our infant son) will not be able to escape his kinsmen’s treachery. In fact, 
Sigfred’s murder was followed by that of his son, cp. ll. 45, 46, O. G. L. 95. 
1, 113. ‘hans’ cannot carry letter-stress; abelise the line, 





oe a ha AS Oe ee ae 


Tere eee ae 


_ EDDIC POETRY. 











BOOK I. 


OLDEST NORTHERN POETRY. 


THis Book contains the earliest Northern poetry yet surviving, 
mostly if not entirely of the prw-Wicking day, and some of it be- 
longing to a very remote period. 

The Poems are mostly of an ethical character, but among them we 
have the earliest Norse form of several old myths and traditions. 

The metre employed in the first four sections is that used for dia- 
logue (‘mala-hattr’); in the last, the old epic metre (‘ kvido-hattr’). 


SECTION 1 comprises poems of a purely ethic and instructive cha- 
racter, without any mixture of myths or traditions, and preserves the 
best picture of the Northman of the old days. 


SECTION 2 contains fragmentary poems of a half-mythic, half-ethical 
character. " 


SECTION 3 preserves some of the most precious remnants of the old 
spells, liturgical observances, etc., intermingled with myths and tradi- 
tions. 


SECTION 4 contains the oldest version of the Wolsung story—though 
the interest is less historical than didactic. 


SECTION 5 contains the remains of the oldest epic cycles that centred 
in the famous names of Attila, Ermanarik, and Theodrik. 


1. OLD ETHIC POEMS. 


THE GUEST’S WISDOM. 


THIS poem is the first of a series of compositions of an ethica/ nature, 
found mingled together at the beginning of R (leaves 3-7) under the 
general title HavamAl, rightly due to one only among them. 

No restoration of order can be more than approximative. The 
framework, which seems to be the talk on manners and morals of an old 
wayfarer to his host on entering, is very slight and soon dropped. By 
clearing away what were obviously parts of other poems, and setting 
in such array as was possible its scattered limbs, we have done what 
we could for it. The order, or rather disorder, of the verses in R is 
shewn by the figures in brackets. See notes also. 

Two verses we have transposed to the Christian Wise Man’s Song, Book 
iii. § 5. 

Lines 253-54 are cited in Fostbredra Saga as a ditty, and verse 76 
in Edda (Gg) also as a detached stave. Line 1 of verse 39 appears in 
Eyvind the Poet-spoiler’s Lay of Hakon. Saxo, Lib. v, translates verse 74. 
Beyond this all is silence, so that but for R we should never have known 
of the existence of this great collection of antique Wisdom. 

It falls into tavo main divisions: the first (vv. 1-55), consisting. of 
general Reflexions under various heads, the Guest, the Wise, the. 
Fool, etc., or various subjects, Friendship, Trouble, etc.; and the 
latter (56-82), distinguished by the use of ‘skal’ and ‘skyli,’ being a 
series of Ethical Maxims touching various points of behaviour and 
conduct. 

The pithy common sense and truth of this poem and its keen but 
homely observation of human nature are noticeable. 

The ethics are heathen; with no touch of Christianity. Verse 65 is 
the outcome of slighted love and a wounded heart. 


I. (re heilir! Gestr es inn kominn. [2] 
Hvar skal sitja sid? 
miak es bradr sa-es 4 brandom skal 
sins um freista frama. 


2. Eldz es parf peims inn es kominn [3] 5 
ok 4 kné kalinn; 





1-3. HAIL, mine host! a guest is come, where shall he sit? Hot 
haste is his that has to try his luck standing at the gate-post. The 
new-comer with his cold knecs needs a fire. A man that has travelled 


$1] THE GUEST’S WISDOM. 3 


matar ok vada es manni parf 
peim-es hefir um fiall of farit. 
3. Vatz es barf peim-es til verdar keemr, [4] 
perro ok pidd-ladar ; 10 
g6ds um cédiss, ef ser geta metti 
oréz ok endr-pago. 
4. Vitz es barf peim-es vida ratar. [5] 
Delt es heima hvat: 
at auga-bragdi verdr sa-es ekki kann 15 
ok me6d snotrom sitr. 
5. SA einn veit es vida ratar [18] 
ok hefir, fiald um farid, 
hverjo gedi st¥rir gumna hverr, 
sa-es vitandi es vitz. 20 


6. Enn vari gestr es til verdar kcoemr [7] 
punno hliddi pegir; 
eyrom hlydir, enn augom skodar ; 
sv4 nysisk frééra hverr fyrir. 
7. Ko6pir afglapi es til kynniss kcemr, [17] 
pylsk hann um eda prumir; 
allt es senn, ef hann sylg um getr, 
uppi es pa ged guma. 
8. Fréér pykkisk sa-es fldtta tekr [31] 
gestr at gest hedinn; 30 
veita goerla sa-es um verdi glissir 
pdott hann med gramom glami. 
9. Gumnar margir erosk gagn-hollir, [32] 
enn at virdi vrekask: 
aldar-ré6g pat mon « vesa: 35 
cerir gestr vid gest. 


to 
tyr 





oyer the hills needs meat and clothing. He that comes to a meal 
needs water, a towel, a welcome, good fellowship, and a hearing and 
kind answer if he could get it. 

4. A man that travels far needs his wits about him; anything will 
pass at home. He that knows nought makes himself a gazing-stock 
when he sits among wise folk. 

5. A man that has travelled far, and seen many lands, will know the 
ways of every kind of gen, if he have his wits about him. 

6-9. The wary guest who comes to his meal keeps a watchful 
silence; he listens with his ears, and peers about with his eyes; thus 
does every wise man look about him. 

The fool gapes when in company, mutters to himself, sitting stock 
still. But if he get a drink, then immediately his mind is all displayed. 

A guest that mocks his fellow guest is pleased when he drives the 
other away. But he that gabbles over a meal, little knows but that 
his baying will bring his foes upon him. Many mgp, good friends other- 





30. hadinn, false quantity (-v): 34. tekaz, R. 
B 2 


4 OLD ETHIC POEMS. [BK. I. 


ro. Haldit madr 4 keri, drekki pé at héfi miad, [19] 
meeli parft eda pegi ; 
ékynniss bess var pik engi madr 
at pu gangir snemma sofa. 40 
11, Graddogr halr, nema geds viti, [20] 
etr sér aldr-trega; 
opt fer hlégiss, es med horskom koemr, 
manni heimskom magi. 
12. Hiardir pat vito ner per heim skolo, [21] 45 
ok ganga pa af grasi: 
enn ésvidr madr kann evagi 
sins um mal maga. 


13. Hinn es sell, es ser um getr [8] 
lof ok lfkn-stafi: 50 
ddeella es vid pat es maér eiga skal 
annars briédstom f. 
14. Sa es sell, es sialfr um 4 [0] 
lof ok vit medan lifir: 
pviat {ll r46 hefir madr opt pegit 55 
annars briéstom or. 


15. Byréi betri berrat madr brauto at [10] 
an sé manvit mikit ; 
audi betra pikkir pat { é6kunnom ‘stad ; 
slikt es vala6éz vera. 60 
16. Byrdi betri berrat madr brauto at, [11] 
an sé manvit mikit: 
veg-nest verra vegr at hann velli at, 
an sé of-drykkja als. 





wise, will quarrel over a meal; it will ever be a besetting sin for 
guest to wrangle with guest. 

10-12. Let the cup go round, yet drink thy share of mead; speak 
fair or not at all. No one can blame thee for ill-breeding though thou 
go early to sleep. 

A glutton, unless he has his senses about him, eats himself into life- 
long misery. The fool’s belly makes him a laughing-stock in company 
of gentle-folk. 

The flocks know their time of folding, and leave their pasture: but 
a fool never knows the measure of his own belly. 

13-14. Blessed is he who wins a good report and the favour of men: 
for it is hard to win over other men’s hearts. 

Blessed is he who in his life enjoys good report and good advice: for 
many a man has suffered from another’s evil counsel. 

15-16. No man can bear better baggage on his way than wisdom; 
in strange places it is better than wealth. It is the wretched man’s 
comfort. 

No one can bear a better baggage on his way than wisdom; no 
worse wallet can he carry on his way than ale-bibbing. 





40. at sofa, R. 54. vit, vin? 60. From elsewhere ? 


ee a ee 


§1.] THE GUEST’S WISDOM. 5 


17. Fréér s4 pykkisk, es fregna kann, [28] 65 
ok segja it sama: 
Eyvito leyna mego y¥ta soenir 
pvi-es gengr um guma. 
18. Airna meelir, sa-es eva pegir, [29] 
stadlauso stafi: 70 
hradmelt tunga, nema ser haldendr eigi, 
opt ser 6gétt um gelr. 


1g. Af-hvarf mikit es til fllz vinar [34] 
pétt 4 brauto bui: 
enn til g6és vinar liggja gagn-vegir 75 
pdétt hann sé firr farinn. 


20. Bu es betra, pdtt bi-kot sé. [36] 
Halr es heima hverr: 
pdtt tver geitr eigir ok taug-reptan sal, 
pat es pé betra an been. 80 
21. Bu es betra, pdétt bi-kot sé. [37] 
Halr er heima hverr: 
blédogt es hiarta beim-es bidja skal 
ser { mal hvert matar. 
22. Fannka-ek mildan mann eda sv4 matar gédan, [39] 85 
at verit biggja pegit, 
eva sine Gar swiew 2 os et 
at leid sé laun ef pegi. 
23. Mikilsti snemma kom-ek { marga stadi, [66] 
enn til sid { suma: go 
al vas drukkit, sumt vas dlagat. 
Sialdan hittir leidr { 11. 





17. He feels at his ease who can ask and answer. The sons of men 
can keep silence of nothing that passes among men. 

18. He that never is silent talks much folly. A glib tongue, unless 
it be bridled, will often talk a man into trouble. 

1g. It is a far way to an ill friend, even though he live on one’s 
“aaah but to a good friend there is a short cut, even though he live 

ar off. 

20. One’s own home is the best, though it be but a cottage. A man 
is a man in his own house. Though thou hast but two goats and a hut 
of hurdles, yet that is better than begging. 

21. One’s home is the best, though it be but a cottage. A man isa man 
in his own house. His heart bleeds who must beg for every meal. 

22. I never met with a man so open-handed and free with his food 
but that boon was boon to him; nor so [prodigal] as not to look for 
return if he had a chance. 

23. To one man’s house I came much too early, to another’s much 
too late; either the ale was drunk out, or it was unbrewed. An unwel- 
come guest always misses the feast. 





— y rad 
77 and 81. bukot] Bugge, litit, R. 86. ei veri, R. 


6 OLD ETHIC POEMS. [BK. 1, 


24. Her ok hvar myndi mer heim uf bodit 
ef pyrftak at malungi mat, [67] 
eda tvau ler hengi at ins tryggva vinar 95 
pars ek hafda eitt etid. 


25. Ungr vas-ek fordom, fér-ek einn saman, [47] 
pa vard-ek villr vega: 
audigr pdéttomk es ek annan fann. 
Maér es mannz gaman. 100 
26. Mildir, froeknir menn bazt lifa, [48] 
sialdan sut ala, 
enn ésniallr madr uggir hot-vetna. 
Syrgir « gloeger vid giafom. 
27. V&dir minar gaf ek velli at [49| 105 
tveimr tré-mannom ; 
rekkar pat pdéttosk es peir ript hafdo. 
Neiss es noekvidr halr. 
28. Hroernar pall, su-es stendr porpi 4, [50] 
hlyrat henni barkr né barr: 110 
sva-es madr s4, es mangi ann. 
Hvat skal hann lengi lifa? 
29. Snapir ok gnapir, es til sevar keemr, [62] 
ern 4 aldinn mar: 
sva-es madr, es med margom koemr 115 
ok 4 formoelendr fa. 
30. Eldi heitari brennr med fllom vinom [51] 
fridr fimm daga: 
enn pa sloeknar es inn sétti koemr 
ok versnar allr vinskapr. 120 





24. Here and there I should have been bidden had I known where 
to look for my next meal; or if even two hams were hanging at my 
good friend’s for every one I had eaten. 

25. Once I was young, and travelled alone, then I went astray. 
I felt happy when I met a man. Man is man’s comfort. 

26. Open-handed bold-hearted men live most happily, they never 
feel care; but a fool troubles himself about everything. The niggard 
pines for gifts. 

27. I bestowed my raiment on two men of wood in the field; they 
looked gallant when they were dressed. A naked man is bashful. 

28. The young fir in a court withers; neither bark nor shoots 
shelter her. Even so is a man whom nobody loves. Why should he 
live long? 

29. The eagle coming to the sea sniffs and droops her head over 
the ocean: Even so is the man who comes into company having no 
comrades. 

30. Hotter than fire for five days flares friendship between ill 
friends; but when the sixth day comes it is slaked, and all friendli-. 
ness turns sour. 


§1.] THE GUEST’S WISDOM. 7 


31. Brandr af brandi brenn, unz brunninn es; [57] 
funi kveykvisk af funa: 
madr af manni verdr at m4li kuér, 
enn til doélskr af dul. 
32. Sifjom es pa blandit hverr es segja redr [124] 125 
einom allan hug... . 


33. Hugr einn pat veit es byr hiarta ner, [95] 
einn es hann ser um sefa: 
ceng es sdtt verri hveim snotrom manni 
an ser ango at una. 130 


34. Eldr es baztr med ¥ta sonom [68] 
ok sdlar syn, 
heilindi sftt ef madr hafa nair, 
4n vid last at lifa. 


35. Esat madr allz vesall pétt hann sé flla heill: [69] 135 
Sumr es af sonom sell, 
sumr af frendom, sumr af fé cérno, 
sumr af verkom vel. 
36. Betra es lifd6om, an sé dlifdom. [70] 
Ey getr kvikr ku. 14? 


37- Haltr rfér hrossi; hiard rekr handar-vanr, [71] 
daufr vegr ok dugir ; 
blindr es betri an brendr sé. 
Nytr mangi nas. 


38. Sonr es betri, pétt sé sfd of alinn, [72] 145 
eptir genginn guma: 





31. Brand kindles brand till it is burnt out; fire is lit from fire. 
Through speech man draws nearer to man, but becomes wilful in 
proud loneliness. 

32. He that opens all his heart to another mixes blood with him... . 

33. Only one’s own mind knows what lies in one’s heart; a man is 
his own confidant. No sorrow is worse to a man than to be able to 
enjoy nothing. 

34. Fire is the goodliest thing the sons of men can have, and the 
sight of the sun, the enjoyment of good health, and a guileless life. 

35. A man is not utterly wretched though he have ill health; some 
men are blessed with sons, some with kindred, some with wealth, some 
with good deeds. . 

36. Better be quick than dead. A live man may always get a 
COW. oi.’ 

37. The halt may ride a horse; the handless may drive a herd; the 
deaf may fight and do well; better be blind than buried. A corpse is 
good for nought. 

38. A son, though late born after his father’s death, is better than 





> 
139. sé dliféom] Rask, sgl lifdom, R. 


8 OLD ETHIC POEMS. [BK. I. 


sialdan brautar-steinar standa brauto ner, 
nema reisi nidr at nid. 
39. Deyr fé deyja frendr, [76] 
deyr sialfr it sama: . 150 
enn or6z-tirr deyr aldregi 
hveim-es ser gédan getr. 
40. Deyr fé, deyja freendr; [77] 
deyr sialfr it sama: 
ek veit einn at aldri deyr, 155 
démr um daudan hvern. 


7 Bae ; : : ie it 
Esat madr sv4 gdér at galli ne fylgi, 
né sva illr at einogi dugi. 
42. Litilla sanda, litilla seva [53] 160 
litil ero ged guma: 
pvi-at allir menn urdot iafn-spakir. 
Halb es ald hvar. 


43. Veita hinn es vetki veit, [75] 
margr verdr af aurom api: 165 
maér es audigr, annarr daudigr, 
Skylit bann veetki var. 
“Y Wege : ; ; ; : . [yo] 
Eld sa-ek upp brenna audgom manni fyrir, 
enn Uti 14 daudr fyr durom. 170 


45. Allt es betra an sé brigdom at vesa. [124] 
Esa s4 vinr adrom es vilt eitt segir. 





none. Few road-stones stand by the wayside that were not raised by ~ 


son for father. i 

39. Chattels die; kinsmen pass away; one dies oneself: but good 
report never dies from the man that gained it. 

40. Chattels die; kinsmen die; one dies oneself: I know one thing 
that never dies, a dead man’s name [good or bad]. 

41. No man is so good but there is a flaw in him, nor so bad as to be 
good for nothing. 

42. Little are grains of sand; little are drops of water; little are men’s 
minds: for all men were not made wise alike. The average of men is 
but moiety. 

43. He that knows nought else knows this, many are befooled by 
riches. One is wealthy, another needy, never blame a man for 
that... 

44. I saw fire consume the rich man’s dwelling, and himself lying 
dead before his door.... 

45. Anything is better than to be false. He is no friend who only 
speaks to please. 





147. bautarsteinar, R. 165. af aurom] af audrom, R. 167. vetki] 
vitka, R. . 


ty 





EE a we 


§1.] THE GUEST’S WISDOM. 9 


46. bPurra skfda ok pakinna neefra, [60] 
pess kann madr miat, 
pess vidar es vinnask megi 175 
ml ok misseri. 
ae ° : : ‘ : ° 
ordéa peirra es madr adrom segir [65] 
opt hann giald um getr. 


48. Osniallr madr hyggsk mono ey lifa, [16] 
ef hann vid vig varask : 180 
enn elli gefr hanom engi frid 
pdott hanom geirar gefi. 
49. Osvidr madr vakir um allar neetr, [23] 
ok hygegr at hvi-vetna: 
pa es mdéér es at morni kcemr; 185 
allt es vil sem vas. 
50. Osnotr madr hyger ser alla vesa_ [24] 
vid-hlejendr vini: 
hitki hann fidr, pétt peir um hann far lesi 
ef hann med snotrom sitr. 190 
51. Osnotr madr hyggr ser alla vesa [25] 
vid-hlejendr vini: 
pa pat fidr, es at pingi koemr, 
at hann 4 formelendr fa. 
52. Osnotr maédr pykkisk allt vita, [26] 195 
ef hann 4 ser { va vero: 
hitki hann veit, hvat hann skal vid kveda 
ef hans freista firar._ 
53. Osnotr madr, es med aldir kcemr, [27] 
pat es bazt at hann bpegi: 200 
engi pat veit at hann ekki kann, 
nema hann meeli til mart: 





46. Dry logs and bark-flakes, wood to last for all meals and seasons, 
one knows how to husband them. But... [the application is missing]. 

47. ... One often has to pay dear for [idle] words spoken to another. 

48-55. The fool thinks he shall live for ever if he keeps out of 
battle: but old age gives him no quarter, though the spears may. 

A fool is awake all night worrying about everything; when the 
morning comes he is worn out, and all his troubles just as before. 

A fool thinks all that smile on him his friends, not knowing, when 
he is with wise men, what there may be plotting against him. 

A fool thinks all that smile on him his friends; but when he goes into 
court he shall find few advocates, 

A fool thinks he knows everything, if he sits snug in his little corner. 
But he is at loss for words if people put him on his mettle. 

A fool, when he comes among men, ’tis best he hold his peace. No 
one can tell that he knows nothing unless hestalks too much; for a 
fool is a fool still speak he ever so much, 


ice) OLD ETHIC POEMS. [BK. 1. 


veita madr hinn es vetki veit 
zs pott hann meeli til mart. 
54. Osnotr madr, ef eignask getr [79] 205 
fé edr fli6ds munod, 
metnadr h4nom proask, enn manvit aldregi ; 
fram gengr hann dritet { dul. 
55- VWesall madr ok illa skapi [22] 
hler at hvi-vetna: 210 
hitki hann veit, es hann vita pyrfti, 
at hann esa vamma vanr. 


Il. 


56. Pagalt ok hugalt skyli piéddans barn [15] 
ok vig-diarft vesa ; 
glaér ok reifr skyli gumna hverr 215 
unz sinn bfdr bana. 
57- Riki sitt skyli r4d-snotra hverr [64] 
{ héfi hafa: 
pa hann pat finnr, es med froéknom koemr, 
at engi es einna hvataztr. 220 
58. Medal-snotr skyli manna hverr, [54] 
eva til snotr sé: 
peim es fyrda fegrst at lifa 
es vel mart vito. 
59. Medal-snotr skyli manna hverr, [55] 225 
zeva til snotr sé: 
cerlaog sin viti engi madr fyrir, 
peim es sorgalausastr. sevi. 
60. Medal-snotr skyli manna hverr, [56] 
zeva til snotr sé: 230 





A fool if he wins wealth or woman’s love waxes in pride, but not in 
wisdom, and goes on steadily in his own conceit. 

The miserable man whose mind is warped laughs at everything ; 
knowing not what he ought to know, that he has no lack of faults. 


Hi. 


56. A king’s son should be silent and thoughtful, and daring in battle; 
cheery and blithe every one should be till his death-day come. 

57. Every man of foresight should use his power with moderation; 
for he will find when he comes among valiant men that no man is 
peerless. ‘ 

58. Middling wise should every man be, never over-wise. Those who 
know many things fairly lead the happiest life. 

59. Middling wise should every man be, never over-wise. No man 
should know his fate beforehand; so shall he live freest from care. 

60. Middling wise should a man be, never too wise. For a wise 
man’s heart is seldom glad, if its owner be a true sage. 





209, vesall] read Osnotr?— 212. esa] emend. es, R, 





§.1.] THE GUEST’S WISDOM. II 


pvi-at snotrs mannz hiarta verdr sialdan glatt, 
ef sa-es al-snotr es 4. 
61. Heima gladr gumi, ok vid gesti reifr, [103] 
svidr skal um sik vesa; 
minnigr ok malogr, ef hann vill marg-snotr vesa. 235 
Opt skal géds geta. 
Fimbol-fambi heitir sa-es fatt kann segja; 
pat es ésnotrs adal. 


62. Astar firna skyli engi madr [93] 
annan aldregi: 240 
opt fa 4 horskan, es 4 heimskan ne fa, 
lost-fagrir litir. 
63. Eyvitar firna es madr annan skal [04] 
pess-es um margan gengr guma: 
heimska or horskom geerir haléa sono 245 
sa-inn mattki munr. 
64. Fagrt skal mela ok fé bidda [92] 
sa-es vill flidds dst f4; 
liki leyfa ins liédsa mans. 
Sa feer es friar. 250 
65. Meyjar ordom skyli mangi trua, [84] 
né pvi-es kvedr kona: 
pvi-at 4 hverfanda hveli véro peim hiarto skapod, 
brigd { bridést lagid. 
66. Bert ek ni meli, pvi-at ek bedi veitk, [91] 256 
brigér es karla hugr konom; 
pa ver fegrst mzlom es ver flast hyggjom ; 
pat teelir horska hugi. 


67. Vin sfnom skal maér vinr vesa, [42] 
ok gialda giaf vid giaf 260 





61. A man should be merry at home and cheerful with his guests, 
genial, of good manners and ready speech, if he will be held a man of 
parts. A good man is in every one’s mouth. Archdunce is he who 
can speak nought, for that is the mark of a fool. 

62-66. No man should blame another in matters of love; hues 
charmingly fair may move the wise and not the dullard. Never blame 
aman for what is all men’s weakness. Mighty love turns the sons of 
men from wise to fools. 

The man who will win a lady’s grace should speak fair and offer gifts 
and praise the fair maid’s form. He that woos will win. 

No man should trust a maiden’s talk, nor any woman’s word; for 
their hearts were wrought upon a whirling wheel, and falsehood planted 
in their bosoms. 

Now I will make a clean breast of it, for I know quite well that men’s 
mind to women is false; we speak fairest when we mean falsest ; this 
beguiles honest souls. 

67-71. A man should be a friend to his friepd, and pay back gift 
with gift; give back laughter for laughter, and leasing for lies, 


12 OLD ETHIC POEMS. [BK. I. 


hlatr vid hlatri skyli haldar taka, 
enn lausung vid lygi. 
68. Vin sinom skal madr vinr vesa, [43] 
peim ok bess vin: 
enn dévinar sins skyli engi madér, 265 
vinar vinr vesa. 


69. Vapnom ok vadom skolo vinir gledjask, [41] 
pat-es 4 sialfom synst: 
vidr-gefendr ok endr-gefendr erosk lengst vinir, 
ef pat bfér at verda vel. 270 
70. Mikit eitt skala manni gefa. [52] 
Opt kaupir ser f litlo lof: 
med halfom hleif, ok med hallo keri 
fekk-ek mer félaga. 
m1. fae ys tate SOc ae eae 
ey sér til gildiss giaf. [145] 275 


72. Fregna ok segja skal frédra hverr, [63] 
sa-es vill heitinn horskr: 
einn vita, né annarr skal: 
Pidd veit ef prir ro. 


73. Ar skal risa, sa-es 4 yrkendr fA, [so] 280 
ok ganga sins verka 4 vit: 
mart um dvelr pann-es um morgin scefr. 
Halfr es audr und hvatom. 
74. Ar skal risa, sa-es annars vill [58] 
fé edr fiar hafa: 285 
sialdan liggjandi ulfr ler um getr, 


né sofandi madr sigr. 





A man should be a friend to his friend, to himself and his friend; but 
no man should be a friend of his foe’s friend. 

Friends should gladden one another with gifts of weapons and 
raiments, such as may shew about one’s body. ‘ Give’ and ‘give back’ 
make the longest friends, if there be luck withal. Give not overmuch 
at a time; one often buys a friend at little outlay; I got a comrade with 
half a loaf and the last drops of my cup. . . Gift always looks for return. 

72. The wise man, who wishes to be called well bred, must both ask 
and speak:—(The latter part is here wrong. Better, ‘A wise man 
should learn to answer all questions.’) 

Tell one man [thy secret] but not two; what three know all the 
world knows. 

73. He should rise betimes who has few workers and get about his 
work; many hindrances has he who sleeps his mornings away; wakeful 
man’s wealth is half won. 

74. He should rise betimes that would win another’s chattel or life. 
The slumbering wolf seldom gets a joint; nor the sleeping man victory. 





270. Read, at virdi vel? 





§1.] THE GUEST’S WISDOM. 13 


75. Ganga skal, skala gestr vesa [35] 
ze { einom stad: 
liifr verdr leidr, ef lengi sitr 290 
annars fletjom 4. 


76. Vaépnom sinom skala madr velli 4 [38] 
feti ganga framarr: 
pvi-at é6vist es at vita hvar verédr 4 vegom tti 
geirs um parf guma. 295 
77. GéAttir allar, 4dr gangi framm, [1] 
um skodask skyli, 
um skygnask skyli: 
pvi-at évist es at vita hvar évinir sitja 
4 fleti fyrir. 300 


78. Arliga verdar skyli madr opt fa, [33] 
nema til kynniss komi ; 
sitr ok snépir, letr sem solginn sé, 
ok kann fregna at fa. 


79. bveginn ok mettr rfdi madr pingi at, [61] 305 
pétt hann sé veeddr til vel; 
skua ok bréka skammisk engi madér, 
ne hestz in heldr. 


80. At hyggjandi sinni skylit madr hreésinn vesa, [6] 
heldr gztinn at gedi: 310 
pa-es horskr ok pagoll koemr heimis-garda til. 
Sialdan verdr viti vaorom: 
pvi-at é6brigdéra vin feer madr aldregi 
an manvit mikit. 


81. At auga-bragdi skala madr annan hafa, [30] 315 
pott til kynniss komi: 





75. Go on, be not a guest ever in the same house. Welcome be- 
comes Wearisome if he sit too long at another’s table. 

76. A man should not step a foot beyond his weapons, for he can 
never tell where, on his path without, he may need his spear. 

77. A man, ere he goes in, should look to and espy all doorways; for 
he can never know where foes may be sitting in another man’s house. 

78. A man should take his meal betimes, before he goes to his neigh- 
ie _ he will sit and snuffle, like one starving, and have no power 
to talk. 

79. Washed and fed should a man ride to court, though he be not so 
well clad; let none be ashamed of his shoes or breeches, nor of his horse 
though it be but a sorry one. 

80. A man should not boast of his wits, but rather keep watch over 
his mind, when a wise and silent man comes to a house. The wary man 
will seldom slip; for there is no better friend than great common sense. 

81. A man should not make a gazing-stock of another in company ; 





308. pdtt hann hafit gédan, adds R. 


14 OLD ETHIC POEMS. [BK. I, 


margr p4 fréér pykkisk, ef hann freginn esat, 
ok nai hann purr-fjallr pruma. 


82. Fidr sins, es fengit hefir, [40] 
skylit madér pzaorf pola: ; 320 
opt sparir leidom batz hefir lidfom hugat. 
Mart gengr verr an varir. 


SONG OF SAWS. 


Tuts little fragment of sayings, and sundry odds and ends, is only 
found in R, stuck, in three places, into the midst of the ‘ Havamal Col- 
lection.’ The last fragment (ll. 47-50) is from Edda Arn. Magn. 748. 
The figures in brackets mark the strophes of the Codex R. 


T kveldi skal dag leyfa; kono es brend es; [81] 
meeki es reyndr es; mey es gefin es; 
fs es yfir koemr; al es drukkit es. 


[ vindi skal vid hoggva; vedri 4 sid roa; [82] 
myrkri vid man spialla; marg ero dags augo. 5 
4 skip skal skridar orka; enn 4 skiald til hlffar; 
meeki hoeggs; enn mey til kosta. 


Vid eld skal al drekka; enn 4 fsi skrida; [83] 
magran mar kaupa; enn meki saurgan; 
heima hest feita; enn hund 4 bui. 10 


Brestanda boga, brennanda loga, [85] 
ginanda ulfi, galandi krako, 
rytanda svini, rétlausom vidi, 





many a man feels happy when no one asks him questions, and he may 
keep his corner with a dry skin. 

82. A man should not stint himself of money he has made; the 
loathed often get what was meant for the loved. Things often go 
worse than was hoped, 





1-3. PRAISE the day at eventide; a woman at her burying; a blade 
when it is tried; a maid when she is married; ice when crossed; ale 
when drunk. 

4-5. Fell wood in a wind; row out in fair weather; court a maid in 
the dark. Many are the day’s eyes. 

6-7. A ship for speed; a shield for shelter; a sword for a stroke; a 
maid for marriage. 

8-10. Drink ale by the fireside; slide on the ice; buy a lean horse 
and a rusty blade; fatten thy horse at home and thy hound at thine 
house. 

11-24. A creaking bow; a burning low; a gaping wolf; a cough- 
ing crow; a grunting sow; a rootless tree; a waxing wave; a boiling 





7. kosta] emend. ; kossa, R, 


§1.] SONG OF SAWS. 15 


vaxanda vagi, vellanda katli, 

fliiganda fleini, fallandi baro, [86] 15 
fsi ein-nzettom, ormi hring-legnom, 

bridar bed-malom, eda brotno sverdi, 

biarnar leiki, eda barni konungs, [87] 

siikom kalfi, sialf-raéa_preeli, 

valo vil-meli, val ny-feldom, 20 
brédor-bana sfinom pbdétt 4 brauto mcti, [89] 

husi half-brunno, hesti al-skidtom, 

—pba es idr onytr ef einn fétr brotnar— 

—Verdit madr sv4 tryggr at pesso trui oollo. 


Akri 4r-sénom trui engi madr_ [88] 25 
ne til snemma syni: 
vedr re6r akri enn vit syni, 
heett es peirra hvart. 


Sv4 es fridr kvenna peirra-es flatt hyggja, [90] 
sem aki i6 dbryddom 4 {si hdlom, 30 
teitom tve-vetrom, ok sé tamr flla; 
eda { byr 660m beiti stidrn-lauso ; 
eda skyli haltr henda hrein { pé-fialli. 


Hvars pti al drekkr, kids-pi per iardar megin: [137] 
pvi at iwrd tekr vid aldri; enn eldr vid sdéttom; 35 
eik vid abbendi; ax vid fialkyngi; 
haull vid hy-rogi; heiptom skal mana kvedja; 
beiti vid bit-sdttom; enn vid balvi rinar; 

fold skal vid fl66i taka: 





cauldron; a flying shaft; a falling billow; ice one night old; a coiled 
snake; a bride’s bed-talk; a broken sword; a bear’s play, or a king’s 
child ; a sick calf; a self-willed thrail; a sibyl’s fair oracle; a fresh-felled 
corpse, or thy brother’s killer though thou meetest him abroad; a half- 
burned house, or a swift steed; a steed is useless if but one leg is 
broken. Let no man be so confident as to trust in any of these things. 

25-28. Let no man trust an early-sown acre, nor too soon in a son : 

‘weather makes the acre, and wit the son; each of them is slippery 
enough. 

29-33. Ihe love of a woman whose heart is false, is like driving with 
a slip-shod, wild, two-year old, badly broken horse on slippery ice; or 
sailing in a rudderless ship with a gale behind her; or like setting a lame 
man to catch a reindeer on the thawing hill-sides. 

34-39. Wherever thou drinkest ale take earth’s strength [as antidote] : 
for earth acts against ale; and fire against sicknesses; oak against bind- 
ing of the bowels; the corn-ear against witchcraft; spur of rye against 
hernia ;—call on the moon against curses ;—heather against biting sick- 
nesses; runes against charms, Earth drinks up floods. 





> 
37. Read, hyrog vid haullvi? 


16 OLD ETHIC POEMS. [BK. 1. 


Nott verdér feginn sa-es nesti truir. . [74] 40 
Skammar ro skips rér. 
Hverb es haust-grima. 
Fioléd um vidrir 4 fimm dagom, 
enn meira 4 manadi. 
Tveir rot eins herjar. Tunga es hafuds bani. [73] 45 
Es mer { hedin hvern handar veeni. 


Or kattar dyn, ok or kono skeggi, 

or fisks anda, ok or fogla miolk, 

or bergs rétom, ok or biarnar ‘ sinom:’ ; 
or pvf vas hann Gleipnir goerr. 50 


THE LESSON OF LODDFAEFNI. 


FOUND only in R, packed among the other poems of the ‘ Havamal 
Collection.’ The verses of this song are marked by the occurrence of 
the forms ‘thou’ and ‘thee,’ which do not occur in the Guest’s Wis- 
dom, which is of a more reflective and less didactic character even where 
they both travel over the same ground. 

This poem, the second great collection of the Traditional Ethics of 
the old pre-Wicking days, is nowhere quoted. 

The framework or plot of it is slight, but sufficient for the purpose. 
A wise mentor is supposed to be addressing his youthful pupil Loddfafni, 
just as King Lemuel is admonished by his mother, Prov. xxxi. 

The topics treated of are of the usual character in such collections, 
Friendship, self-control, behaviour in company, etc, 


I. RR APOMK per, Loddfafnir, enn pi r46 nemir, [112] 
nidta mundo ef pt nemr, 
per muno g66 ef pu getr: 
Nétt pi rfsat, nema 4 nidsn sér, 
eda pu leitir ber innan ut stadar. 5 
2. Raddomk per, Loddfafnir, enn pi r46 nemir.. .: 
Fial-kunnigri kono skalattu { faédmi sofa, 
sva-at hon lyki pik lidom: 





40-44. He who trusts in his wallet is glad when the night sets in. 
Short are ship’s berths. An autumn night is changeable. The weather 
often changes in five days, but oftener in a month. 

45-46. Two are never on one side. The tongue works death to the 
head. A stout hand is often hid under a shabby cloak. 

47-50. From the tread of the cat, from a woman’s beard, from 
fishes’ breath, and birds’ milk, from a hill’s roots, and a bear’s tail: 
out of all these things Gleipni (the Lithe Shackle) was fashioned. 





1. I COUNSEL thee, Loddfafni; do thou take my counsels; they will 
profit thee if thou take them; and do thee good if thou followest them: 
Rise not at night, save thou be scouting, or go out to cover thy feet. 

2. I counsel thee, etc.: Sleep thou not in a witch’s arms lest she palsy 


§ 1.] THE LESSON OF LODDFAFNI. 17 


hon sv4 geerr, at pu gair eigi 
pings ne piddans mils ; 10 
mat pu villat né mannzkiss gaman, 
gengr pt sorga-fullr at sofa. 
3. Redomk per, Loddfafnir, enn pi r46 nemir.. .: 
Annars kono teygdo per aldregi 
eyra-rtino at. 15 
4. Ra&domk per, Loddfafnir, enn pi r46 nemir.. .: 
A fialli eda firdi ef pik fara tfdir, 
fastu at virdi vel. 
5. Radomk per, Loddfafnir, enn pi r46 nemir.. .: 
llan mann lattu aldregi 20 
éhapp at per vita: 
pvi-at af fllom manni fer pt aldregi 
giald ens géda hugar. 
6. Radomk per, Loddfafnir, enn pu r46 nemir.. .: 
- Veitztu ef pu vin Att, pannz pt vel truir, 25 
farSu at finna opt: 
pvi-at hrfsi vex ok havo grasi 
veer es vetki troedr. 
7. Radomk per, Loddfafnir, enn pti r46 nemir.. .: 
Gédéan mann teygdu per at gaman-rinom, 30 
ok nem Ifknar-galdr medan pu lifir. 
8. Readdomk per, Loddfafnir, enn pi r46 nemir.. .: 
Vin binom ves-pbu aldregi 
fyrri at flaum-slitom : 
sorg etr hiarta ef bi segja ne nair 35 
einhverjom allan hugs 
g. [Reddomk per, Loddfafnir, enn pti r46 nemir.. .: 
Veiztu ef pi vin 4tt pann-es pti vel truir, [44] 
ok vill-bu at hanom gétt geta: 





thy limbs. She will make thee to forget the assembly and the king’s 
business. Thou shalt refuse thy meat, and all pastime of men, and go off 
sorrowful to sleep. 

3. I counsel thee...: Never tempt another man’s wife to be thy mistress. 

4. I counsel thee ...: If thou art minded to travel on fell or firth, 
take good provender with thee. 

5. I counsel thee ...: Never let a bad man know thy mishaps: for of 
a bad man thou shalt never get good reward for thy sincerity. 

6. I counsel thee .. .: Know this, if thou hast a trusty friend, go and 
see him often; because a road which is seldom trod gets choked with 
brambles and high grass. 

7. I counsel thee. ..: Draw a good man to thee for thy good con- 
versation, and learn spells of good favour whilst thou livest. 

8. I counsel thee...: Be not thou the first to break off with thy friend. 
Sorrow will eat thy heart if thou lackest a friend to open thy heart to. 

g. I counsel thee...: If thou hast a friend in whom thou trustest, and 
thou wishest to profit by him, mingle souls with hifi, and exchange gifts 
with him, and go and see him oft. If thou hast another in whom thou 

Cc 


< 
y 


fo 


18 OLD ETHIC POEMS. | [BK. I. 


geOi skalti vid pann blanda ok giofom skipta, 40 
fara at finna opt: 
Ef pi annan 4tt pannz pi fila truir, [45] 
villdu af hanom pé gétt geta: 
fagrt skalti vid bann mela ok flatt hyggja, 
ok gialda lausung vid lygi. 45 
Pat-es enn of pann es pu fila truir [46] 
ok per es grunr at hans gedi: 
hleja skalti vid peim ok um hug mela. 
Glik skolo giald giafom. 
10. Radomk per, Loddfafnir, enn pi r46 nemir.. .: 50 
Oréom skipta pt skalt aldregi 
vid ésvinna apa: 
pvi-at af fllom manni mundo aldrigi 
géds laun um geta; 
enn g6ér maér mun pik goerva mega 55 
lfkn-fastan at lofi. 
11. R#domk per, Loddfafnir, enn pi r48 nemir.. .: 
Primr ordom senna skalattu ber vid verra mann. 
Opt inn betri bilar 
pa es inn verri vegr. 60 
12, R&domk per, Loddfafnir, enn pi r45 nemir.. .: 
Sk6-smiér pt vesit né skepti-smidr, 
nema pt sialfom per sér: 
Skér es skapadr flla, eda skapt sé rangt, 
pa es per bals bedit. 65 
13. Re&ddomk per, Loddfafnir, enn pi r46 nemir.. .: 
Hvars pti bal kannt, kved-pi per balvi mana; 
ok gefat pinom fidndom frid. 
14. Redomk per, Loddfafnir, enn pi r46 nemir.. .: 





trustest not, and yet thou wilt profit by him, thou shalt speak fair to him 
and mean false, and pay him leasing with lies. Farther, smile thou in the 
face of him thou trustest not, and whose faith thou suspectest, and speak 
against thy mind. So shall gift pay back gift. 

10. I counsel thee ...: Never bandy words with mindless apes, for 
thou wilt never get good reward from an ill man’s mouth; but a good 
man will make thee strong in good favour and man’s goodwill. 

11. I counsel thee ...: Do not speak three angry words with a worse 
man; for often the better man falls by the worse man’s sword. 

12. I counsel thee ...: Be thou neither shoe-smith nor shaft-smith 
save for thyself: if the shoe be misshapen or the shaft be wry, thou shalt 
get ill thanks. 

13. I counsel thee ...: Where thou encounterest a curse invoke the 
moon against it, and give no peace to thy enemies. 

14. I counsel thee...: Never rejoice at evil; and be of good con- 
versation. 





52. Read, osvinnz apa? 62. vesit] verir, R. 67. bolvi mina] emend. ; 
kved pu per boglvi at, R. 


§1.] THE LESSON OF LODDFAFNI. 19 


[ilo feginn ves-pu aldregi ; 70 
ok lat per at gd6do getid. 
15. R&domk per, Loddfafnir, enn pi r4d nemir.. .: 
Upp lita skalattu { orrosto: 
—gialti glfkir verda gumna synir— 
sfér pik um heilli halir. 75 
16. R#domk per, Loddféfnir, enn pi r46 nemir.. .: 
Ef pu vill per géda kono kvedja at gaman-rtinom, 
ok f4 feognud af: 
fagro skaldu heita, ok lata fast vesa. 
Leidisk mangi gétt ef getr. 80 
17. Radomk per, Loddfafnir, enn pi r46 nemir.. .: 
Varan bid-ek pik vesa, ok eigi of-varan ; 
ves pti vid %l varastr ok vid annars kono, 
ok-vid pat id pridja at pidfar ne leiki. 
18. Radomk per, Loddfafnir, enn pu r46 nemir.. .: 85 
At hadi né hlatri haf-60 aldregi 
gest né ganganda: 
opt vito égeerla peir-es sitja inni fyrir 
hvers peir ro kyns es koma. 
19. Radomk per, Loddfafnir, enn pi r46 nemir...: 90 
At ha@rom pul hle-pu aldregi. 
Opt es gétt pat-es gamlir kveda: 
Opt or skarpom belg skilin ord koma, 
peim es hangir med ham, 
ok skollir med skraom, 95 
ok vafir med vil-magom. 
20. R#édomk per, Loddfafnir, enn-pi r45 nemir.. .: 
Gest pi ne geyja, né 4 grind hroekir. 
Get pu volodom vel. 





15. I counsel thee ...: Never look up in battle: the sons of men 
vert be turned into swine [panic-stricken]; beware of men spell-binding 
thee. 

16. I counsel thee...: If thou wilt converse with a good woman, 
and take thy pleasure with her, thou shalt promise fair and hold to it. 
No one will turn away from good. 

17. 1 counsel thee...: I bid thee be wary, and yet not over wary; 
be wary with ale and with another’s wife; and thirdly, lest thieves play 
a trick with thee. 

18. I counsel thee . ..: Mock thou not nor laugh at a guest or a way- 
farer, for often no one in the house knows who they may be that come. 

19. I counsel thee ...: Never laugh at a hoary sage: old men’s sayings 
are often good; discreet words often come out of a shrivelled skin, 
hanging among the hides, and dangling among the pelts, and swinging 
among the bondsmen. 

20. I counsel thee...: Never growl at a guest, nor drive him 
from thy gate. Be kind to the poor. There is might in the door 

ae Se 





75+ pik] emend.; it, R. 87. ganganda (— vv). 98. i.e. hrekir. 
C2 


20 MYTHICAL ENSAMPLES. [ BK. I. 


Ramt es pat tré es rida skal 100 
allom at upp-loki: 
baug pa gef, eda pat bidja mun per 
les hvers 4 lido. 
21. Liéda pessa mun-pu, Loddfafnir, [162] 
lengi vanr vesa. 105 
Pé sé per g66 ef pi getr, 
nyt ef pi nemr, 
paorf ef pu piger. 


FRAGMENT OF A LOST LAY. 


From Edda (Gg). It is apparently the beginning to a song like the 
Guest’s Wisdom. Nothing more has been preserved. 


()* stattu fram medan pu fregn! 
Sitja skal sa es segir. 








§2. MYTHICAL ENSAMPLES. 


WODEN’S LOVE-LESSONS. 


ONLY found in R, mixed up with the other poems of the ‘ Havamal 
Collection :’ in which its position is marked by the bracketed figures. It 
is nowhere cited. It seems to be a portion of a greater poem of 
Woden’s adventures, using them as ensamples. 

The first fragment is one of Woden’s love adventures, It is found 
nowhere else, nor is it even alluded to. Its moral is not to trust to 
woman. 

The second is the popular story of how Woden came by the Holy 
Mead, beguiling Suptung and his daughter Gundfled. Snorri tells the 
tale at large in his Edda (Sk), and Eyvind the Poet-spoiler knew the 
same myth. Verse 14 is a reflection of the poet’s own. 

The High One’s Lesson tells another tale, how Woden hangs nine days 
on the gallows-tree, and so learns the spells by which he brings the 
magic drink out of Hell. The author of Volospa and Egil tell how 
Woden pawned one of his eyes to Giant Mimi in the Brook of the Weird- 
sisters for the precious potion, whence it comes that he is one-eyed, 

We have transposed ll. 9-10 from after 1. 14. 





beam, which shall swing for all men’s coming. Set a ring (a handle) 
thereon, or it shall bring down curses on thine every limb. 

21. O Loddfafnir! long shalt thou need these songs; may they be 
good to thee if thou follow them, profitable if thou receive them, — 
gainful if thou trust them! 





STAND thou forth that questionest. He that answers must sit. 


§ 2.] WODEN’S LOVE-LESSONS. 21 


I 


I. ORG es g66 mer, ef gcerva kannar, [102 
M hug-brigd vid hali. i 
b4 ek pat reynda es id r4d-spaka 
teygda-ek 4 flerdir f1i66 ; 
hadungar hverrar leitadi mer id horska man, 5 
ok haféa-ek pess veetki vifs. 


2. bat ek pa reynda, es ek f reyri sat [96] 
ok veettak mfns munar: 
Iarls yndi péttomk ekki vesa 
nema vid pat lik at lifa; 10 
. hold ok hiarta vas mer en horska mer; 
peygi ek hana at heldr hefik. 
3. Billings mey ek fann bedjom 4 [97] 
s6l-hvita sofa : 
4. Auk ner apni skaltu, Odinn, koma, [98] 15 
ef pu vilt ber mzla man; 
allt ero éskap nema einir viti 
slikan last saman. 
5. Aptr ek hvarf, ok unna péttomk [99] 
visom vilja fra; 20 
hitt ek hugda, at ek hafa mynda 
ged hennar allt ok gaman. 
6. Sv4 kom ek nest, at in nyta vas [100] 
vig-drétt all um vakin 
med brennandom liédsom ok bornom vidi; 25 
sv4 varomk vil-stigr of vitadr. 
7. Auk ner morni, es ek vas enn um kominn, [ror] 
pa vas sal-drétt um sofin; 
grey eitt ek pd fann ennar géddo kono 
bundit bedjom 4. 30 





1. MANY a good maid, if thou knowest her well, turns out false to 
aman. I proved that when I tried to lead the wise maiden astray, 
the gentle lady mocked me throughout, I got no favour from her. 

2-7. I proved that when I sat in the rushes, watching for my love; I 
thought there was no happiness for a man but in her sweet body; the 
gentle maid was as my own flesh and blood, yet she was not mine. 1 
found the sun-white Billing’s daughter sleeping in her bed. ‘ Come then, 
Wodin, in the gloaming, if thou wouldest talk with me. It would be 
’ my ruin if any but us two knew of our unlawful love.’ Away I went, 
I was distraught with love; I was sure I should win her whole heart 
and love. But when I came again, all the armed household was awake 
with burning lights and flaming torches; such a woeful walk had I. And 
nigh morning-tide, when I came again, and all the household were asleep, 
then I found the fair lady’s hound tied to her bed. 


9. potti mer, R. 19. Read una? 26. var mer, R. 





22 MYTHICAL ENSAMPLES. [BK. 1. 


it 


8. Enn aldna Iatun ek sétta ; ntiem ek aptr um kominn ; [104] 
fatt gat-ek pegjandi par; 
margom ordom melta-ek { mfnn frama 
{ Suptungs salom. 
9. Gunnlad gifomk gollnom stéli 4 [105] 35 
drykk ins d¥ra miadar ; 
fll idgiald lét-ek hana eptir hafa 
sins ins heila hugar, 
sins ins svdra sefa. 
ro. Rata munn létomk rims of {4 [106] 40 
ok um griét gnaga; 
yfir ok undir st6domk Iatna vegir; 
sva hetta ek hafdi til. 
11. Vél-keyptz litar hefi-ek vel notid. [107] 
Fass es fr6d0m vant: : 45 
pvi-at Odrerir es ni upp um kominn 
4 alda véss iadar. 
12. Ifi eromk 4 at ek vera enn kominn [108] 
Iatna gardom or: 
ef ek Gunnladar ne nytak ennar gddo kono 50 
peirrar-es lagdomk arm yfir. 
13. Ens hindra dags gengo Hrim-pursar [109] 
‘ 


at Balverki beir spurdo, ef hann veri med beondom kominn, 
eda hefdi h4anom Suptungr um soit. 


14. Baug-eid Odinn hygg-ek at unnit hafi. [110] 55 
Hvat skal hans trygdom trua? 





8—r1o. I sought the old Giant,—now I am back. It was not by hold- 
ing my tongue that I won my suit there; many a word I spoke to 
my profit in Suptung’s hall. Gundfled gave me to drink of the pre- 
cious mead in a golden chair; I gave her back evil reward for her true 
heart, and for her steadfast love. I let the point of Rati (the auger) 
make its way gnawing through the rock. Giant causeways were over 
and under me. Thus I risked my head. 

11-12. The fraud-bought mead has profited me well. The wise man 
lacks nought now that Odreari [Inspiration] is come up to the skirts of 
the city of men. 1 doubt whether I-should have come back out of 
Giant-town had I not had the help of Gundfled, that fair lady in whose 
arms I lay. 

13. Next day the Frost-giant came... asking for Balework, if he 
were back among the gods, whether Suptung had sacrificed him. 

14. Wodin, I ween, had taken the oath on the ring; how shall his 





35. gafomk] mer um gaf, R. 47. iadar] iardar, false quantity (— u), R. 
48. eromk] er mer, R. 

* R adds—Hava rads at fregna, Hava hollo i, reminiscence from the High One’s 
Lesson. 


§3.] HAVA-MAL. 23 


Suptung svikinn hann lét sumbli fré, 
enn gretta Gunnlado. 


APPENDIX. 
1g. Ominnis hegri heitir sa-es yfir alérom prumir, [13] 
s& stell gedi guma: 60 


pess fogls fiadrom ek fiatradr vask 
{ gardi Gunnladar. 
16. Olr ek vard, vard-ek ofr-alvi [14] 
at ins fr6da Fialars: 
Sva es aldr of bazt, at aptr um heimtir 65 
hverr sfitt ged gumi. 
17. Esa sva gétt sem gétt kveda [12] 
el alda sona: 
pvi at feera veit es fleira drekkr 
sins til geds gumi. 70 








9. SBR OLD: RIFUAL. 
HAVA-MAL—THE HIGH ONE’S LESSON. 


THIS poem of a mystical and Jiturgic character has come down only 
in R, where it stands at the end of the ‘ Havamal Collection.’ 

It is nowhere cited; but Ari the historian must have known it as 
a separate song, since he paraphrases verses 11, 15, 17, 19 in Ynglinga 
(chs. 2, 6, 7). But along with thesé-he also clearly gives paraphrases 
of verses which are no longer found in our vellum, an evident proof, if 
any were needed, that our copy is but fragmentary. In one verse (19) 
Ari introduces a later western development of this old pre-Wicking 
poem, making Woden give Biannak to his followers, and bless them 
when he sends them into battle, instead of the ‘ undir randir ek gel’ of 
the poem. 

The poet of the Lesson of Fiolswind (Book ii) must also have known 
it. A verse of the old song has even dropped in there. 

The first verse (ll. 1-8) separated from the rest in the vellum, has 
been restored to its place. Line 15 is maimed, though the sense is not 
doubtful. Lines 36 sqq. contain sacrificial terms, belonging to the 





good faith be trusted any more! He betrayed Suptung out of his mead, 
and made Gundfled weep. ; 

15. The heron of forgetfulness hovers over banquets; he steals away 
the minds of men. I was fettered with that bird’s feathers in Gund- 
fled’s mansion. 

16-17. I was drunk, I was over-drunk at the wise Fialar’s [the 
Dwarf]. The only comfort is that a man’s wits (wandering through 
drink) come home again. The ale of the sons of men is not so good 
- it is said to be, for the more a man drinks the less he is master of 

is wits. 


24 THE OLD RITUAL. [px. 1. 


oldest Teutonic ritual, the key to which is now lost. Verse 26 is no 
part of the old poem, but a bit of byplay of the minstrel who sung it. 

The loss of part of the song, and our ignorance of its framework, 
makes the scene and personages a little uncertain; but the speaker is 
probably Woden in the character of a Counsellor or Wise-man, sitting 
in the Wiseman’s seat opposite the King, the High One, and delivering 
his counsel and old instances (forn doemi) according to the duties of his 
office. Such a Counsellor as this appears as a necessary court official 
in all early Teutonic history (the referendarius and the redesmen of our 
old English Kings and perhaps even the medieval fool may be his 
descendants). His right old name is Norse ‘ bulr,’ A.S. ‘ Byle’ He 
is to the Teutonic king as Phoenix was to Achilleus, and always belongs 
to an earlier generation, his advice, like Nestor’s, being drawn both 
from his own experience and from ‘the tradition of the elders.’ 


‘; AL es at pylja pular-stéli 4. [11 
M Uréar brunni at bn] 
sd-ek ok pagdak; sd4-ek ok hugdak ; 
hlydda-ek 4 manna mal: 
Of rinar heyrda-ek déma, né um radom pagédo, 5 
Ha4va-hallo at, 
Hava-haollo i 
heyréa-ek segja sva. 
2. Veit-ek at ek hékk Vinga-meidi 4 [138] 
netr allar nio 10 
geiri undadr, ok gefinn Odni, 
sialfr siaolfom mer, 
4 peim meidi, es mangi veit 
hvers hann af rétom renn. 
3. ‘Vid hleifi mik seldo ne vid hornigi.’ [139] 15 
Nysta-ek nidér, nam-ek upp runar, 
cepandi nam[{k]. Fell ek aptr padan. 


4. Fimbul-li6d nio nam-ek af enom fregja syni [140] 
Balporns, Bestlo fador: 
ok ek drykk of gat ens dra miadar . 20 
ausinn Oéreri. 





1. IT is time to speak from the Wiseman’s chair. At Weird’s Brook, 
I saw and was silent; I saw and took thought; I listened to men’s 
counsels. I heard them consider the mysteries; nor did they leave 
words of forethought unspoken in the High One’s Hall. In the Hall of 
the High One thus I heard spoken :— 


Woden (the High One) speaks: 


2-5. I mind me hanging on the gallows-tree nine whole nights, 
wounded with the spear, offered to Woden, myself to myself; on the 
tree, whose roots no man knoweth. They gave me no loaf; they 
held no horn to me. I peered down, I caught the mysteries up with 





g. Emend., vindga meidi, R; but vinga is attested by Haleygijatal. 15. horni 
gi, R. 19. Thus Edda (Gg); Bolpors, R. 


Pe 





§ 3.] HAVA-MAL. 25 


5. PA nam-ek frevask ok fréér vesa, 
ok vaxa ok vel hafask: 
ord mer af ordi ordz leitadi, 
verk mer af verki verks leitadi. 25 
6. Rtnar munt-pt finna ok r4dna stafi, 
miak stéra stafi, 
miak stinna stafi, 
es f46i Fimbul-pulr, 
ok goerdo Ginn-regin, 30 
ok reist Hroptr Ragna: 
Odinn med Asom, enn fyr Alfom Dainn, 
Dvalinn ok Dvergom fyrir, 
Alsvidr Iatnom fyrir, 
ek reist sialfr sumar. — 35 
7. Veiztu hve rista skal? veiztu hve r4da skal? 
veiztu hve fa skal? veiztu hve freista skal? 
veiztu hve bidja skal? veiztu hve bléta skal? 
veiztu hve senda skal? veiztu hve soa skal? 
8. Betra es éristid, an sé of-ristid ; 40 
betra es 6r4dit, an sé of-rddit ; 
betra es 6fait, an sé of-fait ; 
betra es Ofreistad, an sé of-freistad ; 
betra es 6bedit, an sé of-bedit; 
betra es 6bl6étid, an sé of-blétid ; 45 
betra es dsent, an sé of-sent ; 
betra es dsoit, an sé of-soit,— 
—Sv4 Pundr um reist fyr pidda rak— 





= 


a cry, then I fell back [descended]. I learnt nine songs of might from 
Balethorn’s son, Bestla’s father, and I got the draught of the precious 
mead, blent with Odreari [Inspiration]. Then I became fruitful and 
wise, and waxed great and flourished; word followed fast on word 
with me, and work followed fast on work with me. 

6. Thou shalt discover mysteries and staves to read, most great 
staves, most steadfast staves, which the mighty Wiseman painted and 
the High Gods made and the Counsel of the Powers graved; Woden 
among Anses, Dain among Elves, Dwale among Dwarves, Alwise 
among Giants. I myself graved some. 

7. Knowest thou how to grave? knowest thou how to read? knowest 
thou how to paint? knowest thou how to inquire? knowest thou how 
to play? knowest thou how to sacrifice? knowest thou how to send? 
knowest thou how to offer? 

8. Better is never graved than graved out of measure, etc... . 

Thus Thund [the Great Sage] graved ere the world began. 





31. rogna] false quantity (—w). 
40-47. Thus emendated, R reads— 
betra es obedit an se of blotid, 
ey sér til gildiss giof: 
betra es dsent an se of soit. 


26 THE OLD RITUAL. [BK. 1. 


Par ek upp um reis es ek aptr um kom. 


g. Lidd ek pau kann, es kannat piddans kona, 50 
ok mannzkiss magr:— 
Hialp heitir ez/#/; enn pat per hialpa mun 
vid sakom ok sorgom, ok vid séttom goerv-allom. 
10. Pat kann-ek annat, es purfo yta synir 
peir-es vilja leknar liva :— 55 


11. Pat kann-ek [it] Arzdja:—Ef mer verdr parf mikil 
haptz vid mina heipt-mago: 
eggjar ek deyfi mfnna andskota, 
bitad peim vapn an velir. 
12. Pat kann-ekid fiérda:—Ef mer fyrdar bera 60 
baond at bég-limom: 
sv4 ek gel, at ek ganga m4; 
sprettr mer af fétom fiaotorr, 
enn af handom hapt. 
13. Pat kann-ek id fiméa:—Ef ek sé af fari skotinn 65 
flein { folki vada: 
flygrad hann svd stinnt, at ek stadvigak, 
ef ek hann siédnom of sék. 
14. Pat kann-ek et se#fa:—Ef mik serir begn 
4 rétom ‘ras vidar:’ 70 
ok pann hal, es mik heipta kvedr, 
pann éta mein heldr an mik. 
15. Pat kann-ek it szaunda:—Ef sofandom logar 
salr um sess-magom : 





— 


Now I ascended returning again. 

9. I know songs, such as no King’s daughter, nor son of man knows. 
Help the first is called, it will help thee with all suits and sorrows, and 
all kinds of sickness. . 

ro. A second one I know, which the children of men need who 
wish for healing simples... . 

11. A third one I know: If I am in sore need of bonds for my 
enemies, I can deaden my enemies’ swords, their swords will bite no 
more than staves. 

12. A fourth I know: If my foemen lay bonds on my limbs, I can 
chant myself free; the fetter flies off my feet, and the shackles off 
my hands. 

13. A fifth I know: If I see a shaft shot with deadly aim into the 
ranks; fly it never so fast I can stay it, if my eyes light on it. 

14. A sixth I know: If a man wounds me by spells of a... tree; 
the curse shall bite him that lays the spells upon me rather than me. 

15. A seventh I know: If I see a hall aflame over the sleepers, be 





49. par ek... es ek] emend.; par hann... es hann, R. 53. sdttom] sutom, ~ 


R. 59. an] emend.; ne, R. See Yngl. S. ch. 6. 73. ef sofondom logar 
salr] emend,, suggested by Bugge; ef ek se havan loga sal, R. 








Se ee ee ee en ee se 


§ 3.] HAVA-MAL. 27 


brennrat sv4 breitt, at ek hanom biargigak ; 55 
pann kann-ek galdr at gala. 
16. Pat kann-ek id d//a, es allom es 
nytsamlikt at nema :— 
Hvars hatr vex me6 hildings sonom, 
pat ma ek beéta bratt. 80 
17. Pat kann-ek id méunda:—Ef mik naudr um stendr 
at biarga fari mino 4 floti: 
vind ek kyrri vagi 4, 
ok sveefik allan see. 
18. Pat kann-ek id #wnda:—Ef ek sé tin-ridor 85 
leika lopti 4: 
ek sva vinnk, at beer villar fara 
sinna heim-hama, 
sinna heim-haga. 
19. Pat kann-ek id e/dffa:—Ef ek skal til orrosto 90 
leida lang-vini: 
undir randir ek gel, enn peir me6 rfki fara 
heilir hildar til, 
heilir hildi fra, 
koma peir heilir hvadan. 95 
20. Pat kann-ek id /o/ffa:—Ef ek sé 4 tré uppi 
vafa virgil-na : 
sva4 ek rist, ok { rinom fak, 
at s4 gengr gumi 
ok melir vid mik. 100 
21. Pat kann-ek id Areffénda:—Ef ek skal pegn ungan 
verpa vatni 4: __ 
muna hann falla pétt hann f folk komi; 
hnigra sa halr fyr hiarom. 





the flame ever so broad I can stay it. Such a charm know I how 
to chant. 

16, An eighth I know (most profitable to men): Whereso feud arises 
among princes, I can heal it forthwith. 

17. A ninth I know: If I am in need to save my ship afloat, I still 
the wind on the waves, and lull the whole sea. 

18, The tenth I know: If I see witches [hedge-riders] dancing in 
the air, I prevail so that they go astray and cannot find their own skins 
and their own haunts. 

19. The eleventh I know: If I am to lead my old friends to battle, 
I chant under the shields, so that they go in their might hale to the 
battle, hale from the battle, hale wherever they go. 

20. The twelfth I know: If I see a halter-corpse swinging high on 
the tree, I can so grave and paint in signs, that the man shall come 
down and talk with me. 

21. The thirteenth I know: If I sprinkle water on a young lord, he 
shall never fall though he go to battle, he will be proof against the swords. 





77. es ollom . . . nema is surely a fillgap. . svefic, R, 89. heim- 
haga] emend,; heim huga, R. : “ 


28 THE OLD RITUAL. [BK. I. 


22. Pat kann-ek id fior/énda:—Ef ek skal fyrda lidi 105 
telja tiva fyrir: 
Asa ok Alfa ek kann allra skil; 
far kann 6-snotr sv4. 
23. Pat kann-ek id fimidnda, es 961 Piddreyrir 
dvergr fyr Dellings durom :— I10 
afl g6] hann Asom, en Alfom frama, 
hyggjo Hropta-ty. 
24. Pat kann-ek i6 sexiénda:—Ef ek vilja ins svinna mans 
hafa ged allt ok gaman: 
hugi ek hverfi hv{ft-armri kono, 115 
ok sny-ek hennar allom sefa. 
25. Pat kann-ek id stauéiénda:—At mik mun seint firrask 
eS man-unga man. 


26. Pat kann-ek id d4aénda—es ek eva kennig 
mey né mannz kono, 120 
—Allt es betra es einn um kann— 
Pat fylgir li66a lokom— 
nema peirri einni es mik armi verr, 
eda min systir sé. 


27. Nu ero HAVA-MAL kvedin Hava-hallo {, 125 
all-paorf ¥ta sonom, 
épearf Iatna sonom. 
Heill sa-es kvad! Heill sa-es kann! 
nidéti sa-es nam! 
Heilir peirs hlyddo ! 130 





22. The fourteenth I know: If I am to tell over the tale of the 
gods before the host, I know them all well, both Anses and Elves; few 
dunces know so much as that. 

23. The fifteenth I know: How Great Sage (Thiodrearer) the dwarf 
chanted before Delling’s doors; he chanted strength into the Anses, 
and victory to the Elves, wisdom to the God of Counsel. 

24. The sixteenth I know: If I would win a goodly lady’s whole 
heart and love; I can change the white-armed lady’s heart, and turn all 
her love to me. 

25. The seventeenth I know: That the young maid shall never for- 
sake me.... 

26. The eighteenth I know, which I never will tell, neither to maid 
nor matron,—It is safest to keep one’s own secret. This is the end of 
my Lay—save only to her who lies in my arms, or to my sister. 

27. Now the Lay of the High One has been chanted in the Hall of the 
High One, most profitable to children of men, most unprofitable to the 
sons of the Giants. Hail to him that spoke it! Hail to him that knows 
it! Joy to him that learnt it! Hail to them that have listened to it! 





109. False alliteration. 113. vilja] vil, R. 129. Wrong quantity (-w). 








ee oe 


' 
" ee |) eo 





‘ oo 


§3.] FRAGMENTS OF A SPELL SONG. 29 


AppENDAGE which we do not know where to insert. 


PA es pat reynt.... [80] 
ef bi at rinom spyrr enom regin-kunnom, 
es goerdo ginn-regin, 
ok f4di Fimbul-pulr, 
pa hefir hann bazt ef hann pegir. 5 


FRAGMENTS OF A SPELL SONG. 


PRESERVED as an insertion in the Great Play of the Wolsungs, § 5 
(between vv. 63-64); also inserted into the Wolsung paraphrase, though 
in a very indifferent text (V). It tells of the origin of the Runes, and 
seems to contain another fragment relating to the signs of the Heavens, 
and the mysterious characters which they trace on the black vault of 
a moonless night (a fancy which the Jewish cabalists shared). The 
final words are unmistakably the end of a long poem, but of the frame- 
work of the poem and the name of the speaker we get notrace. The 
metre is mixed, half-didactic, half-epic. 


ABR of réd, per of reist, 
per of hugéi Hroptr, 
af peim legi, es lekit hafdi 
or hausi Heiddraupniss, ok or horni Hoddrofniss. 
A biargi st65 med brimiss eggjar, 5 
hafdi ser 4 hafdi hialm: , 
p4 melti Mims haufud.... 
frddligt, it fyrsta ord 
ok sagdi sanna stafi.— 


A skildi kvad ristnar, peim-es stendr fyrir skinanda godi; 10 
4 eyra Alvakrs, ok 4 Alsvinnz héfi; 

ok 4 pvi hveli es snysk und reid Hrungniss ; 

4 Sleipniss tannom, ok 4 Sleda: fiatrom ; 





Appendage. 
It will be seen whenever thou askest ... of the heavenly mysteries, 
which the High Gods made, and the Great Counsellor painted, he shall 
do best to hold his peace. 





THE Sage read them, graved them, thought them out from the lees 
that had leaked out of Cleardripper’s skull and out of Hodd-rofni’s horn, 

He (Woden?) stood on the cliff, holding a sword, and a helm on his 
head. Then spake Mim’s Head... the first wise word, and told the 
staves true, 

They were engraven on the shield that stands before the shining 
God, on Allwaker’s ear, and Allswift’s hoof, and on the wheel that 
turns under Rungni’s car, on Sleipni’s teeth, and on the sledge-bands, 





* 
Io, godi] thus sing. ? 12, ryngness, R, 


30 OLD HEROIC TEACHING. [ BK. I. 


Biarnar hrammi, ok 4 Braga tungo ; 

Ulfs kl6m, ok 4 Arnar nefi; 15 
bl6égom vengjom, ok 4 Bruar spordi; , 
lausnar léfa; ok 4 Ifknar spori; 

gleri ok 4 golli, ok 4 gumna heillom; 

vini ok { virtri, ok 4 Valo sessi; 

Gungniss oddi, ok 4 Grana bridésti ; 20 
nornar nagli, ok 4 nefi uglo. 


Ov Dv BN Mv Mv Mv Ds an 


Allar voro af skafnar pzr-es véro 4 ristnar, 
ok hverféar vid inn helga miad, 
ok sendar 4 vida vega— 

_Sumar ro med Asom, sumar med Alfom, 25 
sumar med visom Vanom, 
sumar hafa menzkir menn.— 

Pat ero Bék-rinar, pat ero Biarg-rinar, 

ok allar Al-ruinar 
ok meztar Megin-rinar, 30 

hveim-es per kn4 évilltar ok déspilltar 
ser at heillom hafa 
—Nidttu ef pid namt— 
unnz ritfask regin, 








§4. OLD HEROIC TEACHING. 
THE OLD PLAY OF THE WOLSUNGS. 


THIS poem is now found only in R, leaves 28-32, down to 1. 283 
(the great lacuna). The end is supplied by paper copies derived, we 
believe, from lost leaves of a sister MS. AM 748. The authenticity of 
these verses, which has been. attacked, may be proved by the occurrence 
of the dra€ Xeydpevoy, aud-stafir, which we find quoted by Gunnlaug in 
his Merlinus Spa; but even were this testimony lacking we should have 
no reason to suspect their genuine character. 





on the bear’s paw, on Brage’s tongue, on the Wolf’s claw, and the 
Eagle’s beak, on the bloody wings, and the Bridge’s end; on the mid- 
wife’s palm, on the healing foot-print, on men’s amber and gold, on 
talismans, on wine and wort, and the Sibyl’s seat; on Gungni’s point, 
and Grani’s breast; on the Norn’s nail, and the owl’s beak.—All that 
were engraven were scraped off, and mixed with holy mead, and sent 
away on every side. The Anses have some, the Elves have some, some 
the wise Wanes have; mortal men have some.—T here are Beech-runes, 
Help-runes, Love-runes, and great Power-runes, for whomsoever will, 
to have for charms, pure and genuine, till the world falls in ruin. Profit 
by them if thou canst. 





Ig. i] add. V. Volo sessi] V; vilis essi, R. 29. avir-,R. 29-30. (-v). 








§ 4.] THE OLD PLAY OF THE WOLSUNGS. 31 


The Wolsung paraphrast knew this poem and used it in his rough 
way, even inserting verses though in a very corrupt state. Snorri quotes 
v. 30 in Edda (Gg), and paraphrases v. 32. King Swerri cites ll. 83-84, 
and Gunnlaug, as has been noticed, may have had it in its present form. 
We have not been able to trace any other notices of it. The Fiolswind 
poet has also known this lay. 

It is unfortunately in a fragmentary condition, with sad gaps yawn- 
ing here and there across the even path of the story, but the plot and 
sense are nowhere doubtful. Some of these gaps have been filled up 
(by the collector?) by fragments, broken pieces of a later grander and 
more beautiful work on the same subject. Those new pieces bear the 
stamp of the Poet of the Helgi Trilogy. We have carefully gathered 
them up and placed them with the rest of his work in Book iii. 

Lines between verses 63-64, belonging to some old lost poem of a 
magical character, and a few lines probably relating to mythical 
astronomy, have been removed to § 3, under the name of ‘ Fragments 
of a Spell Song’ (see above). 

This old Wolsung Play was evidently written down just at a time when 
the older poetry was dying out of men’s memories, supplanted by a 
newer poetic school: hence, though we have 300 lines remaining, there 
must have perished at least 100 lines, principally in the early or more 
mythological part. 

The poem has hitherto been printed, divided into 3 lays (Sigurdar 
kvida I1, Fafnis-mal, and Sigrdrifu-mAl), but this is not only unwarranted 
by the vellum, where the poem runs straight on without any break or 
big initial letter, but is plainly contrary to its whole plan and spirit. 

It is an encyclopedic work, containing the earliest known version of 
the story of the Wolsungs, in a dramatic form, which is a natural de- 
velopment of those earlier Didactic Dialogues between Teacher and 
Pupil, of which we have already treated. Indeed the poet is continu- 
ally falling back into the traditional form, through the mouths of his 
characters blending his story with old mystic, augurial, half-perished 
tradition, Thus we find Andwari, Hnikar (the wise god Woden in 
disguise), Fafni the giant snake with the prescience of death upon him, 
and Sigrdrifa the mysterious Athene-like Walkyrie, each in turn teach- 
ing their pupils. 

The red thread which runs through the whole, and links the deeds 
of the divine Anses to the exploits of the Hniflung heroes, is the Curse 
that follows the Hoard. 

Rodmar had three sons, Fafni the Serpent, Regin the Dwarf-Smith, 
and Otter. The Anses had the ill luck to slay Otter. The injured 
father compels them to pay him as weregi/d enough gold to cover his 
son’s skin (hung up by the tail so that the nose touches the ground, 
as in the Welsh Laws). Loki borrows Ran’s net, catches the dwarf 
Andwari in a pike’s shape, and gets a great treasure from him. 
But one hair is still bare, though the heaped gold hides the rest. 
Loki therefore robs the poor dwarf of his only remaining ring, with 
which he had hoped to retrieve his losses in time, for it was a magic 
ring which bred gold. Enraged at this merciless treatment Andwari 
laid a curse upon all who should own the ring till it had been eight 
men’s bane. Loki now pays Rodmar, and the curse begins to work. 
Fafni kills his father and takes the hoard off to Glistenheath, cheating 
his weaker brother of his share of the heritage. The Giant-Snake, as 
we gather from vv. 17 sqq. of our lay, could only be slain by one who 
was ‘unborn,’ and Sigfred, Regin’s foster-sén, the Macduff of our 


- «—<«, 


32 OLD HEROIC TEACHING. [BK. 1. 


tale, is employed forthwith to kill Fafni. The talking pies warn 
Sigfred that Regin, now master of the cursed hoard, means to murder 
him, and so defraud him of the reward he had promised him. Sigfred 
thereupon kills Regin, and rides home with the gold. Sigfred’s meeting 
with Sigrdrifa is told. But the part telling of his fate and the end of 
the Curse has been lost. 

Very noteworthy is the subserviency of the real actual historical 
element which is paramount in the mythical tale in its later forms. 
Sigfred’s life here is rather that of Heracles than of Achilleus. In the 
later tales Brynhild replaces Sigrdrifa, and the human passion with 
which her story is filled gives the whole story a fresh colour. 

The characters in the drama as we have it are— 


Act 1. Andwari and Loki. Act. 5. Hnikar (Woden) and Sig- 


5 
5» 2. Loki and Rodmar. fred. 
5, 3+ Rodmar and his daughter ,, 6. Fafni and Sigfred. 
Lyngheid. » 7+ Regin and Sigfred. 
» 4 Lyngheid and Regin her ,, 8. The three talking Pies and 


brother. Sigfred. 
Act 9. Sigrdrifa and Sigfred. 


i 


1. Loki. Ht es pat fiska, es renn fl6di f; 
: kannat ser vid viti varask? 
hafud pitt leystu heljo or, 
finn mer lindar loga. 
2. Andv. Andvari ek heiti; Oinn hét minn fadir, 5 
margan hefi-ek fors um farit: 
aumlig norn skép mer { ardaga 
at ek skylda { vatni vada. 
3. Loki. Segdu pat, Andvari, ef pu eiga vill 
q. lif { lyda salom: 10 
Hver giald fa gumna synir 
ef beir hoeggvask ordom 4? 
4. Andv, Ofr-giald fa gumna synir 
q. peir-es Vadgelmi vada: 
ésadra orda es 4 annan lygr 15 
of-lengi leida limar. 





I. Lok! and ANDWARI.—Loki. WHAT is that fish that swims in the 
stream, and does not know how to keep out of danger? Ransom 
thou thy head from death, give up thy hoard.— Andwari. My name is 
Wideawake, Oin was my father, many a fall have I swum up, An 
evil Norn doomed me long ago to swim in water. 

Loki. Tell me, Andwari, if thou wilt keep thy life on earth, what 
penance awaits the sons of men who revile one another ?—<Andwari. 
Heavy is their penance: They must wade through Whelm-ford. — 
words against another strike deep roots of retribution. 








§ 4.] THE OLD PLAY OF THE WOLSUNGS. 33 


II. 


5. Lok Goll es per nt reitt, enn pu giald hefir 
‘ mikil mins hafuds : 
Syni pinom verdra szla skapud ; 
pat verdér ykkarr beggja bani. 20 
6. Hreid. Giafar pu gaft, gaft-attu dAst-giafar, 
gaft-attu af heilom hug; 
fiorvi yOro skyldot-ér firdir vesa, 
ef ek vissa pat far fyrir. 
7. Loki. Enn es verra—pat vita pikkjomk— 25 
nidja strié um nept: 
iofra é6borna hygg-ek pa enn vesa 
es pat es til hatrs hugad. 
8. Hreid. Raudo golli hygg-ek mik r4éa muno 
sva lengi sem ek lifi: 30 
hét pin hredomk ekki lyf: 
ok haldit heim hedan! 


III, 


9. Hreid. Lyngheidr ok Lofnheidr! vitid mfno lifi farit: 
: Mart es pat-es paorf pidr. 
10. Lyngh. FH mun systir, pdétt fador missi 35 


qg hefna hlyra harms. 
IV, 
11. Lyngh. Brédor kvedja pti skalt blfdliga 
q. arfs ok dra hugar: 
esa pat heeft at pi hiarvi skylir 
kvedja Fafni fiar. 40 





Il. Loki and RoDMAR.—Lof4i. Here is the gold for thee, verily thou 
hast a great ransom for my head. Luck shall not fall to thy son; it shall 
be the death of you both.—Rodm. Thou gavest gifts indeed, and no 
gifts of love, thou gavest not with whole heart. It should cost you 
your lives if I knew this disaster was to come.—Lofi. There is a worse 
still in store, as I know, a deadly feud among thy offspring. They who 
shall be under this curse are still unborn.—Rodm, I shall enjoy the red 
gold as long as I live; I fear nought thy threats. Get ye home. 

III. RoDMAR and LYNGHEID.— Rodmar (deadly wounded, to bis 
daughters). Lyngheid and Lofnheid! Behold, I am dying! Manifold 
are the woes of men.—Lyngheid. How can sisters revenge their father’s 
death on their own brother ! 

IV. LYNGHEID ¢o REGIN (4er brother). Call gently on thy brother for 
inheritance and redress, for it ill beseems thee, at sword’s point to call 
on Fafni for treasures. 





17. reitt, add. Vols. S, 35. fa] far,R. "37. br68or] bruidar, R, 
D 


34 OLD HEROIC TEACHING. [ BK. I. 


V. 
12. St. Segdu mer pat, Hnikarr, allz pu hvd4r-tveggja veizt 
q: goda heill ok guma: 


hver baozt ero, ef berjask skal, 
heill at sverda svipon. 
13. Hn. Marg ero g66, ef gumar vissi, 45 
q. heill at sveréa svipon: 
Dygeva fylgjo hygg-ek ens doekkva vesa 
at hrotta-meidi hrafns. 
14. Pat es annat, ef pi ert it um kominn 
ok ert 4 braut buinn: 50 
Tva pu lIftr 4 tai standa 
hré6r-fisa_hali. 


15. Pat-es id pridja, ef pu pidta heyrir 
ulf und ask-limom: 
heilla audit verér per af hialm-stafom, 55 
ef pu sér pa fyrri fara. 
16. Pat-es far mikit, ef pa fcéti drepr 


pars pt at vigi vedr: 
talar-dfisir standa per 4 tver hlidar 
ok vilja pik saran sia. 60 
17. Kemér ok pveginn skal kcénna hverr, 
ok at morni mettr: 
pvi-at ésynt es hvar at apni koemr. 
[ilt es fyr heill at hrapa. 


VI. 
18. én. Sveinn ok sveinn! hverjom ertu sveinn um borinn? 65 
q: hverra ertu manna magr? 


es pu 4 Faéfni rautt pfinn inn frana meeki. 
Staondomk til hiarta hizorr. 





V. HNIKAR [Woden] and SIGFRED.—Tell me, Nikar, as thou knowest 
the omens of gods and men, what is the best omen in battle whilst the 
swords are sweeping. 

Nikar. Many good omens there are, if men but knew them, while 
the swords are sweeping. It is a good omen for a warrior to be fol- 
lowed by the dark raven. It is another, if thou be without thy house 
ready for thy journey and thou see two proud warriors standing in 
the path. It is a third, if thou hear a wolf howling underneath the 
branches of an ash, then if thou see them going before thee, thou 
wilt gain victory over thy antagonists. It is a most fatal omen if thou 
stumble on thy feet when marching to battle, for Evil Fairies stand on 
either side of thee, wishing to see thee wounded. Combed and washed 
shall every man be, and take his morning meal: for no one knows 
where he may lodge at night. III it is to outrun one’s luck. 

VI. FAFNI and SIGFRED.—Fafni (mortally wounded). Boy, QO boy! 
whose son art thou, and what man’s child art thou that thou hast red- 
dened thy keen brand on Fafni? the sword has struck me to the heart. 





65. sveinnivm, R, 





§ 4.] THE OLD PLAY OF THE WOLSUNGS. 35 


19. Sig. Gafugt dyr ek heiti, en ek gengit hefk 
q. inn mdédor-lausi magr : 7° 
Fador ek 4kka sem fira synir; 
ze geng-ek einn saman. 
20. Féfn. Veiztu, ef fador né attad sem fira synir, 


q: af hverjo vartu undri alinn? 
21. Sig. Atterni mitt kved-ek per ékunnigt vesa 75 
q. ok mik sialfan id sama: 


22, Féfn. Hyerr pik hvatti? Hyi hvetjask lézk 


q: mino fizrvi at fara? 
Inn fran-eygi sveinn, pu Attir faodor bitran. 
bornom ‘sciér asceip.’ 80 
23. Sig. Hugr mik hvatti, hendr mer fullt¥do 
q ok minn inn hvassi hiarr. 


Far es hvatr, es hroerask tekr, 
ef { barncesko es blaudr. 
24. Héfn. Veit-ek, ef pi vaxa nedir fyr pbinna vina bridsti, 85 
q. sei madr pik vreidan vega: 
Nu ertu haptr ok her-numinn. 
J kveda bandingja bifask. 
25. Sig. bvi bregdr pu nu mer, Fafnir, at til fiarri sidk 
q. minom fedr-munom. go 
Eigi em-ek haptr, pétt ek vera her-numi ; 
pu fannt at ek lauss lifi. 
26. Héfn. Heipt-yrdi ein telr pi per f hvi-vetna, 
q: enn ek per Satt eitt segik: 





—Sigfred (the unborn, wants to bide his name). My name is Noble deer; 
I came into the world a motherless child; I had no father like the sons 
of men. I stand alone.—Fa/fni. Tell me if thou hadst no father like the 
sons of men, by what marvel wert thou born? (4ere something is lost)... 
—Sigfred. My race is unknown to thee, I think, and myself also.— 
Fafni. Who egged thee on? why wert thou persuaded to seek my life? 
Thou keen-eyed boy, thou hadst a bitter father. To the unborn... 
—Sigfred. My heart egged me on; my hands helped me, and this my 
sharp sword. An old man is seldom valiant, if he was cowardly in his 
youth.—Fafni. Behold! if thou grow up for the face of thy friends, one 
would see thee fight in wrath; but now thou art in bonds and captive. 
A prisoner’s heart is ever throbbing.—Sigfred. Why blamest thou me, 
because I am far from my father’s care? I am no bondman, though 
I be captive; thou hast felt that my hands were free.—Fafni. Thou 
talkest none but words of hate, though I tell thee but the truth. The 





72. 2) added for sake of the metre. 76. R adds, Sigurér ek heiti, 
Sigmundr hét minn fadir, | es hefk pik vapnom vegit. Sigfred is ‘unborn,’ and 
conceals his name. So these lines must be an interpolation. 80. Thus partly 
emend.; aborno sciér asceip, R, some saying to the effect that only an unborn 
could harm Fafni. 83. hroerask] Sverr. S.; hréedaz, R, 84. ef hann er 
{ bernsku til, Sverr. S, 86. reidan. 88. ¢¢, R. 


D 2 


36 OLD HEROIC TEACHING. [BK. I. 


16 gialla goll, ok id glé6d-rauda fé 95 
3 per verda peir baugar at bana. 
27. Sz. Fé rAéa vill fyréa hverr 
q. e til ins eina dags: 
pvi-at eino sinni skal alda hverr 
fara til Heljar hedan. 100 
28. Féfn. Norna d6ém pti munt fyr nesjom hafa 


q ok ésvinnz apa: 
f vatni pti druknar, ef { vindi reér. 
Allt es feigs forad. 
2g. Sig. Segdu mer, Fafnir, allz pik frédéan kveda, 1058 
q. ok vel mart vita: 


Hverjar ro per Nornir, es naud-ganglar ro 
ok kiésa mcéér fra magom? 
30. dfn. Sundr-bornar miak hygg-ek at Nornir sé; 
q. eigod ber ett saman: 110 
Sumar ro As-kungar; sumar Alf-kungar ; 
sumar doetr Dvalins. 
31. Sz. Segdu mér pat, Fafnir, allz pik frédan kveda, 
q. ok vel mart vita: 
Hve sa holmr heitir, es blanda hiar-legi 115 
.. Surtr ok AMsir saman? 
32. dfn. Osképnir hann heitir; enn par all skolo 
q: geirom leika god; 
Bilraost brotnar es peir 4 brt fara 
ok svima { mééo marar. 120 
33. Aigis-hialm bar-ek um alda sonom 
medan ek um menjom lag: 





ringing gold, and the fire-red hoard; these rings shall be thy death !— 
Sigfred. Every one longs to enjoy his riches to his last day; because 
every one must needs sometime go hence to Hell.—Fafni. The doom 
of the Norns [death] will overtake thee off the (zearest) headlands... 
Thou shalt drown in the water if thou rowest in a gale. The doomed 
man’s death lies everywhere. 

Wisboms.—Sigfred. Tell me, Fafni, since they call thee wise and of 
great knowledge—Who are the Norns, the midwives of mankind, who 
chose the child from the mother’s womb ?—Fafni. The Norns are of 
most sundry races, they have no common kin; some are of Anse-race, 
some of Elve-race, some Dwale’s (Dwarf’s) daughters. 

Sigfred. Tell me, Fafni, etc.: What is that holm called, where Swart 
and the Anses shall mingle blood together ?—Fafni. Unshapen is the 
name of the reef, where all the gods shall hold a lance play. Bilrost 
[Rainbow] shall break as they pass over the bridge, and swim their 
steeds through the waters. 

_ Fafni. I carried the helm of terror over the sons of men, when I lay 
on the Hoard. I thought myself stronger than all beside, finding none 





97. vill] svill,R. 101, Thus, not ‘neisom,’ R, 11g. bru] Bugge; 
brot, R. 120. marir, R, . 








tates pote agi cack 


Se haatln va cae 


§ 4.] THE OLD PLAY OF THE WOLSUNGS, 37 


einn rammari hugdomk allom vesa, 
fannka-ek sva4 marga mago. 
34. Szg. Adgis-hialmr bergr einungi 125 
‘ hvars skolo vreidir vega: 
p4 pat finnr es med fleirom kcemr 
at engi es einna hvatastr. 
35. dfn. Eitri ek fnesta es ek 4 arfi 14 
q: miklum mins fador. 130 


36. Sz. Inn frani Ormr! pu gcerdir frees mfkla 
q: ok galzt hardan hug; 
heipt at meiri verér haléda sonom 
at pann hialm hafi. 
37. Ldn, Reed-ek per nu, Sigroedr, enn pi rad nemir, 135 
q. ok rié heim hedan: 
It gialla goll, ok it gléd-rauda fé, 
per verda peir baugar at bana. 
38. Sig. RAd es mer rAdit, enn ek rida mun 
q: til bess gollz es { lyngvi liggr: 140 
Enn pu, Fafnir, ligg { fiaor-brotom 
par-es pik Hel hafi! 
39. dfn. Reginn mik ré5; hann pik r4da mun; 
q. hann mun okr verda b&dom at bana. 
Fiwr sitt lata hygg-ek at Fafnir myni. 145 
Pitt vard nui meira megin. 


VII. 


40. Reg. Heill pi nu, Sigrcedr, nt hefir pi sigr um vegit, 
q. ok Faéfni um farid: 
manna peirra es mold troda 
pik kveé-ek dblaudastan alinn. 150 





my peer.—Sigfred. The helm of terror is of little help in deadly fray. 
A man soon finds, when he comes among others, that no one is peerless. 
—Fafni. I spouted venom when | lay on the great hoards of my father. .. . 
—Sigfred. Thou fierce Dragon, thou madest a great blast, and a hard 
heart. All the greater the hate will be among the sons of men, if 
they have that helm.—Fa/fni. I counsel thee, Sigfred, do thou take my 
counsel; ride straight home. The ringing gold, and the fire-red hoard ; 
these rings shall be thy death!—Sig/red. I have heard thy counsel, yet 
I shall ride towards the gold that lies on the heath. But thou, Fafni, 
lie there in thy death throes till Hell take thee !—Fafni. (Beware) Regin 
betrayed me; so he will thee; he will be the death of us both. Now, 
Fafni, I shall yield my life. Thy strength hath prevailed. (Fafni dies, 
Regin comes in.) 

VII. REGIN and SIGFRED.—Regin. Hail, Sigfred! thou hast won the 





123. hugdame, R. 124. sva] add. Bugge. 125. Bugge; einugi, R. 
126. reidir, R. 131. frani] rammi, R. 13% gatzt, R. 135. Sigurdr, 
R (here and elsewhere). 139. mer] per, R, 


38 OLD HEROIC TEACHING. [BK. 1. 


41. Sig. Pat-es dévist at vita, pa-es komom allir saman 
g. : sig-tiva synir, 
hverr 6blaudastr es alinn: 
margr es sa hvatr es hiar ne rydr 


annars bridstom f. 155 
42. Reg. Gladr ertu nu, Sigreedr, ok gagni feginn, 
q. es pti perrir Gram 4 grasi; 


brééor minn hefir pi: benjadan ; 
ok veld-ek p6 sialfr sumo. 
43. Sig. bvi pai rétt es ek rida skyldak | 160 
q. heilag fizoll hinig: 
fé ok fiarvi rédi s4 inn frani ormr, 
nema pu frydir mér hvatz hugar. 
44. Reg. Sittu nu, Sigroedr, enn ek mun sofa ganga, 
q- ok halt Fafniss hiarta vid funa; 165 
eiskald ek vil etinn lata 
eptir penna dreyra drykk. 
45. Sig. Fiarri pi gekt medans ek 4 Féfni raudk 
q: mfinn inn hvassa hizor; 
afli mfno atta-ek vid orms megin | 170 
medan pti f lyngvi Jatt. 
46. Reg. Lengi liggja létir pu lyngvi f 


q. pann inn aldna iatun: 
ef pti sverdz ne nytir pess-es ek sialfr goerda, 
ok mins ins hvassa hioors. 175 
47. Sztg. Hugr es betri an sé hiars megin 
q. hvars vreidir skolo vega: 


pvi-at hvatan mann ek s4 harliga vega 
me6 slzevo sverdi sigr. 





victory, and slain Fafni. Of all men who tread the earth, verily thou 
art the bravest born.—Sigfred. It cannot be known, when the Sons 
of the Blessed Gods meet all together, who is the bravest born. There 
is many a bold man who has never reddened his sword in another’s 
breast.—Regin. Thou art glad, Sigfred, and rejoicest in thy victory, 
now thou wipest Gram [thy sword] in the grass. Thou hast given 
my brother his death-wound; though I myself took share therein.— 
Sig fred. It was thou who madest me to ride hither over the holy hills; 
the fierce Dragon would still be enjoying his life and hoard, hadst thou 
not challenged my courage.—Regin. Sit down, Sigfred, and roast Fafni’s 
heart at the fire whilst I go to sleep. I will take a morsel of the 
heart after this draught of blood.—Sigfred. Thou stoodest aloof, when 
I reddened my sharp sword on Fafni. I matched my strength against 
the Dragon’s might, whilst thou wast hiding in the heath.—Regin. Long 
indeed might the Dragon, that old Giant, have lain on the heath, if thou 
hadst not the help of the sword that I made thee, this sharp brand of 
mine.—Sigfred. Courage is better than a good brand, when the wroth 





154. rydr] Rask; ryfr, R. 168. medan, R. 173. pann lyngvi i inn 
ac 45 KR, 175. mins] pins, R. =~ 177. reidir, R. 178. si] se, R, 





4 
4 





§4.] | THE OLD PLAY OF THE WOLSUNGS. 39 


48. Hvatom es betra an sé éhvatom 180 
{ hildi-leik hafask : 
gladom es betra, an sé glipnanda, 
hvat sem at hendi koemr. 


VIII. 
49. 1st Hafdi skemra l4ti hann inn hara pul 
Igda. fara til Heljar hedan; 185 


g. ello golli pa kn4 hann einn rada 
; fiold pvi-es und Fafni 14. 
50. 2nd Miak es ésvidr ef hann enn sparir 
Igda. fidnda inn folk-sk4, 
g.  par-es Reginn liggr es hann radinn hefir ; 190 
kannat hann vid slfko at sia. 
51. 37d Hoafdi skemra lati hann bann inn hrim-kalda iatun 


Igda. ok af baugom bua; 
g. p& mun hann fidr pess es Faéfnir ré6 
ein-valdi vesa. 195 
52. Sig. Verda sv4 rik skap at Reginn skyli 
q: mitt ban-ord bera: 


pvi-at beir badir broédr skolo brdlliga 
fara til Heljar hedan. 


IX. 
53. Stgrd. Lengi ek svaf, lengi ek sofnod vask ; 200 
q. lang ero l¥da le. 





meet in fray, for I have seen a brave man win the day with a blunt 
sword, The brave fares better than the coward in the game of war; 
the cheery man fares better than the whiner, whatever betide him. 


VIII. The THREE TALKING PIES and SIGFRED (Sigfred is sitting beside 
the sleeping Regin, roasting the dead Fafni’s heart at the fire. The birds 
speak from the tree above him). 


First Pie. Let him send the hoary Counsellor quick to Hell, shorter 
“ the head, then all the gold shall be his, all the hoard that Fafni 
ay on. 

Second Pie. He is right foolish if he spare any longer his dangerous 
foe. Lo! where Regin lies, who has plotted his death. He [Sigfred] 
cannot guard against it. 

Third Pie. Let him shorten the rime-cold Giant by the head, and 
enter into his hoard; then he will be sole owner of all the riches 
Fafni had. 

Sigfred (who, having tasted the heart, understands the birds’ talk), The 
Fates shall not fall so ill, that Regin shall sentence me to death; for 
both the brothers shall quickly go hence to Hell. 


IX. SIGRDRIFA and SIGFRED.—Sigrd. (awakening from the enchanted 





196. verda] thus R =verda-a. * 200. vas, R. 


40 OLD HEROIC TEACHING. [BK. I. 


Odinn pvi veldr es ek eigi mattak 
bregda blund-stafom. 
54. Heill Dagr! MHeilir Dags synir! 
heil Nétt ok Nipt! 205 
évreidom augom litid okr pinig, 
ok gefit sitjandom sigr. 
55. Heilir Asir! Heilar Asynjor, 
ok sid in fial-nyta Fold! 
Mal ok man-vit gefit okr mzrom tveim, 210 
ok leknis-hendr medan lifom ! 


56. Sig-runar skalti kunna, ef pu vilt sigr hafa, 
ok rista 4 hialti hizors; 
sumar 4 vett-rimom; sumar 4 val-bastom ; 
ok nefna tysvar TY. 215 
ve Al-riinar skaltti kunna, ef pd vill annars kvzen 
vélit pik f trygé ef pu trdir: 
4 horni skal ber rista ok 4 handar-baki; 
ok merkja 4 nagli Naud: 
58. : é ; : : ‘ . 
Full skal signa, ok vid fari sia, 220 
ok verpa lauki f lag. 
59. Biarg-runar skalti kunna, ef pu biarga vilt 
ok leysa kind fra konom: 
4 léfa skal peer rista, ok of lido spenna; 
ok bidja p4 Disir duga. 225 





sleep). Long have I slept, long have I slumbered; the spells bind men 
long. Woden wrought this, that I could not break from the rods of 
sleep. Hail Day! hail Day’s sons! Hail Night and her sister [Earth]! 
Look with gracious eyes upon us, and bless us both as we sit here. 
Hail Anses! hail Goddesses! and hail mother Earth! Give to us, two 
goodly lovers, counsels and wisdom; and healing hands as long as we 
live! 


THE CHARMS OF SIGRDRIFA, which she spake to Sigfred— Runes of 
Victory thou must know, if thou wilt have victory; and thou shalt 
grave them on thy sword-hilt ; some on the rims, some on the carnage- 
brands, and twice name Ty. 

Runes of Love thou must know, if thou wilt not have another’s 
wife in whom thou trustest betray thy trust. Cut them on the horn, 
and on the back of the hand, and mark Need on thy nail. 

[Runes of Ale thou must know . .|° Cross thy cup against ill; 
and throw leak into the liquor, [then I know that thy mead will never 
be poisoned. | 

Runes of Help thou must know, if thou wilt help to deliver a 
woman of a child. Grave them on the palm of the hand, and clasp it 
on the wrist, and cry upon the Fairies for help. 





216. i.e. Love-runes. 219. Two lines of ale-runes wanting. 221. pa 
ek pat veit at per verdr aldri| mein-blandinn midér, add. Vols. S. 








ce ee 


wick 


AOS ir ae tlety aly the. eae Sota Ne 


Bee SA i eee 








§ 4.] THE OLD PLAY OF THE WOLSUNGS. 41 


60. Brim-runar skaltt rista, ef pu vilt borgit hafa 
4 sundi segl-mzarom ; 
4 stafni skal peer rfista ok 4 stidrnar-bladi: 
ok merkja Eld f 4r: 
esa sv4 brattr brekr, né sv4 blar unnir, 230 
p6 kcemztt heill af hafi. 
61. Lim-runar skaltt kunna, ef pu vilt leknir vesa, 
ok kunna sar at sia: 
4 berki skal per rfista, ok 4 badmi vidar 
peim-es Itita austr limar. 235 
62. Mal-runar skalti kunna, ef pu vilt at manngi per 
heiptom gialdi harm: 
per um vindr; ber um vefr, 
peer um setr allar saman 
4 pvi pingi es piddir skolo 240 
{ fulla déma fara. 
63. Hug-runar skaltti kunna, ef pu vilt hverjom vesa 
ged-svinnari guma ;— 


64. Nu skalti kidésa, allz per es kostr um bodinn, 
hvassa vapna hlynr! 245 
sogn eda pagn hafdu per sialfr { hug; 
all ero mein of metin. ~ 
65. Szg. . Munka-ek flcéja, pdétt mik feigjan vitir ; 
; emka-ek med bleydi borinn; 
Ast-rod pin ek vil all hafa 250 
sva lengi sem ek lifi. 
66. Szerd. Pat red ek per id /prsfa: At pu vid frendr pina 
q. vamma-laust vesir ; 





Runes of Sea shalt thou grave, if thou wilt save the sailsteeds 
afloat. Grave them on the bow and on the rudder-blade, and mark 
Eld [Rune] on thy oar. Be the wave ever so steep, or the billows 
never so black, thou shalt come safe from the deep. 

Runes of Branches thou must know, if thou wilt be a leech, and 
learn to search a wound. Thou shalt grave them on the bark, and on 
the stock of a tree whose branches lean eastwards. 

Runes of Speech thou must know, if thou wilt that no one may 
harm thee in a feud. Wind them; weave them; put them all together 
at the husting when the assembly is going into full court. 

Runes of Mind thou shalt know if thou wilt be wiser than. all 
ther men. 

* * * * * * * * 

Sigrdrifa. Now, my hero, as thou hast the choice, choose either 
silence or speech. All evils are meted out [predestined].—Sig/red. I 
will not flinch, yea, though I know I am a doomed man, I was not born 
a coward ; I will cherish all thy loving counsels as long as [ live. 

SIGRDRIFA’S COUNSELS,—Sigrdrifa. I counsel thee frrst/y: Avoid thou 





229. merkja] emend.; leggja, R. 234. badgpi] barri, Vols. S. 248. 
feigan, R. 


42 OLD HEROIC TEACHING. [Bx. 1. 


sfér pu hefnir, pétt peir sakar goeri; 
pat kveda daudom duga. 255 
67. Pat red ek per annat: At pt eid ne sverir 
nema pann-es sadr sé: 
grimmar limar ganga at trygd-rofi. 
Armr es vara vargr. 
68. Pat red ek per it Arivja: At pti pingi 4 260 
deilit vid heimska hali: 
pvi-at ésvidr madr letr opt kvedin 
verri ord an viti: 
Allt es vant,—ef pt vid pbegir 
pa pikkir pi med bleydi borinn, 265 
eda saonno sagor; 
—Hettr es heimis-kvidr 
nema ser gédan geti:— 
annars dags latti hans ando farit, 
ok launa sv4 l¥dom lygi. 270 
60. Pat red ek per it fiérda: Ef byr fordeda 
vamma-full 4 vegi: 
ganga es betra an gista sé, 
pott pik nétt um nemi. 
70. Fornidésnar-augo purfo fira synir, 275 
hvars skolo vreidir vega: 
opt bal-visar konor standa brauto neer 
pzer-es deyfa sverd ok sefa. 
v1. Pat red ek per it fimfa: Pédtti fagrar sér 
bridir bekkjom 4: 280 
sifja-silfr l4ta-pu pfnom svefni r4da ; 
teygjattu ber at kossi konor. 








offence towards thy kinsmen ; even if they harm thee, revenge it not. 
It will do thee good when thou art dead. 

I counsel thee secondly: Swear no oath, except it be true. Perjury 
strikes fearful roots. Most wretched is the truce-breaker. 

I counsel thee thirdly: Do not plead in court against an ignorant 
man: for a fool may drop worse words than he knows of. Thou hast 
no choice: if thou holdest thy peace thou art either held a coward, or 
his words are held to be true.—The home verdict is a parlous matter, 
unless it be good;—slay him the next day, and thus requite people for 
their lie. . 

I counsel thee fourthly: If a witch full of evil be in thy way, better go 
on than sleep there, though the night overtake thee. The sons of men 
need an eye of foresight, wherever the fray rages, for balewise women 
(evil Fairies) often stand near the way, blunting swords and mind. 

I counsel thee ffthly: Though thou seest fair brides on the bench, 
let them not hinder thy sleep. Do not allure women to kisses. 





258. limar] simar, R (cp. 1. 16). 276. reidir, R. 281. Read, 
sifjar silfrs? 





‘ ‘ 
Se a een eee One ene 











§ 4.] THE OLD PLAY OF THE WOLSUNGS. 43 


72. Pat red ek per it sé/a: Pétt med seggjom fari 
aoldor-mal til afug : 
drukkna deila skalattu vid dolg-vidu. 285 
Margan stelr vin viti. 
¥3. Sennor ok al hefir seggjom vesit 


margom at m66-trega; 
sumom at bana, sumom at bal-stafom. 
Fiald es pat-es tregr fira. 290 
74. Pat red ek per it stawnda: Ef pt sakar deilir 
vid hug-fulla hali: 
berjask es betra an brenna sé 
inni aud-stafom. 
"5. Pat reed ek per it d//a: At pti skalt vid fllo sid, —a95 
ok fordask flzrdar-stafi; 
mey pt teygjat né mannz kono, 
né eggja of-gamans. 
76. Pat red-ek ber it mzwnda: At pi nom biargir 
hvars pti 4 foldo finnr: 300 
hv4rtz ero sétt-daudir, eda ero se-daudir, 
eda ero vapn-daudir verar. 
Laug skal goera beim-es lidnir ero, 
pv4 hendr ok hafud; 
kemba ok perra 4ér f{ kisto fari, 305 
ok bidja scétan sofa. 
VE Pat red-ek per id “unda: At pd truir aldregi 
vérom varg-dropa 
hverstu ert brdédor-bani 
eér hafir pi feldan fador : 310 





I counsel thee szxth/y: Though there be high words bandied at the 
banquet, never quarrel with drunken men: wine is a great wit-stealer. 
Revellings and ale have often brought men grief of heart, death to some, 
to some curses. Manifold are the evils of men. 

I counsel thee seventhly: If thou hast to fight out a quarrel with 
dauntless men, better to fight than be burnt in the house. 

I counsel thee eighthly: Beware of evil, and avoid staves of false- 
hood. Betray no maid nor man’s wife, nor lead them to shame. 

I counsel thee ninth/y: Care thou for corses, wherever on earth thou 
findest them, be they sick-dead, or sea-dead, or weapon-dead. Make a 
bath for the departed man; wash his hands and head; comb him and 
dry him, ere he be put in coffin; and bid him sleep sweetly. 

I counsel thee ¢enth/y: Trust thou never the oath of an outlaw’s son, 
if thou hast slain his brother, or felled his father. There is a wolf 





283. fari] here falls in the great lacuna in R, the rest of the poem from paper 


MSS. 285. druckinn, Cdd. 286. Read, viti vin? 287. Sennor | 
Arni Magnusson ; Séngur, Cdd. 2g. ef] emend.; at, Cdd. 291. deilir} 
emend., Cd. 300. foldum, Cdd. 303. Laug] Bugge; Haug, Cdd. 
305. adr] ath, Cdd. 306. stan] Bugge; saan, Cdd. 308. varom] 


vasom, Cdd, 309. hvarstu, Cdd. 


44 THE OLDEST EPICS. TBR. 


Ulfr es { ungom syni 
pdtt hann se golli gladdr. 


78. Sakar ok heiptir hyggjat svefngar vesa 
né harm in heldr: 
vitz ok vapna es iafri vant at fa 315 
: peim-es skal fremstr med firom. 
79. Pat red-ek per it e/izfia: At pt vid filo sidir 


hvern veg at vinom. 
Langt lif pikkjomkak loféungs vita; 
romm ero rég of risin. 320 








/ 


§ 5. TIPE OLDEST Erics. 


ATLA KVIDA IN GRGENLENZKA; or, 
THE OLD LAY OF ATLI. 


Tus Lay is only found in R, leaves 39-41, and, save where it is 
paraphrased (along with the later Lay, for which it served as a model) 
by the Wolsung paraphrast, nowhere else noticed. 

It is in a fragmentary condition, and in some parts unintelligible. 
Great gaps and hopelessly mangled are especially ll. 53, 72-78, 110-116, 
127-1343; but enough remains to tell the story clearly enough. 

One verse (between Il. 53 and 54) of Hamtheow’s Lay, which had 
been inserted in it, we have removed to its proper place. 

In R it is inscribed ‘Atla kvida in Greenlenzka’ (the Greenlandish 
Atli Lay), for this reason, we imagine, that our poem was the model to 
the later Greenland Lay (Atla-mal) ; the collector, we presume, gathered 
_ both poems from the same source; in no other sense can it be Green- 
landish, for it must be anterior to the discovery of Greenland by a 
century at least. 

In our Lay the scene is cast between the Hniflungs (this and not 
Niflungs is the old Norse form preserved in alliteration), namely, Gun- 
nar and Hogni, and the Huns (Atli and his men). The Hniflungs are 
betrayed and perish, the curse of the Hoard now resting on them. 

It is one of the most ancient Teutonic epics, and markedly original 
in vocabulary; an originality which has led to its maltreatment before 
it reached the transcriber, who often fails to understand the drift of the 
verses, though he honestly gives the words. 





in a young son, though he be comforted with gold. Feuds and hates 
are not sleepy, nor malice either. The warrior, who is to be the chief 
among men, must needs have the choicest wits and weapons. 

I counsel thee e/eventhly: Beware of evil in all thy ways. For thee 
I can forecast no long life. Mighty feuds have arisen [which will cause 
thy death]. 





315. Emend.; vant er iofri at fa, Cdd. 318. vinom] emend.; vegi, Cdd. 
319. pikkiommk ek, Cd. 








§5.] ATLA-KVIDA. 45 


The metre (which only occurs in one or two other poems of later 
date) is a fine dactylic mode of the old Teutonic heroic metre. It 
has in several instances suffered badly, lines being shortened and marred, 
and words cut out or altered. 

Historically, it is interesting as preserving so purely the character and 
fall of the great King Attila, whose wonderful life and death are here 
linked to the story of the cursed Hoard as told in the old Wolsung 
Play, giving a final act to that drama. 

There seems to be some memory of the Lombard tragedy of Rosa- 
mund and Alfwin in the story of Gudrun as told here, 


TLI sendi 4r til Gunnars 
kunnan segg at rida; Knefroedr vas sa heitinn. 

At gawrdom kom hann Gitika, ok at Gunnars hallo, 
bekkjom 4rin-greypom, ok at biédri sva&som. 
Drukko par drétt-megir,—enn dyljendr pagdo— 5 
vin { Valhallo: vreidi s4sk peir Hniflunga. 
Kalladi p4 Knefroedr kaldri raddo, 
segor inn Sudrcéni, sat hann 4 bekk ham :— 

Atli mik hingat sendi rfda cerindi 
mar inom mél-greypa Myrkvid inn é6kunna: 10 
at bidja ydr, Gunnarr, at id 4 bekk kcemit 
‘med hialmom,’ 4rin-greypan, at sckja heim Atla. 
Skialdo knegod par velja ok skafna aska, 
hialma goll-rodna ok Htina meyjar, 
silfr-gyllt saodul-kledi, serki val-rauda, 15 
‘dafar’ darradar, drasla mél-greypa. 
Vall lezk ykr ok mundo gefa vidérar Gnita-heidar, 
af geiri giallanda ok af gylltom stafnom, 
st6rar meidmar, ok stadi Danpar, 
hris pat id mera es medr Myrkvid kalla. 20 





In the olden days Atli sent one of his trusty warriors, whose name 
was Knefred, to Gunnar. He came to the courts of Giuki, to the hall 
of Gunnar, with its hearth-compassing benches, and to the sweet ale. 
The henchmen were drinking wine in the great Hall, the strangers kept 
silence, for they feared the wrath of the Hniflungs; till Knefred the 
Southern messenger cried with an evil voice from where he sat on the 
high bench :— 

‘ Atli hath sent me hither on the bridled steed through the wild Mirk- 
wood to ride his errand, to bid you, Gunnar, to come to the hearth- 
compassing benches... to visit Atli. Ye shall choose you gifts there, 
shields and smooth-shaven shafts, gold-red helms and Hunnish maidens, 
silver-gilt saddle-cloths and crimson shirts, ... darts and bridled chargers, 
He says that he will give you the wide field of Gnite-heath, and store 
of sounding spears and gilt shields, huge treasure, and the dwellings of 
Danp, and the famous forest men call Mirkwood.’ 





6. Hniflunga] conj.; Hina, R; or better would be, enn d. ugdo . . . vreidi 
~ Hniflunga, 12. drin-greypan] arin-greypom, R; it can only be an epithet to 


the hall. 14. meyjar] conj.; mengi, R. 1g. val-rgda, R. 18. Read 
skigidom for stofnom ? 


46 THE OLDEST EPICS. [ BK. I. 


Haf6i vatt pA Gunnarr ok Hagna til sagdi :— 
Hvat redr pu okr, seggr inn cri, allz vid slikt heyrom? 
Goll vissa-ek ekki 4 Gnita-heidi 
pat es vid ettima annat slfkt. 
Siau eigo vid sal-hts sverda full; 25 
hverjo ero peirra hialt or golli. 
Minn veit-ek mar baztan; enn meeki hvassastan; 
boga bazt seman; enn brynjor or golli; 
hialm ok skiald hvitastan, kominn or hallo Kiars; 
einn es minn betri an sé allra Hina. 30 
Pat kvad pA Hagni... .:— 
Hvat hyggr pi bridi bendo, es hon okr baug sendi 
varinn vodom heidingja? + Hygg-ek at hon varnud bydi: 
Har fann ek heidingja ridit { hring raudom; 
ylfskr es vegr okkarr at rfda cerindi. 35 
Nidjar hvattod Gunnar né naongr annarr, 
rynendr né radendr, né peir es rikir véro. 
Kvaddi p4 Gunnar sem konungr skyldi, 
mer { miad-ranni af mdédi stérom :— 
Ristu nu, Fiornir! lattu 4 flet vada 40 
greypar goll-skalir med gumna handom! 
Ulfar muno rdéa arfi Hniflunga, 
gamlir, gran-veeddir, ef Gunnars missir, 
birnir blakk-fiallir bfta ‘ bref’-taannom 








Then Gunnar turned his head, and spake to Hogni: ‘ What counsel 
dost thou give us respecting all this that we hear, thou young hero? I 
know no gold on Gnite-heath, but that we have as much again. We 
have seven treasuries full of swords, every one of them with a golden 
hilt. My steed is the best, my brand the keenest, my bow the best 
strung, my mail-coat is of gold, my -helm and shield are the whitest, 
they came from the hall of Kiar. My harness alone is better than that 
of all the Huns.’ 

Then spake Hogni...: ‘ What thinkest thou the lady [our sister] 
meant, when she sent us a ring wrapt in the coat of the beast of the 
heath? I think that she gave us a warning thereby. For I have found 
wolf’s hair twisted about the red ring. Our way will be wolfish [mur- 
derous] if we ride on this errand.’ 

It was neither his friends nor his neighbours, nor his wise men, nor 
his counsellors, nor his mighty men that made Gunnar eager to go. 

Up spake Gunnar, as beseems a king, gallantly in his mead-hall, out 
of the pride of his heart—‘ Rise up, Fiornir [my cupbearer], let the 
gold-ringed cups pass round the benches from hand to hand. The 
wolf, that old grey-coated beast, shall rule over the heritage (Hoard) 
of the Hniflungs, if Gunnar perish. The bears with black hide shall 
bite with fierce teeth at the “ gold” if Gunnar come back no more.’ 





28. bazt séman] conj.; bekk soma, R. 35. ylfskr] Eg.; ylfstr, R. 
36. hvotto, R. 41. greypar] greppa, R. 42. Ulfr mun, R, 43. 
gamlir, gran-veddir] emend.; gamlar gran verdir, R. 44. -fiallir] emend. ; 


fiallar, R. 


ee) 


§5.] ATLA-KVIDA. 47 


‘gamna grey-st6di’ ef Gunnarr ne kcemrad. 45 
Leiddo land-ragni lydar dneisir 
gratendr gunn-hvatan or gardi Hniflunga. 
b4 kvad pat inn cri erfi-vardr Hagna: 
Heilir farit ni ok horskir hvars ykr hugr teygir! 
Fetom leto froeknir um fiall at pyrja 50 
mari-na mél-greypo Myrkvid inn ékunna. 
Hristisk all Htinmeark par-es hard-mdégir féro, 
‘roko peir vann-styggva’ vallo al-grcena. 


Il. 


‘dafa’ darradar, enn par drakk Atli 
vin { Valhallo; verdir sto uti, 5S 
at varda beim Gunnari, ef peir her vitja kvzmi, 
med geiri giallanda at vekja ‘gram’ hildi. 
Systir fann peirra snemst es peir { sal kvé6mo 
broeédr hennar badir, ‘bidéri vas hon lftt drukkin :’— 
Rédinn ertu nu, Gunnarr; hvat muntu rikr vinna 60 
vid Hina harm-bragdom? Hall gakk pi or snemma! 
Betr hefdir pi, brdédir, at pu a bekk ne feérir 
‘med hialmom’ 4rin-greypan at sid heim Atla; 
seetir pi { swdlom sél-heida daga, 
nai naud-falva létir nornir grata, 65 
Htina skiald-meyjar hervi kanna ; 





The blameless warriors wept as they led the warlike kings out of the 
courts of the Hniflungs [to bid them farewell]. Then spake Hogni’s 
young heir: ‘ Fare hale and hearty wherever your hearts list to go.’ 

The gallant kings made their bridled steeds gallop apace over the 
mountains and through the wild Mirkwood. All Hunmark shook where 
the strong heroes passed, they rode their chargers through the... green 
mantled fields. 


II. 


They reach Atli’s Palace... darts, where Atli was drinking wine in 
the great hall. The warders were sitting without, to guard it from 
Gunnar, if he and his brother should come thither to waken the [fierce] 
battle with the sounding spears. 

Their sister met her two brothers at once as they came into the hall, 
..+ ‘Thou art betrayed, Gunnar (she said), how wilt thou, O King, 
withstand the treacherous wiles of the Huns? Get thee out of the hall 
as fast as thou mayst. Thou hadst better not have come hither, brother, 
to the . . . hearth-compassing benches to visit Atli’s hall. Thou 
shouldst be sitting in the saddle through the sunlit day, making the 
Fates to weep over the death-pale corses, and making the Hunnish 





45. Read, gridar granstéd for gamna grey-stédi? 47. -hvata,R. Hni- 
flunga]| emend.; Huna, R. 57. gram] an adjective epithet to hildi is required. 
59. bidri . . . drukkin] clearly corrupt, 62-63. Eqend., at pu é dbrynjo foerir sem 
h. aringreypom, R. 


48 THE OLDEST EPICS. [BK. I. 


enn Atla sialfan létir pi f orm-garéd koma; 
nu es sa orm-garér yér um folginn. 
[Mzerr kvaé pat Gunnarr geir-Hniflungr]:— 
Seinad es nu, systir, at samna Hniflungom; 70 
langt es at leita lyda sinniss til 
of ‘rosmo fiall’ Rinar rekka 6neissa. 


Fengo peir Gunnar ok f fiator setto 
vin Burgunda, ok bundo fastla. 
Siau hié6 Hagni sverdi hvasso; "5 
enn enom Atta hratt hann f eld heitan. 
Sv4 skal froekn ficsndom verjask. 
‘Haegni vardi hendr Gunnars.’ 


freogo froéknan, ef fiar vildi 
Gotna piddan golli kaupa. 80 
[b4 kvad pat Gunnarr gumna dréttinn]:— 
Hiarta skal mer Hagna { hendi liggja 
blééukt or bridsti skorid balld-rida 
saxi slidr-beito syni piddans. 
Skaro peir hiarta Hialla or briésti 85 


bl6dukt ok 4 bi6dd lagdo, ok boro pat fyr Gunnar. 
P4 kvad pat Gunnarr gumna dréttinn :— 
Her hefi-ek hiarta Hialla ins blauda, 
églikt hiarta Hagna ins freékna, 
es miak bifask es 4 biddi liger, go 
bifdisk halfo meirr es { bridsti 14. 





amazons to know the harrow, and setting Atli himself in the pit of 
serpents—but now that serpent-pit is dug for thee.’ 

Then answered Gunnar, the Hniflung hero: ‘ It is too late, sister, to 
call up the Hniflungs ; it is too far to get their help, my blameless cham- 
pions, across the “ craggy’’ mountains of the Rhine.’ 

They took Gunnar, the friend of the Burgundians, and set him in 
fetters and bound him fast. Hogni cut down seven men with his keen 
sword, and cast the eighth into the hot fire. So should a brave man 
defend himself against his foes!... 

They asked the brave King of the Goths if he would buy his life with 
gold. [Then said Gunnar] ‘ Hogni’s bleeding heart must be laid in my 
hand, carved with the keen-cutting knife out of the breast of the good 
knight.’ 

They carved the heart of Hialli (the thrall) from out his breast, and 
laid it bleeding on a charger, and bore it to Gunnar. 

Then spake Gunnar, king of men: ‘ Here I have the heart of Hialli 
the coward, unlike to the heart of Hogni the brave. It quakes greatly 
as it lies on the charger, but it quaked twice as much when it lay in 
his breast.’ 





74. vin] Bugge, vin’, R; cp. ‘Gudhere wine Burgenda,’ 77. skal] skyli? 
85. One or two lines missing ? 89. olikt, R. 


* fem 


$5] ATLA-KVIDA. 49 


H16é p4 Hagni es til hiarta skaro 
kvikvan kumbla-smid, klekkva hann sfzt hug6i: 
Blédugt pat 4 bidd lagdo ok bro fyr Gunnar. 
Merr kvad pat Gunnarr Geir-hniflungr :-— 95 
Her hefi-ek hiarta Hagna ins freékna, 
6glikt hiarta Hialla ins blauda ; 
es Iftt bifask es 4 bidéi liggr, 
bifSisk svagi miak es f bridsti 14. 
Sv4 skaltu, Atli, ‘augom’ fiarri 100 
sem munt menjom verda, | 
es unt einom mer all um folgin 
hodd Hniflunga; lifira ni Hagni. 
Ey vas mer tyja medan vid tveir lifoom, 
ni es mer engi es ek einn lifik. 105 
Rin skal r4da rég-malmi skatna, 
svinn, 4s-kunna, arfi Hniflunga. 
[ veltanda vatni l¥sask val-baugar, 
heldr an 4 handom goll skini Hina barnom, 


Ykvid ér hvel-vognom! haptr es nti { bondom! IIo 
‘Ok meirr padan men-vaord, bituls’ 
‘dolg-ragni dré til dauds skdkr.’ 

 ¢ Athi inn rfki reid Glaum manom’ 
‘sleginn ré6g-bornom’ sifiungr peirra. 





Hogni laughed when they cut out the quick heart of that crested 
hero, he had little thought of whimpering. They laid it bleeding on 
the charger, and bore it before Gunnar, 

Then spake Gunnar, the Hniflungs’ hero: ‘ Here I have the heart of 
Hogni the brave, unlike to the heart of Hialli the coward; it quakes 
very little as it lies on the charger; but it quaked far less when it lay 
in his breast. May thou ever be as far from joy [luck], Atli, as thou 
art from the hope of the treasures! for the whole Hoard of the Hniflungs 
is hidden with me alone now that Hogni is dead. While we two were 
alive I always had a doubt, I have none now that I alone am alive. The 
Rhine, the stream the gods know well, shall possess the strife-begetting 
Treasure of the heroes, the heritage of the Hniflungs. The great rings 
shall gleam in the rolling waters rather than they shall shine on the hands 
of the sons of the Huns.’ 

* * * % * % * & 

Quoth Aili, * Harness the wheel-wain, the prisoner lies in bonds.’ 

| Some corrupt lines, which cannot be translated, come in here; the sense of 
them is that Gudrun tries to dissuade her husband from putting her brother 
to death and so breaking the oath he had saworn to him, saying :—| 





100. augom] corrupt; read audno? angan? 2, unt=und? 103. 
Niflunga, R, = “ 


E 


50 THE OLDEST EPICS. [BK. I. 


Gudrun sigtiva 115 
‘varnadi vid térom vadin { pys-haollo :’— 
Sv4 gangi per, Atli, sem pi vid Gunnar 4ttir 
eida opt um svarda, ok 4rofa nefnda 
at s6l inni sudr-hallo ok at Sigt¥ss bergi, 
heelkvi hvfl-bedjar, ok at hringi Ullar. 120 
Lifanda gram lagéi { gard pann, 
es skridinn vas, skatna mengi, 
innan ormom; enn einn Gunnarr 
heipt-mdér harpo hendi kn{éi, 
glumdo strengir. Sv4 skal golli 125 
freéekn hring-drffr vid fira halda. 


III. 


Atli lét landz sins 4 vit 
i6 ‘eyr sk4n’ aptr fré mordi. 
Dynr vas { gardi, draslom of prungit ; 
vapn-sangr virda. Varo af heidi komnir. ‘130 
Ut gekk p4 Gudrtin Atla { goegn 
me6 gylltom kalki at ‘reifa giald Rzagniss:’ 
Piggja knattu, pengill, f pinni hallo 
glaér at Gudrino ‘gnadda-nifl-farna,’ 


Uméo al-skalir Atla vin-hafgar, 135 
pa-es { hall saman Hunar taldosk; 
gumar gran-s{dir gengo inn hvatir. 

Skeevadi p4 in skfrleita ‘veigar’ peim at bera 





‘May it be with thee, Atli, according to the oaths, which thou didst 
oftentimes swear to Gunnar, calling aged witnesses to hear thy vow, by 
the southing sun, and the Great God’s rock, and by the lintels of thy 
bedchamber, and by the ring of Wuldor. . 

The band of warriors put the king alive into the pit that was crawling 
_ with serpents. But Gunnar, alone there, in his wrath smote the harp 
with his hands; the strings rang out. So should a valiant hero keep 
his gold from his foes, 


III, 


Atli made his steed gallop back from the murder toward his own land. 
There was a din in the courtyard, crowded with horses, the clang 
of men’s weapons, when they came back from the heath. 

Then Gudrun came out to meet Atli with a gilt chalice... .‘ Take, 
lord, in thine hall from Gudrun... .’ 

Heavy with wine Atli’s ale-beakers rang when the Huns gathered in 
the hall, when the long-bearded heroes assembled together. 

The bright-faced [Gudrun], that fierce lady, hastened to bear the 





118. arofa] emend., from arofi, see Dict. 45a; arof, R. 120. hulqvi, R. . 
126. -drifr] hringdrifi, R. 132. Read reida? 138. False alliteration. 


§5.] ATLA-KVIDA. BI 


afkar dfs iafrom, ok sl-krAsir valdi 
naudig nef-falom; enn n{fd sagdi Atla. 140 
Sona hefir [pu] pfnna, sverda deilir! 
hiarto hré-dreyrog vid hunang of tuggin. 
Melta kndtto, médugr, manna val-bradir, 
eta at al-krosom, ok or andugi at senda. 
Kallara-bi sidan til knia pinna 145 
Erp né Etil, aol-reifr, tva. 
Séra-pu sidan { seti midjo 
gollz-midlendr geira skepta, 
manar meita, né mara keyra. 
Ymr vard 4 bekkjom; afkarr sangr virda ; 150 
gnyr und godvefjom ; gréto barn Huna: 
Nema ein Gudrtn, es hon eva grét 
bro@dr sfna ber-harda ok buri svdsa, 
unga 6fré6da p4-es hon vid Atla gat. 
Golli sceri in gagl-biarta ; 155 
hringom raudom reifdi hon htiskarla. 
Skap lét hon vaxa; enn skfran malm vada. 
Ava fli6d ekki g4di fiarg-husa. 
Olverr Atli, 66an hafdi hann sik drukkit ; 
vopn haféi hann ekki; varnadit hann vid Gudrino. 160 
Opt vas sa leikr betri, p4 es pau lint skyldo 
optar um fadmask fyr adlingom. 
Hon bed broddi gaf bl65 at drekka 
hendi hel-flissi, ok hvelpa leysti. 





wine to the lords, and in her cruelty to share out the dainty morsels 
to the pale-faced princes, but to Atli she spake a word of mockery. 
‘Thou hast eaten the fresh-bleeding hearts of thy sons, mixed with 
honey, thou giver of swords. Now thou shalt digest the gory flesh of 
man, thou stern king, having eaten of it as a dainty morsel, and sent it 
as a mess to thy friends. Never more shalt thou, merry with ale, call 
thy two sons Erp and Eitil to thy knees from thy high seat. Thou 
shalt never see in the midst of thy court the young princes shafting 
their spears, clipping their horses’ manes, or spurring their steeds.’ 
Then arose a hum on the benches, a horrible murmur from the men, 
uproar among them that were in fine raiment, the children of the Huns 
weeping aloud—save Gudrun only, she never wept for her bear-hearted 
brothers or her sweet sons, the young innocents that she bore to Atli. 
The swan-white queen strewed gold abroad, and bribed the house- 
hold with red rings,—making doom to wax high,—and poured out the 
bright hoards; she grudged not the treasures. ... 
Merry was Atli, he had drunk himself mad, weapon he had none, 
he was not wary against Gudrun. It had been often a sweeter play 
between them when they embraced each other before the princes. 
With the point of the sword she gave the bed blood to drink with 
her murderous hand, and loosed the hounds. She cast the hot brand 





144. or] emend.; i, R. 146. dlreifr] emend.; aylreifa, R. 155. seri, R. 
159. Olverr] ovaR R, see Atlamal. 
E 2 


52 THE ‘OLDEST EPICS. [BK. f 


Hratt fyr hallar dyrr—ok hiskarla vak6i— 165 
brandi bridr heitom. Pau lét hon giald brcééra. 

Eldi gaf hon pa alla es inni véro, 

ok fra mordi peirra Gunnars komnir véro or Myrkheimi. 
Forn timbr fello; fiarg-hus ruko; 

beér budélunga brunnu, ok skiald-meyjar 170 
inni aldr-skamar hnigo { eld heitan, 


Full-reétt es um petta; Ferr engi sv4 sidan 
bridér f{ brynjo broééra at hefna. 
Hon hefir priggja pidd-konunga, 
ban-ord borit biart 46r sylti. 175 


HAMDIS-MAL, or THE OLD LAY OF HAMTHEOW. 


ONLY found in R (where it is the last poem in the book), but known 
to and used by the Wolsung paraphrast (who also draws from a later 
parallel prose story). In the story of the Wolsungs, inserted in Codex 
Regius of Edda (Sk), there is also a paraphrase derived from our poem 
and other sources. It is hence that Il. 68-71 can be restored. 

It is imperfect in our vellum, where it is treated in a peculiar way; a 
part has been taken down double; so to say. The first part, or what 
survives of it, is tacked (prefixed) to a wholly different poem of later 
age (from which its metre and subject sufficiently mark it off), viz. the 
Death Song of Gudrun (see Book v). Then there follows another copy, 
separately headed ‘ Hamdismal,’ but parts of the two bits overlap and 
run parallel, text B being a side-piece or appendage to text A. Thus— 


Text B G 





Text A 





so that we get for some verses a double text. Our text (Il. 1-61) isa 
compound text from the best readings of the two, B and A, as far as 
the parallelism goes, In the Notes both A and B are printed side by 
side in parallel columns, so the reader may see and judge for himself. 
In the Introduction to the Death Song of Gudrun will be found an 
account of that lay. 

The metre appears to have been cut down in many places, but still 
many of the older Jong /ines (for they are the true ones) of the original 
are preserved. 





against the door of the hall.... This is the weregild she got for 
her brothers. To the flame she gave all that were in the hall, that had 
come from Mirkwood from the murder of Gunnar. The old timbers 
fell down; the treasure-houses smoked; the king’s houses and the 
amazons within them sunk life-lorn into the burning fire. 


It is told to the end. Never has other lady gone forth in mail to 
avenge her brothers as she [Gudrun] did. The fair queen pice the 
death of three great kings before she died! 





168. Read Myrkvidi. 170. Read beoeir? 171. skamar] emend. ; 
stamar, i.e. scamar, R, ; 


§ 5.] HAMDIS-MAL. 53. 


The poem is in many places mangled beyond mending, with great 
gaps in one or two places at least. Lines 50 sqq., 65 sqq., 102-105, 
130-131 are especially in a most broken and sad state. No thorough 
restoration is here to be attempted, though one may guess at the 
meaning of what is lost, misplaced, or maimed. As to ll. 126-129, see 
the Notes. 

Transpositions we have made in IJ. 49-50 from between 79-80; Il. 
72-75 from between 64-65; ll. 126-129 from between 131-132; Il. 
84-87 are transposed hither from the Atli Lay, and Il. 81 and 82 have 
been interchanged. 

The story of which this Lay contains the oldest version (one strik- 
ingly identical with that which Jordanes gives after Cassiodorus) was 
very popular in the North. And such expressions as ‘ Hamtheow’s 
sark’ for a coat-of-mail, and ‘the killer of the sons of Ionakr’ for a 
stone, are found even in very early poets. ‘The famous final scene was 
painted on Bragi’s shield, and it was known with some important varia- 
tions to the Beowulf poet, who mentions the ‘necklace’ which Ham- 
theow owned. 

- The first part of the poem, the Murder of Swanhild, is lost, so that 
what is left falls into two parts, the Egging of Gudrun and the Fight 
in Ermanarik’s Hall. The plot deals with a feud between Huns 
(Hamtheow) and Goths (Ermanarik). Gudrun, wedded to her third 
husband Ionakr the Hun, marries Swanhild, her daughter by her first 
husband Sigfred, to Ermanarik king of the Goths, who, listening to 
the treacherous advice of Bikki, has her trodden under the feet of 
horses in the gate of his palace. Gudrun eggs on her sons to avenge 
their sister, and they set out, having been armed by their mother with 
wonderful magic mail-coats, upon which no sword will bite. Their 
bastard brother offers them his help, but they despise him and slay him. 
They attack Ermanarik and cut off his arms and legs, but he lives to 
have them beaten down and stoned to death, since steel could not 
hurt them. 


A frd4-ek senno sl{Sr-fengligsta 
traud-ml talid af trega stérom, 
es hard-hugud hvatti at vigi 
grimmom ordom Gudrtn sono: 
Hyvi sitid? hvi sofid lifi? 


cr 


Systir vas ykkor Svanhildr um heitin 
su-es larmunrekr idm of traddi 





I HEARD the bitterest bickering, hard words spoken forth of deep 
sorrow, when the stern-hearted Gudrun egged on her sons with fierce 
words. 

‘Why sit ye, why sleep ye your lives away? How can ye bear to 
speak words of cheer? Ye had a sister named Swanhild, whom Eor- 
munrek trod down on the highway under the hoofs of his steeds, white 





1. Vasa pat nu ne i goer | pat hefir langt lidit sidan ; | es fatt fornara, fremr vas 
pat halfo, | es hvatti Gudriin Gitika déttir | sono sinqunga at hefna Svanhildar, 
adds R.—A duplicate of the verse in the text. 8, Iorm-, R, here and elsewhere. 


54 THE OLDEST EPICS. [BK. 1. 


hvitom ok svartom 4 hervegi, 

gram gang-tamom Gotna hrossom. 10 
Ur6oa-i6 glikir peim Gunnari, 

né in heldr hugdir sem vas Hagni. 

Hennar mundoé-i6é hefna vilja, 

ef i6 m6d ezttid mfnna breédra 


eér hardan hug Htin-konunga. 5) 


Eptir es ykkr prungit pidd-konunga, 
lffid einir id patta eettar mfnnar. 
Ein-sté@6 em ek ordin sem asp f holti; 
fallin at frendom sem fura at kvisti; 
vadin at vilja sem vidir at laufi, 20 
pa-es in kvist-skoé6a koemr um dag varman. 
Hitt kvaé pa Hamdér inn hugom-stéri :— 
Litt myndir pi p4, Gudrin, leyfa d®é Hagna 
es beir Sigroed vakdo svefni or; 
svaftu 4 bed, enn banar hlégo. 25 
Beékr véro pinar inar bl4-hvito 
roOnar i vers-dreyra folgnar { val-bl6di. 
Svalt p4 Sigroedr, satztu yfir daudom ; 
glyja pi ne gddir; Gunnarr per sv4 vildi. 
Atla péttisk pu strida at Erps mordi, 30 
ok at Eitils aldr-lagi. 
Pat var per 6no verra pia 
ee ser ae sva skyldi hverr 
awdrom verja til aldr-laga 
sverOi s4r-beito at ser ne strfddit. 35 
Ur6éo per... breedra hefndir 





and black, the grey well-broken horses of the Goths. Ye are not such 
as Gunnar, nor have ye hearts like Hogni’s. Ye would have the will to 
avenge her if ye had the spirit of my brothers or the stern heart of the 
Hun-kings, yet ye are the sad remains of these great kings, ye only are 
alive, last strands of my race. I am left alone like an aspen in the 
wood; reft of my kinsmen like the fir of its branches; stripped of joy 
like a willow of her leaves when the branch-scather [the lopper with his 
bill] comes on a warm day.’ 

Then spake Hamtheow, the great of heart: ‘ Thou wouldst not have 
praised Hogni’s deeds so highly when he and his fellows waked Sigfred 
from his sleep; thou wast sleeping in the bed, while the slayers laughed. 
Thy blue and white coverlets were dyed red with the gore of thy 
husband, bathed in his blood. When Sigfred sunk in death thou didst 
sit over him dead; thou hadst no mind for joy. Gunnar wrought that 
for thee. Thou thoughtest to pain Atli by the murder of Erp and by 
the slaying of Eitil; but thou hurtedst thyself.... One should so use 
the biting sword to slay another as not to hurt himself. The revenge 
of thy gladsome brothers was sharp and sore to thee when thou didst 





17. 16] er, R. 20. vidir} vidr, R. 25. saztu, R, 32. dno] 
enn, R. 36. add blidra, ballra? 








— = 


§ 5.] HAMDIS-MAL. . 55 


sl{érar ok s4rar es pi sono myréir... 
Kneettim allir 4 Iarmunreki 
sam-hyggjendr systor hefna. 
Hitt kvad pa Seorli, svinna hafdi hann hyggjo: 40 
Vilkat-ek vid médéur maélom skipta, 
oréz pykkir enn vant ykkro hvaro, 
hvers bidr pu ni, Gudrtin, es pt at grati ne feérad? 
Berid herkumbl framm Hun-konunga ; 
hefir pi okkr hvatta at hiar-pingi! 45 
Hljandi Gudrin hvarf til skemmo; 
kumbl konunga or kerom valdi 
sféar brynjor, ok sonom fcérdi. 
Sk6éko loda, skalmir festo, 
ok god-bornir smugo { gudévefi; 50 
hlédosk mdégir 4 mara bégo. 
[Hitt kvaé pa Seorli, svinna haféi hann hyggjo] :— 
Brudi grat pi pina ok buri svdsa 
nidja nd-borna leidda ner régi; 
okkr skaltu ok Gudrtin grata bdda BE 
es her sitjom feigir 4 marom, fiarri monom deyja. 
b4 kvad pat Hamdér inn hugom-stéri : 
‘Sv4 komask meirr aptr mddor at vitja 
- geir-niarér hniginn 4 Godpiddo:’ 
at pu erfi at all oss drykkir, 60 
at Svanhildi ok at sono pina. 





murder thine own sons therefore.... All united we might revenge 
our sister upon Eormunrek.’ 

Then spake Sorli, he had a wise mind: ‘I will not bandy words with 
my mother ; each of you still thinks a word is lacking. What dost thou 
ask for, Gudrun, which thou canst not speak for tears? Bring out the 
war-crests of the Hun-kings, now that thou hast egged us on to the 
court of swords !’ 

Gudrun turned to her storehouse, laughing; chose out of the chests 
the kings’ crested helms and the long mail-coats and brought them to 
her sons. They shook their cloaks, they fastened their swords, and the 
god-born heroes clad themselves in goodly woven raiment, . . . and 
angrily sprung on their horses. 

Then quoth Sorli, etc.... (as they took leave of their mother): ‘Weep 
for thy daughter, and for thy sweet sons too, thy young children whom 
thou hast led into thy feud. Thou shalt have to bewail both of us, 
Gudrun, that sit here doomed on our horses; we shall die far away.’ 

Then quoth Hamtheow, etc.: ‘ We shall never come back to our 
mother [when we have slain the King of Goths]. Thou shalt drink the 
arval for us all together, for Swanhild and thy sons.’ 





38. allir] om. R (see V). 44. herkumbl] emendy; hnossir,R. = § 3. Bruidi] 
emend.; broedr, R. 54. leida, R. 59. Read, at geirniord hniginn 4 G.? 


56 THE OLDEST EPICS. : [BK. 1. 


Gengo or garéi geervir at eiskra; 
liéo pa yfir ungir urig fiall 
marom Hunlenzkom mordz at hefna. 
Fundo 4 streeti stér-bragdéttan— 65 
Hve mun ‘Iarp-scamr’ okkr fulltingia. 
Svaradi um sundr-mcééri, svA kvazk veita mundo 
fullting frendom sem fétr hendi 
[eda hold-groin hand fcéti.] 
Hvat megi fétr hendi veita, 70 
eér hold-groin hand fcéti? 
ba kvad pat Erpr eino sinni 
merr um lék 4 mars baki: 
fllt es blaudom hal brautir kenna 


K66o0 hardan miak hornung vesa. 75 
Drégo peir or sk{6i ‘skidi iarn’ 

meekiss eggjar ‘at mun flagdi, 

pverrdo peir prétt sfnn at pridjungi, 

léto mag ungan til moldar hnfga. 


Il. 


Fram lago brautir, ‘fundo va-stigo,’ 80 
varg-tré vind-kald vestan beéjar, 
ok systur son sdéran 4 meidi, 
‘trytti x trano hvoat,’ titt vasat bida. 

Hall sé peir Gotna ok hilid-skialfar ditipa, 





They went out of the court foaming with rage; the young men rode 
on their Hun horses over the wet mountains to revenge the murder [of 
their sister]. They met on the street their [base brother]. ‘ How 
shall this little .. . help us ?’ 

He answered their half-brother, saying that he would help his kins- 
men as foot does hand, or flesh-fast hand does foot... . 

They say: ‘ How may foot help hand, or flesh-fast hand help foot?’... 

Erp the merry, as he sat on his horse’s back, spake once: ‘ It is ill 
work to show cowards the way.’... 

They said that the bastard was over-bold, they drew the [scathing] 
iron from the sheath... with the edge of the sword they minished 
their strength by a third when they felled their young brother to the 
ground. 

i, 


The road lay before them, they found . .. a wolf-tree [gallows] wind- 
cold on the west of the hall, and their sister’s son wounded on the tree. 
The ‘corse’ kept swinging, ... it was not pleasant to stay there. They 





68-71. R reads, ... sem fétr 6érom. Hvat megi fétr feti veita, ne holdgroin 
hond annarri? 83. bida] bidia, R. 84. Havll] emend.; land, R. Gotna] 
emend. ; Atla, R. hlid-] lidskialfar, R. Read druipa? 84-87. Trans- 


posed from Lay of Atli. 








§ 5.] HAMDIS-MAL. 57 


Bikka greppar standa 4 borg inni ha; 85 
sal um sudr-piddom sleginn sess-meidom, 
bundnom random, bleikom skialdom. 
Glaumr vas fi hallo, halir sol-reifir, 
sva-at Gotnar ekki goerdot heyra, 
4dr halr hug-fullr f horn um paut. go 
Segja zerir Iarmunreki 
at sénir véro seggir und hialmom: 
Reédit ér um rad, rikir ero komnir 
fyr mattkom hafid-ér mannom mey um tradda. 
H16 pa larmunrekr, hendi drap 4 kampa, 95 
beindisk at brango, badvadisk at vini: 
Ské6k hann skeor iarpa, s4 4 skiald hvitan, 
lét hann ser { hendt hvarfa ker gollit: 
Sell ek pa poéttomk, ef ek sia knetta 
Haméé ok Sarla { hallo m{nni, 100 
‘byri’ munda-ek pa binda med boga-strengjom, 
‘g66 barn Gitka’ festa 4 galga. 
‘Hitt kvad p4 Hrdédrglad, st6d vf hledom, 
mefingr melti vid mag benna:— 
pvi-at pat hetta at hlydigi myni:’ 105 


Megod tv4 menn eina tio hundrod Gotna 
binda eda berja { borg inni ha! 





saw the Goths’ hall and the lofty watch-seats, and Bikki’s warriors 
standing within the high stronghold, the hall of the Southerners set. 
round with seat-benches, with clasped targets and white shields. There 
was a clatter inside, the men were merry with ale, and the Goths paid 
no heed to their coming till the proud warrior blew his horn. The 
watchmen told Eormunrek that helmed men were in sight. ‘Take 
counsel thereto, for they that come be mighty; it was the sister of 
the strong that ye have trodden [under your horse-hoofs].’ 

Then Eormunrek laughed, and stroked his beard, leant over to his 
leman, maddened with wine. He shook his brown hair; he looked on 
his white shield; he rolled the gold cup round in his hand. ‘ Happy 
should I think myself if I could see Hamtheow and Sorli in my hall! I 
would bind them with bow-strings, and fasten the god-born [heroes| 
to the gallows.’ . . . [What has fallen out recounts the coming of the 
two brothers and their furious onslaught, no iron will bite on their mail, 
and they slay on the right hand and on the left. Eormunrek, weltering 
in his blood, his hands and feet cut off, shouts out in his rage|: ‘Shall 
not ten hundred Goths bind and beat down two lone men in the 
high hall!’ 





89. Emend.; ok til Gota ekki g. h, R. go. Read, horn um bpeytti. 
gl. erir] foro, R. 96. beindisk] emend.; beiddiz at bréngo, R. Iol. 
‘ byri,’ superfluous. 106. Megod tvé menn einatio hundrod Gotna] Mega 


tveir menn einir tio hundrodom Gotna, R. 


58 THE OLDEST EPICS. [BK. I. 


Styrr varé { ranni, stukko al-skdlir, 
{ bl6d6i bragnar logo komié or briédsti Gotna, 

Hitt kvad p4 Hampér inn hugom-stéri— 110 
Aéstir, larmunrekr, okkarrar kv®mo 
breedra sam-mcé6ra innan borgar pinnar. 
Feétr sér [pt] pina, handom sér pti pinom, 
Iermunrekr, orpit:{ eld heitan. 

Pa hraut rikt inn regin-kungi 115 
baldr i brynjo sem biawrn hryti:— 
Grytid ér 4 gumna allz geirar ne Dita, 
eggjar ne iarn Iénakrs sono! 

Hitt kva6 pa Hamdér inn hugom-stéri— 
Beal vanti, brédir, es pi pann belg leystir : 120 
Opt or skarpom belg ball rod koma. 

Hug hefir pi, Hamdér, ef pi hefdir hyggjandi. 
mikils es 4 mann hvern vant es manvitz es. 

Af veri ni hafud ef Erpr lifdi 
brééir okkarr inn bad-frékni es vid 4 braut vOgom. 125 

{Ekki hygg ek okkr vesa ulfa demi 

‘at vit mynim sialfir um sakask, 
sem grey Norna bau es gradug ero 
f audn um alin.| 

‘Varr inn vig-froekni, hvattomk at disir, 130 
gumi inn gunn-helgi gcerdomk at vigi.’ 

Vel hafom vid vegit; standom 4 val Gotna 
ofan egg-médom sem ernir 4 kvisti: 





There was an uproar in the hall; the ale-cups were shivered ; men 
lay in the blood that had flowed from the breasts of the Goths. Then 
spake Hamtheow, the stout of heart: ‘ Thou didst wish, Eormunrek, for 
the coming of us two brethren to thy stronghold. Now, Eormunrek, 
look at thy feet, look at thine hands cast into the burning fire.’ 

Then the god-sprung king roared mightily, as a bear roars, out of 
his harness: ‘Stone ye these fellows, these sons of Ionakr, that spears 
will not bite nor sword-edge nor arrows !’ 

Then spake Hamtheow, stout of heart: ‘It was ill done of thee, 
brother, to unloose the bag. Sharp counsels often come out of a 
shrivelled belly.’ 

Quoth Sorli: ‘Thou hast heart enough, Hamtheow, would thou hadst 
wit to boot. It is a sad lack in a man to lack of wisdom.’ 

Quoth Hamtheow ; ‘The head would be off by now, if Erp had lived, 
our bold brother whom we slew on the way... the fairies egged us on, 
... set us to murder him.’ 

Quoth Sori: ‘1 never thought that we two should come to do as the 
wolves do, and fly at one another, like the Fates’ greedy greyhounds 
that are bred in the wilderness. ... 





10g. Gotna] Gauta, R. 115. rikt] vid, R, 118. iarn] read Orvar? 
121. skérpom] emend., see p. 19, 1. 93; peim, R. 122. hefir] hefdir, R. 
126. ykr, R. 


§ 5-] LAY OF THEODRICK THE GOTH. 59 


G66és hafom tfrar fengit pétt skylim nt eda { goer deyja. 
Kveld lifir madr ekki, eptir kvid Norna. 135 


Par fell Szorli at salar-gafli, 
en Hamédér hné at hts-baki. 


LAY OF THEODRICK THE GOTH. 


A FRAGMENT on an ancient Runic stone (early tenth century ?), 
known as the ‘ Rokstone,’ in East Gothland, Sweden; see Icelandic 
Reader, pp. 446 and 452. This stone stands in the same relation to the 
lost Lay as does the Ruthwell Cross to the Lay of the Rood. The 
identity we assume from the correspondence of the name Theodrick 
and the Maringa with the Mzringaburg where, according to the old 
English Deer’s Lay, Theodrick ruled. The stone has no word-division, 
and never doubles a letter. ‘A’ is a nasal a. 


|S Sl Piaurikz hin purmubi 

Stiliz flutna strandu Hraipmaraz. 
Sitiz nu garuz a guta sinum 
Skialdi ub fatlabz skati Maringa. 





‘We have fought a good fight, we stand on slaughtered Goths, on 
the sword-sated slain, like eagles on their perch. We have gotten a 
good report though we die to-day or to-morrow. No man can live 
over the evening when the word of the Fates has gone forth.’ 


Sorli fell at the gable of the hall, and Hamtheow sank down at the 
back of the house. ; 





THEODRICK the daring of mood, the lord of seamen, ruled Redmere’s 
Strand. He, the Prince of the Mzrings, sitteth now in full war-gear on 
his steed, shield-girt. 


BOOK II. 


EARLIEST WESTERN POEMS. 


THE subjects of the poems in this Book are all of mythical origin. 
They belong to what we take, from considerations treated in the 
Introduction, to be the beginning of a Western School of Poetry. 


The metre employed is chiefly that of the old ethical poems. 


SECTION 1 comprises those encyclopedic poems which are evidently 
intended for teaching purposes (mythological primers, as it were), 
each poem having its own proper framework. 


SECTION 2 contains what is left of the work of a single great poet, 
a Norse Aristophanes of the Western Islands, treating mythology in 
his own humourous way. 


SECTION 3. Fragments of lost mythical poems of almost the same 
date and subject as others in this Book. 


§ 1. DIDACTIC MYTHOLOGY. 


VAFPRUDNIS-MAL. 
THE LESSONS OF GIANT WAFTHRUDNI. 


FounD in R and partly (the end, from I. 73) in A (A.M. 748). It 
was upon this poem and the Sibyl’s prophecy that Snorri based his 
eschatology in Edda, where the paraphraser makes use of the following 
verses, 10-13, 17, 19-38, 41-42, 47-48, 51-543 cited are vv. 17, 31-32, 
36, 38, 42. It treats mainly of cosmogony and cosmography, and re- 
presents the popular view rather than the speculative and spiritual ideas 
of wise men. 

The first scene is in Walhall between Woden and his wife. The 
next scenes lie in Giantland in the wise Giant’s Hall, where Woden 
presents himself to make trial of wits, answering the giant’s questions 
for a time, till it is his turn,.when he asks the giant many hard things, 
and at last one which he cannot answer, thus (as had been agreed on 
between them) forfeiting his head. 

The text is in a fair condition. One verse, an interpolation, has 
been put down in a foot-note. Of another verse we have a duplicate 
version, one in Grimnism4l, Its true place is here, hence our verse 20. 


I. 


1. 06. R4? pu mer nt, Frigg, allz mik fara tfdir 
at vitja Vafpriidniss : 
forvitni mikla kved-ek mer a fornom stafom 
vid pann inn al-svinna iatun. 
2. Frigg. Heima letja ek munda Herja-fador 5 
q: { gordom goda: 
pvi-at engi iatun ek hugda iafn-raman 
sem Vafprtidni vesa. 
3. Ob. Fiald ek fér; fiald ek freistadak ; 
q: fiold ek reynda regin: 10 





First SCENE.—Lidskialf in Walhall. Woden and Frigg. 


1. Woden. Counsel me, Frigg, now I am longing to visit Wafthrudni 
(Webstrong). I have a great mind to cap staves of old with that wise 
Giant.—Frigg. I counsel thee, Father of hosts, to stay at home in the 
seat of the gods. For I never knew of a giant so wise as Wafthrudni.— 
Woden. Far have I travelled, much have I se@n, many beings have I 


62 DIDACTIC MYTHOLOGY. [ BK. II. 


Hitt vil ek vita hve Vafpridniss 
sala-kynni sé. 
4. Frigg. Heill pu farir! Heill pi aptr komir! 
; Heill pi 4 sinnom sér! 
@é6i per dugi hvars pt skalt, Alda-fadr ! 15 
ordom mela iatun. 


II. 
5. O8.  Heill pi nu, Vafprudnir, ni em-ek f hall kominn 
q. 4 pik sialfan sid: 
Hitt vil-ek fyrst vita ef pu frédr sér 
eda al-svidr, izotunn! 20 


6. Vafb. Hvat es pat manna, es { mfnom sal 
q. verpomk ordi 4? 
ut bu ne komir érom hallom ofra 
nema pu inn snotrari sér. 
7. OO.  Gagnrddér ek heiti; ni emk af gongo kominn 25 
q. pyrstr til pfnna sala; 
ladar purfi hefi-ek lengi farit, 
ok pinna andfanga, iatunn ! 
8. Vafp. Hvi pa pa, Gagnrddér, meelisk af golfi fyr? 
q- fardu { sess { sal! 30 
pa skal freista hv4rr fleira viti 
gestr eda inn gamli pulr. 





known; but now I will find out how Wafthrudni’s household stands.— 
Frigg. Farewell in thy going! farewell in thy coming back! farewell on 
thy way! may thy wits stand thee in good stead, when thou, Sire of 
men, hast to cap words with the Giant. 


SECOND SCENE.—Giantland, in the Giant’s hall, Woden standing before 
Wafthrudni. 


5. Woden. I greet thee now, Wafthrudni! I am come here to thy 
hall to see thee. First, I must know if thou art a wise and learned 
Giant.—Wafthr. Who is this man that speaks to me in my hall? Thou 
shalt never leave this hall alive except thou prove the wiser of us two. 
— Woden. Ganger is my name; I am just come off the road thirsty to 
thy hall. I have yearned on my long journey for thy bidding and hos- 
pitality, O Giant.—Wafthr. Why dost thou stand and speak from the 
floor? take thy seat in the hall! Now shall it be proved who is the 





15. or, add. R, 
16. R adds— Fér pa Odinn at freista ord-speki 
pess ins al-svinna iotuns, 
at hdllo hann kom es Atti Ims fadir; 
inn gekk Ygegr pegar; i.e.— 
Then Woden went to cap wisdom with the Giant. He came to the Giant’s 
hall, and in he went.—An epic verse most surely interpolated. 
22. Read, verpomk vordi 4? 


$1] VAFPRUDNIS-MAL. 63 


g. 086. Gaudigt maor es til audigs koemr 
q. meeli parft eda pegi: 
ofr-mcelgi mikil hygg-ek at flla geti 35 
hveim-es vid kald- rifjadan koemr. 
10. Va/P. Segdu mer, Gagnradr, allz pu 4 golfi vill 
q: pins um freista frama: 
Hve s4 hestr heitir es hverjan dregr 


Dag of drétt-mago? 40 
11. O83.  Skin-faxi heitir es inn skfira dregr 
qs Dag um drétt-mago, 


hesta baztr pykkir hann med Hreidgotom ; 
ee lysir meaon af mari. 
12, Vafp. Segdu pat, Gagnrdadr, allz pu 4 golfi vill 45 
q: pins um freista frama: 
Hve sa idr heitir es austan dregr 
Nott of nyt regin? 
13. O03.  Hrfm-faxi heitir es hverja dregr 
q: Nott of nyt regin ; 50 
mél-dropa fellir hann morgin hvern ; 
padan koemr dagg um dala. 
14. Vafp. Segdu pat, Gagnrddr, allz pu 4 golfi vill 
q: pins um freista frama : 
Hve sti 4 heitir es deilir med Iatna sonom 55 
grund ok med Godom? 
15s. O8. [fing heitir 4, es deilir med Iatna sonom 


q: grund ok med Godom; 
opin renna hon skal um aldr-daga ; 
vedrat iss 4 4. 60 
16. Vafp. Segdu pat, Gagnrddr, allz pu 4 golfi vill 
; q: pins um freista frama: 





wiser, the Guest or the old Sage.—Woden. When a poor man comes to 
a rich man, Jet him speak something to the point or else hold his peace. 
Great babbling turns to ill, when one encounters a cold-hearted man. 

10. Wafthr. Tell me, Ganger, as thou wilt try thy luck from the 
floor, What is that horse called, that draws every day over mankind ?— 
Woden. Sheenmane is its name, the horse that draws the bright day 
over mankind. The Red-Goths hold him the best of horses; ever 
glimmers that steed’s mane. 

12. Wafthr. Tell me, Ganger, etc., What is that steed called that 
draws the night from east over the blessed Powers ?—Woden. Rime- 
mane is the horse called, which, etc. Every morning the foam drops 
from his mouth; hence comes the dew in the valleys. 

14. Wafthr. Tell me, G., etc., What is the river called which parts 
the land between the sons of Giants and the Gods ?—Woden. Ifing its 
name is, etc. Open it runs for ever; no ice comes on it. 

16. Wafthr. Tell me, G., etc., What is that plain called where Swart 
and the sweet gods shall gather for battle ?—Woden. Wigrid that plain is 





43. Reidgotom, R, 50. offok, R, 


64 DIDACTIC MYTHOLOGY. [ BK. II. 


Hve sa vallr heitir es finnask vigi at 
Surtr ok in svaso god. 
17. OO.  Vigridr heitir vaollr es finnask vigi at 65 
q. Surtr ok in sv@so 966, 
hundrad rasta hann es 4 hverjan veg; 
si es peim vallr vitadr. 
18. Vafp. Fréédr erti nt, gestr, Far-pu 4 bekk iatuns, 
: ok mzlomk { sessi saman! 70 
hafdi vedja vid skolom hallo {, 
gestr, um ged-speki. 


19. OO.  Segdu pat id ena, ef pitt &8i dugir, 
q. ok pu, Vafprudnir, vitir : 
Hvadan Iard um kom eda Upp-himinn 75 
fyrst, inn frdé6i iatunn? 
20. Vafp. Or Ymiss holdi vas Iard um skapud, 
: enn or beinom biarg: 
himinn or hausi ins hrim-kalda iatuns, 
enn or sveita sidr: 80 
enn or hans brém geerdo blfd regin 
midgard manna sonom: 
enn or hans heila véro pau in hard-mddgo 
sky all um skapué. 
21. OO.  Segdu pat annat, ef pitt di dugir, 85 
q. ok pu, Vafprddnir, vitir : 
Hvadan M4ni um kom, s4 es ferr menn yfir, 
eda Sél id sama? 
22. Vafp. Mundilfceri heitir hann es Mana fadir 
q. ok sva Sdlar id sama; go 
himin hverfa pau skolo hverjan dag 
aldom at 4r-tali. 





called, etc. A hundred miles it is every way. This is their pitched 
battle-field. 

18. Wafthr. Thou art wise indeed, O guest. Come up to my bench, 
and let us sit and talk together! Guest, let us wager our heads on our 
wisdom. 

Now comes the real trial, and Woden’s turn to question. 

19. Woden. Tell me, firstly, O Wafthrudni, if thy wisdom can tell it 
thee, and thou knowest it, Whence came the Earth or the Heavens 
above in the beginning, thou wise Giant ?—Wafthr. Out of Ymis’ flesh 
the earth was made, and the mountains from his bones; the heavens 
from the skull of that rime-cold giant; but from his blood the sea; 
and from his brows the blithe gods made the earth for the sons of 
men; but from his brains were all the threatening clouds made. 

21. Woden. Secondly, tell me, etc., Whence the Moon is come that 
rides above men, and the Sun likewise ?—Wafthr. Mundilfori (Fire- 
auger) was the father of the Moon and also of the Sun; they must 
wheel round the heavens every day to tell men the seasons. 





81-84. Added from an insertion in Grimnismal. 


§1.] VAFPRUDNIS-MAL. 65 


23. O38.  Segdu pat id Arida, allz pik svinnan kveda, 
q. ok pu, Vafpridnir, vitir: 
Hvadan Dagr um kom, sa-es ferr drétt yfir, 95 
eda N6étt med nidom? 
24. Vafp. Dellingr heitir, hann es Dags fadir, 
' enn Nott vas Nervi: borin; 
ny ok nid sképo nyt regin 
aldom at 4r-tali. 100 
25. O8 Segdu pat id fidrda, allz pik fré6dan kveda, 
q. ok pu, Vafprudnir, vitir: 
Hvadan Vettr um kom eda varmr Sumarr 
fyrst med fr66 regin? 
26. Vafp. Vind-svalr heitir, hann es Vetrar fadir, 105 
q: enn Sv4suér Sumars 


27. O38.  Segdu pat id fimia, allz pik frddan kveda, 
q. ok pt, Vafprudnir, vitir : 
Hverr Iatna ellztr edr Ymiss nidja 
yroi { 4rdaga? 110 
28. Vafp. Orcefi vetra 4dr veri iord um skapud 
q pa vas Ber-gelmir borinn ; 
brid-gelmir vas pess fadir, 
enn Or-gelmir afi. 
29. O38.  Segdu pat id sééa, allz pik svinnan kveda 115 
q. ok pu, Vafpridnir, vitir: 
Hvadan Or-gelmir kom med Iatna sonom 
fyrst, inn fr6di iatunn? 
30. Vafp. Or Eli-vogom stukko eitr-dropar 
q. sv4 6x unz or vard iatunn; 120 





23. Woden. Thirdly, tell, etc., Whence the Day came that passes over 
mankind, and the Night with her new moons ?—Waftdr. Delling is the 
name of the father of Day; but Night was Norwi’s daughter. The blessed 
gods shaped the full moons (ny) and new moons (nid) to tell men the 
seasons. 

25. Woden. Fourthly, tell me, etc., Whence came the Winter and the 
warm Summer in the beginning, among the wise Powers ?—Wafthr. 
Wind-chill is the name of the father of Winter, but Sweet-mood of 
Summer.... 

27. Woden, Fifthly, tell me, etc., Which of the Giants or the sons of 
Ymi was the eldest in the beginning ?—Wafthr. Winters unnumbered 
ere earth was fashioned was Berwhelm born; Thrudwhelm was his 
father, and Orwhelm his grandsire. 

29. Woden. Sixthly, tell me, etc., Whence did Orwhelm come among 
Giant-kind in the beginning, thou wise Giant ?—Wafthr. From the Bay 
of Sleet poisonous drops beat, which grew into a giant. Thence is 
the whole of our race sprung ; hence it is altogether grisly. 





103. vetr... varmt Sumar, R. 109. Iavtna] emend,; asa, R. 114. 
Avrgelmir, here and below, R. > 


F 


66 DIDACTIC MYTHOLOGY. [BK. 11. 


par ero érar ettir komnar allar saman; 
pvi es pat ee allt til atalt. 
31. O86.  Segdu pat id szaunda, allz pik svinnan kveda, 
q: ok pu, Vafprddnir, vitir: 
Hve sa barn gat enn baldni iatunn, 125 
es hann hafdit g¥gjar gaman? 
32. Vafb. Undir hendi vaxa kvodo Hrim-pursi 
; mey ok mag saman; 
fétr vid feeti gat ins frééa iatuns 


sex-hafdadan son. 130 
33. O8.  Segdu pat id da, allz pik svinnan kveda, 
q. ok pu, Vafprddnir, vitir: 


Hvat pu fyrst um mant, eda fremst um veitzt; 
pu ert alsvidr iatunn? 
34. Vafp. Orcefi vetra 46r veri iord um skapud 135 
: pa vas Ber-gelmir borinn: 
pat ek fyrst um man, es s4 inn fré66i iatunn 
4 vas lidr um lagidr. 
35. O8.  Segdu pat id munda, allz pik svinnan kveda, 
q. ok pu, Vafprddnir, vitir: 140 
Hvadan vindr um koemr s4-es ferr vag yfir; 
ge menn hann sialfan um sia? 
36. Va/>. Hre-svelgr heitir, es sitr 4 himins enda, 
‘ izotunn f arnar ham; 
af hans vengjom kveda vind koma 145 
alla menn yfir. 
37. Ob.  Segdu pat id “wnda, allz pt tiva rak 
q- coll, Vafprddnir, vitir : 
Hvaéan Niawrdr um kom or Noa-tinom? 
Hofom ok hargom hann redr hunn-margom, 150 
ok vardaé hann Asom alinn. 





31. Woden, Seventhly, tell me, etc., How did this sturdy giant beget 
sons, since he knew not giantess ?—Wafthr. A maid-child and man-child 
grew together from under his arm-pit. Foot begat with foot a six- 
headed son to that wise giant. 

33. Woden. Eighthly, tell me, etc., What earliest thou knowest, and 
what thou rememberest furthest back, thou wise Giant ?>—Wafthr. 
Winters unnumbered ere Earth was fashioned Berwhelm was born. 
The first thing I know of is when this wise giant was laid in the Ark. 

35. Weden. Ninthly, tell me, etc., Whence comes the Wind, which 
blows over waves, but is never seen?—Wafthr. Carrion-gulper is he 
called, a giant in eagle’s shape, that sits at the end of heaven; from 
under his wings the wind that blows over all men is said to come. 

37. Woden. Tenthly, tell me, etc., Whence Niord from Noatun came 
among the Anses; he rules over countless temples and high places; yet 
he was not Anse-born?—Wafthr. In Wane-world the wise Powers 





125. baldni] A; alldni, R. 130. sex-, A; serh-, R, 131. svinnan} 
frddan, R. 149. or Noatuinom]emend.; med Asa sonom, R and A, 


§1.] VAFPRUDNIS-MAL. 64 


38. Vaf>. { Vana-heimi sképo hann vis Regin 
q. ok seldo at gislingo godom: 
f aldar-raok hann mun aptr koma 


heim med visom Vanom. 155 
39. O8.  Segdu pat et edhpia, es pik svinnan kveda . 
q. ok pu, Vafprudnir, vitir :— 


vat Teiniesgeee 6a a te Gs 
dins tinom {?] 
40. Vafp. Allir Einherjar Odins tinom f 160 
q: hoeggvask hverjan dag; 
val peir kidsa ok rida vigi fra; 
sitja meirr um sattir saman. 
41. O83. Segdu pat id flffa; hvi pu tiva rok 
q: all, Vafprudnir, vitir? 165 
Fr4 Iatna rinom ok allra goda 
segir pu id sannasta, 
inn alsvinni iatunn! 
42. Vafp. Fra Iwtna rinom ok allra goda 
q: ek kann segja satt; 170 
pvi-at hvern hefik heim um komit: 
Nio kom-ek heima fyr Niflhel nedan; 
hinig deyja or Heljo halir. 
43. OO. Fiald ek for, fiald ek freistadak, 
q: fiold ek um reyndak regin: 175 
Hvat lifir manna pa-es inn mera Ifdr 
Fimbul-vetr med firom? 
44. Vafp. Lif ok Lif-prasir, enn pau leynask muno 
q: { holti Hodd-mimiss ; 
morgin-deeggvar pau ser at mat hafa, 180 
enn padan af aldir alask. 





made him, and gave him to the Gods (Anses) for a hostage. In the 
doom of the Age he shall come back again home to the wise Wanes. 

39. Woden. Tell me, eleventh, etc... . (mangled text)—Wafthr. All the 
Chosen Host in Woden’s Court meet together in sword-play every day; 
they choose the slain, and ride from the battle, and then sit down at 
peace together. 

41. Woden. Twelfthly, tell me, Why thou, Wafthrudni, knowest all the 
fate of the Gods? Thou speakest most truly of the mysteries of the 
Giants and all the Gods, thou all-wise Giant.—Wafthr. Of the mys- 
teries of the Giants and all the Gods I can speak truly, for I have been 
in every world, I have been in nine worlds, (even) underneath the Hell 
of Clouds, Hither die the men from Hell (a second death). 

43. Woden. Far have I travelled, tried untold things, explored untold 
worlds, etc.: What men shall be left alive when the Monster-winter 
has passed away ?—Wafthr. Lif [Sample] and Lifthrasi shall be hidden 
away in Hoardmimi’s holt. They shall feed on the dews of morning 
and from thence a new generation shall spring. 





156-159, partly mended by guess ; Segdu pat et xi. hvag ytar tunom { havggvaz 
hverian dag. Val peir kiosa.., saman, R. 178. Lifprasir] A; Leifprasir, R. 
F 2 


68 DIDACTIC MYTHOLOGY. [ BK. 11. 
45. O68. Fialdé ek fér, fiald ek freistadak, 


q. ficld ek um Teyndak regin: 
Hvadan koemr S6l 4 inn slétta himin, 
pa-es pessa hefir Fenrir farit? 185 
46. Vafp. Eina déttor berr Alf-radull 
q. 4dr hana Fenrir fari: 


Su skal rida, pa es regin deyja, 
médor brautir meer, 
47. OO. Fiald ek fér, fiald ek freistadak, 190 
q: fiold ek um reyndak regin : 
Hyverjar ro. per meyjar es yfir mar-lida 
fr66-gedjadar fara? 
48. Vafp. Prjar pidd-4r falla porp yfir 
7 meyja Mag~-prasiss ; 195 
Hamingjor einar per es { heimi ero; 
pé per med Iwtnom alask. 
49. O8. Fiald ek fér, fiald ek freistadak, 
q. fiol6 ek um reyndak regin : 
Hverir rada sir eignom goda 200 
pa es sloknar Surta-logi? 
50. Vafp. Vidarr ok Vali byggja vé goda 


Gg: pa es sloknar Surta-logi ; 
M6éi ok Magni skolo Miollni hafa 
Vingnis at vig-proti. 205 
51. O38. Fiald ek for, fiald ek freistadak, 
q: fiold ek um reynda regin: 


Hvat verdr Odni at aldr-lagi 
pa-es um ritfask regin? 
52. Vafp. Ulfr gleypa mun Alda-fador; 210 
q: pess mun Vidarr vreka ; 





° 


45. Woden. Far have I, etc.: Whence shall come the Sun on their 
burnished heaven, when the Wolf shall have destroyed this one ?— 
Wafthr. The Sun shall bear a daughter ere the Wolf destroy her; that 
maid shall ride, when the powers have passed away, along the paths of 
her mother. 

47. Woden. Far have I, etc.: Who are the maids, the wise-minded, 
who ride above the mariners ?—Wafthr. Three great rivers fall over the 
croft of the Maids of Mogthrasi (the Fates), Only their images are in 
the world, whilst they themselves dwell with the Giants. 

49. Woden. Far have I, etc.: Which of the Anses shall own the dominion 
of the Gods, when Swart’s Fire is quenched ?>—Wafthr. Widar and Wali 
shall inhabit the city of the Gods, when Swart’s fire is quenched; Mood 
and Main shall have Miollni [the Hammer] after Wingni’s (Thor’s) last 
battle. 

51. Woden. Far have I, “etc.: What shall be the death of Woden, 
when the powers fall in ruin ?—Wafthr. The Wolf shall swallow the 





192. Emend. by guess; er liba mar yfir, R. 196. per es] A; peirra, R 
205. Thus A; vinna at vigproti, R. 211. reka, R, 


§1.] GRIMNIS-MAL. 69 


kalda kiapta hann klyfja mun 
Vitniss vigi at. 
53. O38. Fiald ek fér, fiald ek freistadak, 
q: fiold ek um reyndak regin: 215 
Hvat melti Odinn, 46r 4 bal stigi, 
sialfr { eyra syni? 
54. Vafh. Ey manni pat veit, hvat pu { ardaga 
; sagdir { eyra syni:— 
Feigom munni melta-ek mina forna stafi, 220 
ok um Ragna-rak: 
Nu ek vid Odin deildak mfna ord-speki. 
Pu ert z visastr vera! 


GRIMNIS-MAL, or 
THE SAYINGS OF THE HOODED ONE. 


FOUND complete in two sister MSS., R and A. Copious quotations 
and paraphrases of the same text are found in Snorri’s Edda (GG), 
VV. 5, 6, 10-15, 19-30, 32, and Appendix, vv. 1-7, 9. One verse (25) 
lost in our vellums is preserved there also in paraphrase. The text of 
Snorri had the same interpolations as ours. 

The subject is celestial geography. The framework is the visit of 
Woden in disguise to a certain wise but cruel king, Geirrod, who, not 
knowing his rank, seizes his guest and binds him between the fires on 
the hearth to torture him, denying him food or drink. On the third 
day, Agnar, the king’s son, takes pity on him and offers him a beaker 
of mead, whereupon he speaks, and after giving his treasure of old lore 
blesses the young man, and by the death of his father, which he brings 
about, endows him with the kingdom. — 

The text is doubly interpolated, first owt of a similar poem in which 
Woden is speaking without disguise, which of course is quite incom- 
patible with the plan of our story (the fragments of this poem we have 
eliminated and subjoined in an Appendix); the second are memorial 
verses of a different metre. 

One verse between 1 and 2 is put in a foot-note, being epic and in 
different metre. 


I. EITR ertu, hripudr, ok heldr til mikill. 
Gangomk firr funi! 





Sire of Men; Widar shall revenge him, he shall rend the cold jaws of 
the Beast and slay him. 

53. Woden. Far have 1, etc.: What did Woden whisper in his son’s 
ear before he mounted the Pyre?—-Wafthr. No being knows what thou 
long ago didst whisper in thy son’s ear. With a doomed mouth have I 
set forth my old lore, and the world’s doom, now that I have striven in 
speech with Woden. Thou shalt be ever the wisest of all! 


THE SCENE, Grimni (Woden in disguise) in the hall of King Geirrod, staked 
between two fires, without food or drink. -Agnar, the King’s son, hands 
the prisoner a goblet of wine. Then Woden breaks forth into song,— 


1. Grimni.—Hor thou art, flame, and far too gfeat! Fall back from me, 





70 DIDACTIC MYTHOLOGY. [BK. 11. 


Loéi svidnar, pétt ek 4 lopt berak; 
brennomk feldr fyrir. 
2. Heill skaltti, Agnarr, allz pik heilan bidr 5 
Vera-tyr vesa ; 
eins drykkjar pu skalt aldregi 
betri giald geta. 


3. Land es heilagt es ek liggja sé 
Asom ok Alfom ner: 10 
Enn { bréid-heimi skal Pérr vesa 
v unz ritifask regin. 
4. Ydalir heita, par-es Ullr hefir 
ser um goerva sali: 
Alfheim Frey gadfo { 4r-daga 15 
tivar at tann-fé. 
5. Beer es sa inn pridi es blié regin 
silfri pakdo sali: 
Vala-skialf heitir es vzlti ser 
ss { ar-daga. 20 
6. Soekkva-bekkr heitir inn fidréi, enn par svalar knego 
unnir yfir glymja: 
par pau Odinn ok Sf4ga drekka um alla daga 
glad or gollnom kerom. 
7. Gladés-heimr heitir inn fimti pars en goll-biarta 25 
Valheaoll vid of prumir: 
enn bar Hroptr kyss hverjan dag 
vapn-daudéa vera. 





flame! My fur is singed, though I hold it aloft. My fur burns on me. 
(Here Agnar reaches him the cup.) 

2. Woden. Hail to thee, Agnar, the God of men bids thee hail. 
Never for one draught shalt thou get better guerdon. (Here Woden 
breaks forth in song):— 

3-16. A holy land I see nigh Anses and Elves. Ever in Thrudham Thor 
shall dwell till the fall of the Powers. Yeavdales they are called where 
Wuldor has built him a hall; E/fsam the Gods gave to Frey in olden 
time for a tooth-fee. There is the third mansion, which the blessed Gods 
thatched with silver: it is called Wale-shelf, the Anse (Thor) bought 
it in the olden time. Sunkbench the fourth is called, where the cold waves 
ever murmur above; there Woden and the Seeress drink every day 
joyfully out of golden cups. Gladbam the fifth is called, where the gold- 
bright wide Walhball towers ; there the Sage (Woden) chooses every day 
weapon-dead men. That hall is very easy to know for all that come to 





4. Rhere adds— Atta netr sat ek milli elda her 
své at mer mangi mat ne baud 
nema einn Agnarr, es einn skal raéa 
Geirrédar sonr Gotna landi; i.e.— 


I sat here eight nights between the fires, while nobody offered me morsel, save 
Agnar alone, who alone of Geirrod’s sons shall rule the land of the Goths, 





§ 1] GRIMNIS-MAL. nt 


8. Miak es aud-kennt peim-es til Odins koma 
sal-kynni at sid: 30 
skaptom es rann rept, skialdom es salr pakidr, 
brynjom um bekki str4é. 
9. Miak es aud-kent peim-es til Odins koma 
sal-kynni at sid: 
vargr hangir fyr vestan dyrr, 35 
ok drupir srn yfir. 
to. brym-heimr es enn sétti, es Piazi bid, 
sa inn amatki iatunn: 
enn nt Skaéi byggvir, skir brédr goda, 
fornar toptir fador. 40 
11. Breida-blik ero in siaundo, enn par Baldr hefir 
ser um goerva sali: 
4 pvi landi es ek liggja veit 
feesta feikn-stafi. 
12. Himin-biarg ero en Atto, enn bar Heimdall 45 
kveda valda veom: 
par varér goda drekkr { vero ranni 
glaér inn géda miad. 
13. Folk-vangr es inn niundi, enn par Freyja redr 
sessa kostom f sal: 59 
halfan val hon kyss_ hverjan dag, 
-enn halfan Odinn 4. 
14. Glitnir es inn tiundi, hann es golli studdr 
ok silfri pakdr id sama: } 
enn par Forseti byggir flestan dag BS 
ok sveefir allar sakar. 
15. Noa-ttin ero en ellifto, enn par Niardr hefir 
ser um goerva sali ; 
manna pengill enn meins-vani 
ha-timbrodom hargi rer. 60 





visit Woden; the house is raftered with shafts, the hall is thatched with 
shields, the benches are strewn with mail-coats. That hall is, etc. A wolf 
hangs before the west door, an eagle hovers above it. Thrymbam the 
sixth is called, where Thiazi dwelt, that foul giant; but Skathi, the fair 
bride of the Gods, now dwells in her father’s old home. Broad-d/ink is 
the seventh, there Balder has made him a hall; the land in which the 
fewest curses lie [the most blessed of lands]. Heavenhold is the eighth, 
where they say Heimdall rules over the fane; here the glad watchman 
of the Gods drinks the goodly mead in the peaceful hall. Fo/king is the 
ninth, where Freyja orders the seats in the hall: she chooses half the 
slain every day, but Woden the other half. G/istener is the tenth, its 
pillars are of gold and it is thatched with silver: here Forseti (Judge) 
lives every day, settling all causes. Noaton is the eleventh; there Niord 
has built him a hall; the guileless helper of men rules a high-timbered 
altar-place, > 


72 DIDACTIC MYTHOLOGY. [BK. II. 


16. Hrisi vex ok h@ grasi 
Vidars landi Vidi: 
enn par magr ‘of lezk’ af mars baki 
froéekn at hefna fador. 
17. bytr pund, unir piddvitniss 65 
fiskr f166i {: 
4r-straumr pykkir of mfkill 
val-glaumni at vada. 
18. Val-grind heitir es stendr velli 4 
heilag fyr helgom durom; 70 
forn es si grind; enn pat fair vito 
hve hén es f l4s um lokin. 
19. Fimm hundrudéd dura ok um fiérom togom, 
své hygg-ek 4 Valhallo vesa: 
Atta hundrud Einherja ganga senn or einom durom = 75 
pa-es peir fara vid Vitni at vega. 
20. Heidrin heitir geit, es stendr hallo 4 Herja-fadors 
ok bftr af Lerads limom: 
skap-ker fylla hon skal ins skfra miadar ; 
knaat si veig vanask. 80 
21. Eikpyrnir heitir hiaortr, es stendr 4 hallo Herja-fadrs 
ok bitr af Lerads limom: 
enn af hans hornom drypr # Hvergelmi; 
padan eigo vatn all vega. 
22. Kermt ok Ormt ok Kerlaugar tveer, 85 
per skal Pérr vada 
dag hvern es hann doéma ferr 
at aski Ygg-drasils: 
pvi-at As-brii brenn all loga; 
heilag vaotn hloa. go 
23. Gladér ok Gyllir, Gler ok Skeidé-brimir 
Silfrin-toppr ok Sinir, 





Wood, the land of Widar, is overgrown with sprouts and high grass; 
here the son [shall mount on] horseback to avenge his father. 

Lie ee one verse). 

18-19. Wal-gate is the gate’s name: it stands on the holy plain 
before the holy doors. It is an ancient gate, but few know how it is 
locked. Five hundred and forty doors there are to Wal-hall I ween. 
Eight hundred of the Chosen shall go out of each door at one time, 
when they go forth to fight the Beast. 

20-21. Heathrun is the name of the goat that stands on the hall of 
the Father of Hosts and bites at the boughs of Learad (a tree). She 
shall fill a vat with pure mead which shall never fail. Oakthorn is the 
name of the hart that stands on the hall of the Father of Hosts and 
bites at the boughs of Learad: his horns drip into the Boiling-cauldron 
[Tartarus], whence come all the rivers on earth. . 

22-23. Kormth and Wormth and the two Charlocks Thor must 





68. glaumai] AS gnats, R. 





§1.] -GRIMNIS-MAL. 13 


Gis] ok Fal-héfnir, Goll-toppr ok Létt-feti, 
peim rida Asir idm 
dag hvern es peir dcema fara 95 
at Aski Ygg-drasils. 
24. Prj4r roétr standa 4 pria vega 
undan aski Ygeg-drasils: 
Hel byr und einni, annarri Hrim-pursar, 
pridjo mennzkir menn. 100 
ae. i ; : ‘ ‘ t 
26. Rata-Toskr heitir es renna skal 
at aski Ygeg-drasils : 
arnar-ord hann skal ofan bera, 
ok segja Nfdhceggvi nidr. 
27. Hirtir ro ok fiorir peirs af ‘hefingar 4’ 105 
gag-halsir gnaga: 
Dainn ok Dvalinn, Duneyrr ok Dura-pror. 
28. Ormar fleiri liggja und aski Ygg-drasils, 
an pat of hyggi hverr ésvidra apa: 
Goinn ok Moinn, beir ro Grafvitniss synir, 110 
Grdbakr ok Grafvalludr : 
Ofnir ok Svafnir hygg-ek at « skyli 
meids kvisto ma. ; 
29. Askr Ygg-drasils dr¥gir ervidi 
meira an menn viti: 115 
hizrtr bftr ofan, enn 4 hlido ftinar, 
skeréir Nfdhceggr nedan. 
3o. Arvakr ok Alsvidr skolo upp hedan 
svangir S6l draga: 





wade every day when he goes to court at the ash Ygg’s-steed, for the 
Anse-bridge burns all aflame, and the holy waters bellow. Gleed and 
Gylli, Gler and Skidbrim, Silvertop and Sini, Hostage and Fallow-hoof, 
Goldcrest and Lightfoot, these steeds the Anses ride every day when 
they go to court at the ash Ygg’s-steed. 

24-29. Three roots stretch three ways under the ash Ygg’s-steed. 
Hell dwells under one, the Frost Giants under the second, mortal men 
under the third. [An eagle sits in the branches of the ash Ygg’s-steed, 
called ...., and between his eyes sits a hawk, that is called Weather- 
pale.| Rat-tusk is the name of the squirrel that runs up and down the 
ash Ygg’s-steed: he carries the Eagle’s words down and tells them to 
the Serpent below. There are four bow-necked Harts that gnaw the 
{high shoots]: Dain and Dwalin, Duneyr and Durathror. More serpents 
lie under the ash Ygg’s-steed than any foolish ape can know: Goin and 
Moin the sons of Grave-wolf, Greyback and Gravedigger, O. and S., 
I know will for ever be boring at the roots of the tree. The ash 
Ygg’s-steed suffers greater hardships than men know of. The hart 
bites its root, and its side is rotting, the Serpent crops it below. 

30-32. The speedy Earlywaker and Allswift draw the Sun hence, 





100. Here one verse is dropped, of which Edda (Snorri) gives a paraphrase. 
1o1. Rata-toskr heitir tkorni, R (supernumerary). 10g, Ofundar ord, Edda. 113, 
kvisto] read rétom? 


"4 DIDACTIC MYTHOLOGY. [BK. 1. 


enn und peirra bégom flo blf{d regin, 120 
Adsir fsarn-kol. 
31. Svalinn heitir, es stendr Sdlo fyrir 
skialdr skinanda godi: 
biarg ok brim ek veit at brenna skolo 
ef hann fellr { fra. 125 
32. Skell heitir ulfr, es fylgir eno skfrleita godi 
‘til varna vidar:’ 
Enn annarr Hati, hann es Hroévitniss sonr, 
sa skal fyr heida brédi himins. 


33. Ullar hylli hefir ok allra goda 130 
hverr es tekr fyrstr 4 funa: 
pvi-at opnir heimar verda um Asa-sonom 
pa-es hefja af hvera. 


34. Olr ertu, Geirrcedr, hefr bi of-drukkit, 


miklo ertu hnugginn, es pu ert mfino gengi, 135 
allom Einherjom ok Odins hylli. 
35. Fiald ek ber sagdak, enn pu fatt um mant; 
of pik véla vinir! 
Meeki liggja ek sé mins vinar 
allan { dreyra drifinn. 140 
36. Egg-mdééan val ni mun Yger hafa; 
pitt veit ek lif um lidit ; 
uvar ro Disir. Nu knattu Odin sid. 
Nalgastu mik ef pu megir! 





and under their shoulders the blissful powers, the Anses, hid the cooling 
of iron. Cooler is the name of the shield that stands before that shining 
Goddess the Sun. Rocks and sea would burn up, I know, if .it fell 
down. Skulk is the name of the wolf that follows the fair-faced 
Goddess to .... But the other is called Hastener; he is the son of 
the Great Beast: he has to run before the bright bride of Heaven.... 

33. He has the favour of Wuldor and all the Gods who first touches 
the fire; for all worlds stand open before the Anses’ sons when the 
kettles are lifted. ... 

34-36. The end of the song. Here Woden reveals himself. 

Woden. Drunk art thou, Geirrod, too deep hast thou drunken, ’Tis 
grievous for thee to have forfeited my fellowship, that of all the 
Chosen Host, and Woden’s friendship. Often I told thee, but little 
thou mindedst it. Thy friends are betraying thee; I see my friend’s 
[thy] sword all dripping with blood. Now Woden shall soon have 
thy sword-worn corse, I know that thy life is at an end, the Sisters 
frown on thee. Now thou seest Woden. Come nigh me if thou canst! 
(Geirrod rises from the fire, and stumbles over his sword, which runs him 
through.) 





136. The quantity wrong, 





Pe ee ee ee eee 


§1.] GRIMNIS-MAL. 75 


APPENDIX. 


FRAGMENTS of a long poem imbedded in Grimnis-mal, telling the 
names of Woden, his exploits, etc. They are distinguished from the 
rest by the incompatibility with the plot of that Lay, which requires 
Woden to conceal himself till the end of the story. 


I. ND-HRIMNIR letr { Eld-hrimni 
See-hrfmni sodinn, 
fleska bazt; enn pat fair vito, 
vid hvat Einherjar alask. 
2. Gera ok Freka sedr gunn-tamidr 5 
hrédigr Herja-faodor ; 
enn vid vin eitt vapn-gafogr 
Sinn e lifir. 
3. Huginn ok Muninn flitiga hverjan dag 
Tarmun-grund yfir: 10 
Oumk-ek of Hugin at hann aptr ne komid; 
pé siamk meirr of Munin. 


4. Fimm hundruéd golfa, ok um fiorom togom, 
sv4 hygg-ek Bil-skirni med bugom ; 
ranna peirra es ek rept vita 15 
mins veit-ek mest magar. 


5. Hrist ok Mist vil-ek at mer horn beri, 
Skeggj-ald ok Skagul, 
Hildr ok bridér, Hlakk ok Herfiatur, 
Gall ok Geiranul, 20 
Randgrfd ok Rédgrid ok Regin-leif, 
per bera Einherjom ad. 


6. Ivalda synir gengo f 4rdaga 
Skféblaéni at skapa, 
skipa bazt skfrom Frey 25 
nytom Niardar bur. 





BREATH-SOOTY cooks Sea-sooty [the hog] in Fire-sooty [the kettle], 
the best of bacon, but few know what the Host of the Chosen live on. 

2-3. The glorious war-wont Father of Hosts feeds Greedy and Fierce 
[his two Wolves], but the weapon-blessed Woden lives on wine alone. 
Thought and Mind [his two Ravens] fly every day over the mighty earth: 
I fear for Thought lest he never come back, but I am still more fearful 
about Mind.... 

4-5. Five hundred and forty rooms in all there are in Clear-twinkling. 
I ween of all roofed halls my son’s (Thor’s) is the biggest. 

I will have Hrist and Mist (Walkyries) to give me the horn. S. and 
S. etc.; these serve ale to the Chosen Host. 

6. The sons of Iwald in the days of old set 2. ge building Skidblade, 
the best of ships, for the bright Frey, the blessed son of Niord. 


76 DIDACTIC MYTHOLOGY. [BK. II. 


7. Svipom hefi-ek nui ypt fyr Sigtiva sonom, 
vid pat skal vil-biorg vaka. 
zollom Asom pat skal inn koma 
AXgiss bekki 4, 30 
Aigiss drekko at. 
8. Hétomk Grimr, hétomk Gangleri, 
Herjan ok Hialmberi, 
Pekkr ok Pridi, Pudr ok Uér, 
Helblindi ok Har, 35 
Sadr ok Svipall ok Sann-getall, 
Herteitr ok Hnikarr . . — 
Eino nafni hétomk aldregi 
sizt ek med folkom fér. 
9. Grfmni mik heto at Geirradar, 40 
enn Ialk at Asmundar ; 
enn pba Kialar es ek kialka dré; 
Prér bingom at, 
io. ‘Widvir at vigom’ .... . 
Oski ok Omi, Iafn-hdrr ok Biflindi ; 45 
Geandlir ok Harbarér med Godom. 
11. Svidurr ok Svidrir es ek hét at Sakk-m{miss, 
ok dulda-ek pann inn aldna Iatun, 
pa-es ek Mié-vitniss vask ins mera burar 
oréinn einbani. 50 
12. Odinn ek ni heiti, Yggr ek 4dan hét, 
hétomk Pundr fyrir pat; 
Vakr ok Skilfingr, Vaofodr ok Hropta-tyr, 
Gautr ok Ialkr med godom. 
Ofnir ok Sv4fnir, es ek hygg at ordnir sé 55 
allir at einom mer. 





[Some reference to Eager’s banquet.] 

8-12. I was called Grim [mask]. I was called Traveller, Host- 
leader, Helm-bearer, etc. I never had one name since I walked 
among the natives. They called me Hooded at Geirrad’s, Ialk at As- 
mund’s, Keeler when I drew the sledges, Thro at assemblies, Widur 
in battle, .... Wish and Sough, Even-high and Sway-shield,.... 
Wizard and Hoar-beard among the Gods. Swithur and Swithri I was 
called at Sunk-Mimis [the giant of the abyss], when I fooled the 
. old giant, when single-handed I became the slayer of that famous son 
of Midwolf. Now I am called Woden, before that I was called Awe, 
and before that I was called Sage, Waker, etc. Gaut and _ lalk 
among the Gods, Opener and Sleep-maker,.... which, I think, all 
meet in me. 


§ 1.] MNEMONIC VERSES. 17 


MNEMONIC VERSES RELATING TO MYTHOLOGY. 


I. In Drpactic METRE. 


THEY are the most artless examples of the Teaching or Lesson- 
Lays, and are for the most part mere lists, poetically describing some 
part of the old mythology. The frame either never existed or is 
hopelessly lost. They were used for instruction and to aid the 
memory. 

a. From a lost Lay. List of Best Things. Found in Grimnis-mal, 
Rivers, etc. 

é. Thorgrim’s List. Fragments. Found in Edda (Sk). They tell the 
names of the famous Horses and Oxen of the epics and myths. 

c. The Moon-Pail fragment. Found in A.M. 748, with a paraphrase of 
another lost verse, which gives us the name of the well (Byrgi), wherein 
the pail was dipped, and of Widfinn, the father of the two children, 
Bil and Hiuki. Dante (Purgatorio, xviii. 76) has the same image :— 


La luna, quasi a mezza notte tarda 
facea le stelle a noi parer pid rade 
fatta com’ un secchione che tutto arda. 


d. Of the Tree Glass. A fragment preserved in Edda (Sk). 


II. IN Epic METRE. 


a. 1, 2, 3. Lists of Dwarves, Fates, and Walkyries found embedded 
in Wolo-spa, from which they are clearly distinguished by metre and 
style. 

3 Kalf’s Verses. Heroes and their steeds. Pieces of a lost mnemonic 
poem found in Edda (Sk). It may be compared with Thorgrim’s List. 

c. Of Woden’s Ravens. Found only in Skalda, 

d. Names of Woden from Grimnis-mal. 


is 
a. FRAGMENTS OF LosST Lay IN GRIMNIS-MAL. 


1. Best Things. 
d - Aescore Ygg-drasils hann es céztr vida, 
enn Sk{dbladnir skipa, 
Odinn Asa, enn ida Sleipnir, 
Bilraost brua, enn Bragi skalda 
Ha4br6k hauka, enn hunda Garmr 5 
ir . enn Brfmir sverda. 


2. Rivers. 


Sié ok Vid, Sekin ok kin, . 
Svavl ok Gunnbpro, Fiorm ok Fimbul-pul, 





a. 1. THE ash Ygg’s-steed is the best of trees, Skidblade of ships, 
Wodin of Anses, Slipper of horses, Bilrost of bridges, Bragi of poets, 
Highbreek of hawks, Garm of hounds, Brimi of swords, etc. 





6. enn Br, sverda] add. AM 798. 


78 DIDACTIC MYTHOLOGY. [BK. 11. 


Rin ok Rennandi, . . 
Gipul ok Gavpul, Gavmul ‘ok Geirvimul, 10 
per hverfa um hodd goda. 
Pyn ok Vin, Pavll ok Havll, 
Grad ok Gunnborin. 
Vina heitir ein, annor Vegsvinn, 
pridja Piodnuma ; 15 
Nyt ok Navt, Navnn ok Hravnn, 
Slié ok Hrid, Sylgr ok Yigr, 
Vid ok Van, Vavnd ok Stravnd, 
Giavll ok Leiptr, per falla gumnom ner, 
enn falla til Heljar hedan. 20 


&. Porcrrs-PuLa. 


1. Horses. 


RAFN ok Sleipnir es/ar Ageetir, 
Valr ok Léttfeti, vas par Tialdari, 
Golltoppr ok Goti, getid heyrdak Sota, 
Mér ok Luner med Mari. 
Vigg ok Stifr vas med Skeefadi, 5 
Pegn knatti Blakkr bera, 
Silfrin-toppr ok Sinir, sv4 heyrdak Faks of getit, 
Gollfaxi ok Iér med godom. i 
Blédughéfi hét hestr, es bera kvddo 
aofilgan Atrida, 10 
Gils ok Falhdéfnir, Gler ok Skeidbrimir, 
par vas ok Gylliss of getit. 





2. Oxen. 


Gamalla oxna neafn hefik gerla fregit, 

peirra Rauds ok Heiss, Rekinn ok Kyrr, 

Himinhrjétr ok Apli . . . . 15 , 
Arfr ok Arfuni. 


c. Tue Moon Patt. { 





Sder heitir s4r, enn Simul stang, | 
Bil ok Hiuki bera hann. | 





5. 1. RAVEN and Slipper, famous horses, Hawk and Lightfoot and 
Racer, Goldcrest and Goth, and I heard Soot reckoned, etc. Blanch 
bore Thane, etc. Bloodyhoof was the name of the horse that bore, 
they say, the mighty Atrid [Frey]. 2. I have enquired diligently into 
the old names of Oxen. Redetc..... and Dapple, Chattle and.... 


-c. THE pail is called Seg, the pole is called Simul, Bil and Hiuk carry 
them. 


§1.] MNEMONIC VERSES. 79 


d. Tue Tree Gtass. 


Grasir stendr med gollno laufi 
fyr Sigtys salom. 


II. 
a. FRAGMENTS FOUND IN VOLO-SPA. 


1. The Dwarves. 


Par [vas] Motsognir moeztr um ordinn 
dverga allra, enn Durinn annarr. . 
Nyi ok Nidi, Nordri ok Suri, 
Austri ok Vestri, Alpiofr, Dvalinn, 
Bivavrr, Bavavrr, Bavmburr, Nori, 5 
An ok Anarr, Ai, Miodvitnir, 
Veigr, ok Gandalfr, Vindalfr, Prainn, 
Pekkr ok Porinn, Pror, Vitr ok Litr, 
Nar ok Nyraér.—Nu hefi ek Dverga,— 
Reginn ok Rédsvidr—rétt um talda. 10 
Fili, Kili, Fundinn, Nali, 
Hepti, Vili, Hanarr, Sviorr, 
Frar, Hornbori, Fregr ok Loni, 
Avrvangr, lari, Eikinskialldi. 
MAl es Dverga { Dvalins lf6i 15 
liona kindom til Lofars telja, 
peir es sétto fra salar-steini 
Avrvanga siavtt til Id6rovalla: 
Par vas Draupnir ok Dolgprasir, 
Har, Havg-spori, Hlevangr, Gloi, 20 
Scirvir, Virvir, Scafidr, Ai, 
Alfr ok Yngvi, Eikin-skialdi, 
Fialarr ok Frosti, Finnr ok Ginnarr.— 
Pat man uppi, medan old lifir, 
lang-nidja-tal Lofars hafat. 25 


2. The Fates. 


Urd héto eina, adra Verdandi, 
skéro 4 skidi, Skuld ena pridjo. 





e GLAss stands with golden leaves before the hall of the Blessed 
God. 
II. 


a. 1. THE greatest of all Dwarves was Motsogni, the second Durin, 
Full Moon and New Moon, North, South, East and West, etc. It 
is time to count up the generations of the company of Dwale [the 
Dwarves] to Lofar, those Dwarves that went from Rock-halls, the seat 
of Loam-garden, to lIoroplain. There was Dripper, etc. This pedi- 
gree counted from Lofar shall remain as long as mankind lives. 

2. Weird they called the first of them, the second Becoming—they 
carved on a tablet—Shou/d the third. 


80 DIDACTIC MYTHOLOGY. [BK. I. 


3. The Walkyries. 


Skuld hélt skildi en Skagul annor, 

Gunnr, Hildr, Gandul ok Geirskagul,— 

Nu ero talédar nannor Herjans, 30 
goervar at rida. grund Valkyrjor. 


6. KALFS-vISA. 


1 = reid Drasli, enn Dvalinn Modni, 
Hialmpér Hafeta, enn Haki Faki, 
reid bani Belja Blédughéfa, 
enn Skevadi Skadi Haddingja ; 
Vesteinn Vali, enn Vivill Stufi; 3 5 
Meinpiofr Moi, enn Morginn Vakui ; 
Ali Hrafni, es til {ss skrido, 
enn annarr austr und Adilsi 
grar hvarfadi geiri undaér. 
Biorn reid Blakki, enn Biarr Kerti, 10 
Atli Glaumi, enn Adils Slungni, 
Hagni Haviqvi enn Haraldr Favlqvi, 
Gunnarr Gota, enn Grana Sigurér. 


c. From Eppa (Sxatpa). Woden’s Ravens. 


Fiuco hrafnar tveir af Hnikars axlom: 
Huginn til hanga, enn 4 hre Muninn. 


d. From Grimnis-maL. JVames of Woden. 
Bil-eygr, Bal-eygr, Bal-verkr, Fiolnir, 
Grimr ok Grimnir, Glap-svidr, Fiol-svidr, 
S{6-hattr, Sid-skeger, Sig-fadr, Hnikudr, 
Al-foodr, Val-foodr, Atridr, ok Farma-tyr. 





3. Should held the shield, and Skogul the second.... Now the 
nuns of Woden are told over, the Walkyries ready to ride over the 
land. 


5. Day rode Steed, but Dwale Moden; Helmtheow Highfoot; Haki 
Gelding; Beli’s slayer [Frey] Bloodyhoof; [Helgi] the Scathe of the 
Haddings rode Strider; Westan rode Wali, and Weevil rode Stump; 
Mantheow rode Moi; Morn rode Waker; Anila rode Raven (to the 
Battle) on the ice, whilst another, a Grey, wounded with the spear, 
turned east under Eadgils. 

Biorn rode Blanch; Biar rode Cart; Attila rode Gleam, but Eadgils 
rode Slungni; Hogni ‘rode Haulqui, and Harold Faulqui; Gunnar rode 
Goth, and Sigurd Grani. 


c. THERE flew two ravens from Woden’s NS Thought to the 
_ gallows, Mind to the carrion. 





4. Skadi] Skati, Cod. 


DS ween tS 











§1.] ALVISS-MAL. 81 


ALVISS-MAL: 
THE WISDOM OF ALLWISE THE DWARF. 


THIS little poem, which seems almost complete, is found in R only 
(leaves 19-20), save two verses (20 and 30) cited in Edda (Sk). The 
name is warranted by Edda and the superscription in R. It is plainly 
of Western origin, as there are several Gaelic words (niola, eti) intro- 
duced. The text in ll, 11-20 is not quite safe. 

The frame of the story is ingenious: Allwise the Dwarf, having 
entrapped the Gods into a promise of giving him Freya to wife, comes 
to claim her, but one of the Anses (probably Wingi, i.e. Woden, for 
the frank blunt character of Thor would by no means suit the part, 
though Wingthor is found in the MS.) contrives, by playing on his 
philological vanity, to keep him answering questions, till the sun rises 
and its rays falling on him turn him to stone. We have therefore 
put ‘W. q.’ in the margin, leaving undecided whether to read Wingthor 
or Wingi. The vellum has ‘porrq.’ Maybe the Dwarf first met Thor 
(Wingthor), whereupon Woden (Wingi) came up. In that case the 
dramatis persone would be three. 

The answers to the questions comprise a dictionary of synonyms for 
thirteen important words— Earth, Sky, Moon, Sun, Clouds, Wind, 
Calm, Sea, Fire, Wood, Night, Corn, and Ale. The different synonyms 
are brought in as being the speech of the different orders of living 
beings—Gods, Men, Wanes, Giants, Elves, Dwarves, the Dead within 
Hell, and the Higher Powers. Each verse can only take in six, and so 
the names are varied, only Men and Gods are constant items. As in 
Homer, the common Norse word for each object is given to Men, the 
older or rarer word (often Saxon or English) to the Gods, curious 
and foreign words to the Giants. The synonyms which are invented 
for the Dwarves and Elves are very fanciful and pretty, suited to the 
dark underground world of the pigmy miners, or the pathless fields of 
air in which the crew of Ariel disport themselves. 


I. 


1. Alviss EKKI breidi! Nt skal bridr med mer 
heim { sinni snuask; 
hratad um mezgi mun hverjom pikkja. 
Heima skalat hvfld nema! 





FIRST SCENE.—The door of the Dwarf’s cavern. He hurries in hot hasie 
to fetch his bride, telling his servants, as he leaves, to make ready 
Sor the wedding feast. 


Allwise (to his men): Deck the benches; the bride will soon be 
back with me. I am in great hurry for marriage, folk will say. There 
is no staying at home for me! 





I. breidi] emend, ; breipa, R. 3. Thégi, R. 
G 


82 DIDACTIC MYTHOLOGY. [BK. 11, 


Il. 


W.q. Hvat es pat fira? Hvf ertu sv4 falr um nasar? 5 
vastu { ndédtt med n4? 
pursa lfki pikkjomk 4 per vesa; 
ertattu til bridar borinn. 
Alviss Alviss ek heiti, b¥-ek fyr isord nedan; 
4-ek undir steini stad: 10 
Vagna vers em-ek 4 vit kominn, 
bregdi engi faosto heiti fira. 
4. W.qg. Ek man bregda, pvi-at ek briidar 4 
flest um rad sem fadir. 
Vaska-ek heima pA es per heitid vas, 15 
‘at sa einn es giavfer’ med godom. 
5. Alviss Hvat es pat rekka, es { rodom telsk 
q: flidds ens fagr-gloa? 


nN 


= 


[ W.] Fiarra fleina, pik muno fair kunna. 
q. Hverr hefir pik baugom borit? 20 


6. W.g. Vingpérr ek heiti; ek hefi vida ratad ; 
sonr em-ek S{d-grana: 
at dszett minni skalattu pat id unga man hafa, 
ok pat giaford geta. 
7. Alviss Sattir pfnar viljak snemma hafa, 25 
q: ok pat giaford geta; 
eiga vilja heldr an 4n vesa 
pat id miall-hvita man. 





SECOND SCENE.— Outside Walhall. Allwise meets Woden 
(Wing-thor, Wingi?). 


W. What fellow is this? why art thou pale about the nose? wast. 


thou sleeping with corpses? ‘ There is something oger-like about thee; 
thou art but a sorry bridegroom!— A. Allwise my name is. I dwell 
beneath the earth; under the rock is my homestead; I am come to 
fetch my bride. Let none break his plighted word.—W. I will break 
it; I have the bride in ward like a father. I was not at home when 
she was betrothed; I who hallow the weddings of the Gods. 

4, Who is the fellow who claims to be the ward of the fair beam- 
ing maid....? W. A runagate; nobody knew thee. Who hath bribed 
thee ?—W. Wing-thor (Wingi) is my name; I have travelled far; I am 
Longbeard’s son. Without my will thou shalt never have that young 
maid, nor make that match.—4. I would rather have thy goodwill, and 
make that match; I would sooner win than lack the drift-white maid. — 





5. W. q.] porr q., R, here and elsewhere. 7. pikkjomk] pikir mer, R. 
11. Read Vardar vers? i.e. the bride Freyja. 16. For giavfer read giaford ? 
21. Read Wingi? i.e. Woden? 23. skalattu] Rask ; scaltu, R. 25. viljak] 
er ek vil, R. 





Ce ee a 


=a 
2 bl awe 





ERT ARSENE Ge ety eS Ont eet atte 


His TRA AME in SY aber a oi, 





§1.] ALVISS-MAL. 83 


8. W.g. Meyjar stom muna ber verda, 
visi gestr, of varid: 30 
ef pi er heimi kant hverjom at segja 
allt pat-es viljak vita. 


g. W.g. Segdu mer pat, Alviss!—all of rak fira 
varomk, dvergr, at vitir:— 
1. Hve st. larp heitir, es liggr fyr alda sonom, 35 
heimi hverjom f? 
10. Alviss Jérd heitir med’ Mannom; enn med Asom Fold; 
q. kalla Vega Vanir ; 
LIgren latnar; Alfar Groand; 
kalla Aur Upp-regin. 40 
11. W.g. Segdu mer pat, Alviss!—all of rak fira 
veromk, dvergr, at vitir :— 
m1. Hve sa Hrminn heitir ‘ erakendi,’ 


heimi hverjom f? 45 
12. Alviss Himinn heitir med Mannom; enn Hiyrnir med Godom ; 
q kalla Vind-ofnt Vanir ; 


Upp-heim Yatnar; Alfar Yagr-refr ; 
Dvergar Driupan-sal. 
13. W.g. Segdu mer pat, Alviss!—coll of rak fira 
vaoromk, dvergr, at vitir:— 50 
ur. Hverso MAnr heitir, s4-es menn sia, 
heimi hverjom {? 
14. Alviss Mani heitir med Mannom; enn AZyiinn med Godom; 
q: kalla Hverfanda-hvel Heljo f; 
Skyndi Tatnar; enn Skinw-Dvergar ; 55 
kalla Alfar Ar-/ala. 





W. The maiden’s love shall not be denied thee, thou wise guest, if thou 
canst tell me of every world what I want to know. 


(Here Dialogue begins.) 


W. Tell me, Allwise, for thou Dwarf, methinks, knowest the whole 
history of mankind :—How is EarTH, which lies before sons of men, 
called in every world ?—A. ‘ Earth’ among men; ‘ Field’ among Anses; 
the Wanes call it ‘Way,’ the Giants ‘Ever-green,’ the Elves ‘ Growing ;’ 
the High Gods call it ‘ Clay.’ 

W. Tell me, Allwise, etc. How is HEAVEN the... . called in every 
world?—4. ‘Heaven’ among Men, ‘Warmer’ among Gods; the 
Wanes call it ‘ Wind-woof,’ the Giants ‘ High-home,’ the Elves ‘ Fair- 
roof,’ the Dwarves ‘ Drip-hall.’. 

W. Tell me, Allwise, etc. How is the Moon, that ali men see, 
called in each of the worlds?—.A. ‘Moon’ among Men, ‘ Mylin’ among 
the Gods; ‘ Whirling-wheel’ in Hell; ‘ Hastener’ the Giants, ‘ Sheen’ 
the Dwarves, ‘ Year-teller’ the Elves call it. 





* 
32. vi jak] ek vil, R. 43. Cor:upt. 
G 2 


84 DIDACTIC MYTHOLOGY. [ BK. IT. 


15. W.g. Segdu mer pat, Alviss!—all of rak fira 
vaoromk, dvergr, at vitir:— 
iv. Hve st Séx heitir, es sid alda synir, 
heimi hverjom i? 60 
16. Alviss Sél heitir med Mannom; enn Sunna med Godom ; 
kalla Dvergar Leika-Dvalins ; } 
Ly-glé letnar, Alfar Fagra-hvel; 
Al-skir- Asa synir. 
17. W.g. Segdu mer pat, Alviss!—sell of rak fira 65 
varomk, dvergr, at vitir :— 
v. Hve pau Sky heita, es skirom blandask, 
heimi hverjom {? 
18. Alviss Sky heitir med Mannom; enn Skérvan med Godom ; 
q: kalla Vind-flot Vanir ; 70 
Ur-vén latnar, Alfar Vedr-megin, 
kalla { Heljo Aialm-hulios. 
19. W.g. Segdu mer pat, Alviss!—aoll of rak fira 
varomk, dvergr, at vitir:— 
vi. Hve s& Vinpr heitir, es vidast ferr, Bs 
heimi hverjom {? 
20. Alviss Vindr heitir med Mannom; enn Vévodr med Godom ; 
kalla Guneggi0d Ginn- -regin ; 
Epi Iatnar, Alfar Dyn-fara, 
kalla { Heljo Hvz000. 80 
21. W.g. Segdu mer pat, Alviss !—aoll of rak fira 
vaoromk, dvergr, at vitir:— 
vu. Hve pat Loen heitir, es liggja skal, 
heimi hverjom {? 
22. Alviss Logn heitir med Mannom; enn Leg? med Godom; 85 
q: kalla Vind-slot Vanir ; 





W. Tell me, Allwise, etc. How is the Sun, that all men see, called 
in each of the worlds?— A. ‘Sol’ among Men, ‘Sun’ among Gods; 
the Dwarves call her ‘Dwale’s doll;’ ‘Everglow’ the Giants, ‘ Fair- 
wheel’ the Elves, ‘ All-sheer’ the sons of Anses. 

W. Tell me, Allwise, etc. How are the CLOUDS, that are mingled 
with showers, called in each of the worlds?— A. ‘Sky’ among Men, 
‘Shower-boder’ among Gods; the Wanes call it ‘ Windfloe,’ ‘ Wet- 
boder’ the Giants; Elves ‘ Weather-main ;’ in Hell they call it ‘ Helm- 
of-Darkness.’ 

W. Tell me, Allwise, etc. How is the WIND, that travels so far, 
called in each of the worlds?—A. ‘Wind’ among Men, ‘ Waverer’ 
among Gods; the Strong Powers call it ‘Neigher,’ ‘Whooper’ the 
Giants, ‘Softgale’ the Elves; in Hell they call it ‘ Whistle-gust.’ 

W. Tell me, Allwise, etc. How is the Cam, that rests, called 
in each of the worlds?—A. ‘Loun’ it is called among Men, and ‘ Lea’ 





62. Dvalins leika, R. 77. vonsundr, Edda. 79: gnyfara, Edda. 
80. heitir { Heljo hlémmuér, Edda. 











§1.] ALVISS-MAL. 85 


Of-hiy Jatnar; Alfar Dag-seva ; 
kalla Dvergar Dags-vero. 
23. W.g. Segdu mer pat, Alvfss!—all of rak fira 
veromk, dvergr, at vitir:— 90 
viu. Hve s4 Marr heitir, es menn roa, 
heimi hverjom {? 
24. Alviss Ser heitir med Mannom; enn Sz/-e@gia med Godom ; 
q: i: kalla Vég Vanir; 
Al-helm Yaotnar; Alfar Laga-sia/; 95 
kalla Dvergar Ditéipan-mar. 
25. W.g. Segdu mer pat, Alviss!—all of rak fira 
varomk, dvergr, at vitir:— 
1x. Hve sa Expr heitir, es brenn fyr alda sonom, 


heimi hverjom f? 100 
26. Alviss Eldr heitir med’ Mannom; enn med Asom Farr ; 
q: kalla Vag Vanir: 


Frekan latnar; en For-brenni Dvergar ; 
kalla { Heljo Huzdud. 
27. W.g. Segdéu mer pat, Alviss!—all of rak fira 105 
vaoromk, dvergr, at vitir :— 
x. Hve sa Vrpr heitir, es vex fyr alda sonom, 
heimi hverjom f? 
28. Alviss Vidr heitir med Mannom; enn Vallar-fax medGodom; 
q: kalla Hlis-Aang Halir: 110 
Lilidi Tetnar; Alfar Fagr-lima, 
kalla Vond Vanir. 
29. W.g. Segdu mer pat, Alviss!—all of rak fira 
varomk, dvergr, at vitir :— 
x1. Hve su Nort heitir, in Nervi kenda, 115 
heimi hverjom {? 





among Gods; the Wanes call it ‘ Wind-slack,’ ‘Sultry’ the Giants, the 
Elves ‘ Soul-of-Day ;’ the Dwarves call it ‘ Day’s-rest.’ 

W., Tell me then, Allwise, etc. What is the MAIN, which men row 
over, called in each world ?}—d,. ‘Sea’ among Men, ‘Level’ among 
Gods; the Wanes call it ‘Wave,’ Giants ‘Sound-ham,’ the Elves 
*Sea-blink ;’ the Dwarves call it ‘ Deep.’ 

W. Tell it me, Allwise, etc. How is Fire, that burns before the 
sons of men, called in each of the worlds?— A. ‘Eild’ among Men, 
‘Fire’ among Gods; the Wanes call it ‘ Wavy,’ ‘Greedy’ the Giants, 
‘Furnace fire’ the Dwarves; in Hell they call it ‘ Destroyer.’ 

W. Tell it me, Allwise, etc. How the Woop, that grows before the 
sons of men, is called in each of the worlds ?—4. ‘Wood’ among Men, 
‘ Wield-fur’ among the Gods; the Men in Hell call it ‘ Cliff-wrack ;’ 
tte it ‘Firewood,’ the Elves ‘ Fair-foliage ;’ the Wanes call it 
‘Wand.’ 

W. Tell me this, Allwise, etc. How is NiGHT, Norwi’s daughter, 





lol. furr] emend.; funi, R. ™ 


86 DIDACTIC MYTHOLOGY. [BK. II. 


30. Alviss Nétt heitir med Mannom; enn WVé/ med Godom ; 
kalla Grimo Ginn-regin; 
Oliés Teotnar; Alfar Svefn-gaman; 
kalla Dvergar Draum-niorun. 120 
31. W.g. Segdu mer pat, Alviss!—aoll of rak fira 
varomk, dvergr, at vitir:— 
xu. Hve pat SAp heitir, es s4 alda synir, 
heimi hverjom {? [125 
32. Alviss Bygg heitir med Mannom; enn Barr med Godom ; 
kalla Vaxt Vanir; 
ti Yatnar; Alfar Laga-staf ; ; 
kalla { Heljo Hnzpinn. 
33. W.g. Segdu mer pat, Alviss!—zoll of rak fira 
varomk, dvergr, at vitir :— 130 
xm. Hve pat (Et heitir, es drekka alda synir, 
heimi hverjom ? 
34. Alviss Gil heitir med Mannom; enn med Asom Brorr; 
q. kalla Veg Vanir ; 
FTreina-lig Yeotnar, enn { Heljo 12266; 135 
kalla Sumél Suttungs synir. 
35. W.gq. I eino bridsti ek sdk aldregi 
fleiri forna stafi: 
Miklom télom, ek kved teldan pik! 
Uppi ertu, dvergr, um wig 140 
Nu skfnn sdl f sali! 


KING HEIDREK’S RIDDLES. 


Tus Lay has come down in two vellums, Hauks-bék (A), and Cod. 
Reg. No. 2845 (B). Our text is mainly founded on A, first to 1. 9 on the 
vellum itself, hence on copies taken in the seventeenth century, when 





called in each of the worlds >—A. ‘Night’ among Men, ‘ Newl’ among 
Gods; ‘Mask’ the Great Powers, ‘ Unlight’ the Giants, ‘Sleep-joy ’ 
the Elves; the Dwarves call it ‘ Dream-fairy.’ 

W. Tell me then, Allwise, etc. How is the SEED, which the sons 
of men sow, called in each of the worlds?—d. ‘Bigg’ among Men, 
‘Bear’ (barley) among Gods; ‘ Waxth’ the Wanes call it, ‘Oat’ the 
Giants, the Elves ‘ Lees-staff;’ iri Hell they call it ‘ Blight.’ 

W. Tell me then, Allwise, etc. How is the ALE, the sons of men 
drink, called in each of the worlds?—/4. ‘Ale’ among Men, ‘ Beer’ 
among Anses; ‘Draught’ the Wanes; ‘ Clear-lees’ the Giants, ‘Mead’ 
in Hell; Suttungs’ sons (Dwarves) call it ‘Good-Cheer.’ 

W. In one man’s breast I never saw more olden words.—With 
great wiles thou hast, I swear, been beguiled. The Day is upon thee, 
Dwarf; the hall is full of sunshine! (The Dwarf is turned into stone.) 





117-120. enn nidla i Heljo, kollud er Grima med Godom, dsorg lotnar, etc., 
Edda. 





§1.] KING HEIDREK’S RIDDLES. 87 


it was still complete, viz. AM. 281, 4to. Text B omits riddles 7, 10, 
II, 15, 30, 33: the sequel also is here somewhat different. 

The framework of the poem, which binds together a collection of 
riddles of the same type as those of the early English and Medizval 
riddle poets, is the visit of Woden disguised as a blind wayfarer (Gestum- » 
blindi) to King Heidrek, the famous riddle-reader, at Yule-tide. The 
King, after solving all Woden’s questions, at length fails to answer 
the one which was fatal to Wafthrudni, and falls like him a victim to 
the ‘ pride of learning.’ 

In the last century, answers in verse were supplied by some Icelander, 
probably Gunnar Palsson, the author of ‘Gunnar-Slag;’ but in our 
vellums, the King replies to each question with the remark,—‘ Géd es 
gata bin Gestum-blindi getid es peirar.’ Thy riddle is good, Guest the 
blind ; it is soon read! whereupon the solution follows in prose. 

The riddles relate to many subjects thrown together without much 
order, and were possibly (as several have the same answer) not all in 
the original framework. One of them (No. 34) has not been read 
before; it depends on an intricate pun, and must be later than most of 
the others. 

The second line of riddle 24 is cited in Skalda. 


i |S Gee ek pat vilda es ek haféa f ger; 
vittu hvat pat vas: 
Ly¥da lemill, ok orda tefill, 
ok orda upp-hefill ? 
Heidérekr konungr hygg pti at gato! 5 
2. Heiman ek fér, heiman ek far gcerdag, 
si-ek 4 veg vega: 
vegr vas undir, ok vegr yfir, 
ok vegr 4 alla vega?—Heidr. k. h. 
3. Hvat-es pat drykkja es ek drakk f{ geer; 10 
vasa pat vin né vatn, 
miadr né mungat, né matar ekki, 
pé6 gekk ek porsta-lauss padan?—H. k. h. 
4. Hverr es sa inn hvelli es gengr hardar gator 
ok hefir hann peer fyrr of farit: 15 





Guest. 1. WOULD I had what I had yesterday! guess thou what it 


_ was: Men’s damager, words’ hinderer, and yet words’ arouser, Read 


my riddle, O King Heidrek !—A/e. 

2. I came from home, I wended my way from home, I saw a way of 
ways; way underneath, way above head, way on all sides. Read my, 
etc.— A bridge. 

3. What drink was it I drank yesterday; it was neither wine nor 
water, nor mead, nor beer, nor aught of meat kind; yet I went thirst- 
less away? Read my, etc.—The dew. 

4. Who is that shrill one, who walks by hard paths, having passed 
them many a time; he kisses very fast, has two mouths, walks on 
nought but gold? Read my, etc.—The goldsmith’s hammer. 





10, drykki, B. — 


88 DIDACTIC MYTHOLOGY. [BK. 1. 


miak fast kyssir ok hefir munna tv, 
sa es 4 golli eino gengr?—H. k. h. 
5. Hverr es sa inn mikli es ferr mold yfir, 
svelgr hann vatn ok vid, 
glygg hann oask enn guma eigi, 20 
ok yrkir 4 sél til saka?—H. k. h. 
6. Hverr es s& inn mikli es mar vedr, 
ok horfir til Heljar halfr ; 
a~ldom hann bergr, enn vid iard sakask, 
ef hann hefir ser vel trausta vid?—H.k.h. 25 
7. Hverr byggir ha fiall? Hverr fellr i ditipa dala? 
hverr anda-lauss lifir? 
hverr eva pbegir?—H. k. h. 
8. Hvat es pat undra es ek uti sdg 
fyr Dellings durom: 30 
Heaf6i sino visar Heljar til, 
enn fétom til sdlar snyr?—H. k. h. 
g. Hvat es pat undra es ek Uti sag 
fyr Dellings durom : 
Okyrrir tveir anda-lausir 35 
sdra-lauk sudo ?—H. k. h. 
1o. Hvat es bat undra es ek uti sag 
fyr Dellings durom: 
Hvitir fliigendr hello lidésta, 
enn svartir { sand grafask?—H. k. h. 40 
11. Hvat es pat undra es ek Uti sag 
fyr Dellings durom: 





5. Who is the huge one, who passes over the earth, swallowing water 
and woods; he fears the wind, but no man, and wages war on the sun? 
Read my, etc.—The fog. 

6. Who is the big one, who wades in the deep, turning half towards 
Hell; he saves people, but tugs against the earth, if he has a trusty 
withy by him? Read my, etc.—The anchor. 

7. Who dwells in high mountains? Whe falls into deep dales? 
Who lives without breath? Who is never silent? Read my, etc.— 
The raven, the dew, a fish, a fall. 

8. What was that wonder I saw outside Delling’s door (outside the 
hall): It turns its head towards Hell, and its feet towards the Sun? 
Read my, etc.—The leek. 

g. What was that wonder, etc.: Two ever-stirring yet lifeless things 
were boiling a wound-leek? Read my, etc.—Smith’s bellows forging 
a sword. 

10. What was that wonder, etc.: The white flyers beat the rock, 
while the black ones are embedded in the sand? Read my, etc.— 
Hail and rain. 

11. What was that wonder, etc.: I saw a black hog wallow in the 





17. golli eino] B; gullheino, A. 1g. vid] B; veisur, A. 22, es mar 
vedr| or enn marvadi? emend.; er mOrgo reedr, A. 25. trausta vid] emend.; 
traustan vin, A. 31. 4 Helvega, B, 35. okvikvir, B 








§ 1.] KING HEIDREK’S RIDDLES, 89 


Svartan galt ek s4 f sauri vada, 
ok reisat honom burst 4 baki?—H. k. h. 
12. Hvat es bat undra es ek uti sag. 45 
fyr Dellings durom: 
tio hefir tungor, tuttugo augo, 
fidra tigo féta, fram lfér st veettr?—H. k. h. 
13. Hvat es pat undra es ek uti sag 
fyr Dellings durom: 50 
Ofarliga fl¥gr, ‘arn-hli6d’ gellr, 
‘hardar ro hilmir’ . . .2—H. k. h. 
14. Hvat es pat undra es ek uti sag 
fyr Dellings durom: 
Feetr hefir Atta en fiogor augo, 55 
berr pat ofar kné an kvid?—H. k. h. 
15. Hvat es pat undra es ek uti sag 
fyr Dellings durom: 
ly¥dom lysir land all yfir, 
ok keppask um pat vargar of-allt?p—H.k.h. 60 
16. Hvat es pat undra es ek uti sag 
fyr Dellings durom: 
horni hardara, hrafni svartara, 
skialli hvitara, skapti réttara?—H. k. h. 
17. Baro bridir bleik-haddadar, 65 
ambattir tvzer, al til skemmo; 
vasat pat handom horfit, né hamrom klappat, 
p6é es fyr eyjar tan ardigr [es] ker goerdi?—H. k. h. 
18. Hverjar ro ber rygjar 4 regin-fialli, 
elr vid kvan kona: 70 





ae though no bristles were on his back? Read my, etc.—d dung- 
beetle. 

12. What was that wonder, etc.: It has ten tongues, twenty eyes, 
forty feet; this being moves along? Read my, etc.—A sow with a 
litter of nine pigs. 

13. What was that wonder, etc.: It flies high aloft, yelling loud....? 
Read my, etc.— An arrow. 

14. What was that wonder, etc.: It has eight feet, four eyes, carrying 
its knees higher than its belly? Read my, etc.—4A spider. 

15. What was that wonder, etc.: It lightens people over all lands, 
and yet is ever chased by wolves? Read my, etc.—The sun. 

16. What was that wonder, etc.: Harder than horn, blacker than a 
raven, whiter than egg-film, straighter than a shaft? Read my, etc.—4 
streaked agate or obsidian. 

17. Blond-haired brides, bondswomen both, carried ale to the barn; 
the casks were not turned with hands, nor forged by hammers; she that 
made it strutted about outside the isles? Read my, etc.—Eider duck’s 
exes. 

18. Who are those fairies of the mighty mountains ; woman begets by 





48. fram liér] B; fer hart, A® 


90 DIDACTIC MYTHOLOGY. [BK. II. 


meer vid meyjo mag of getr; 
ok eigot per vardir vera?—H. k. h. 
19. Hverjar ro drésir es um sinn dréttinn 
vapn-lausar vega: 
enar iarpo hiffa alla daga, 75 
enn enar fegri fara?—H.k. h. 
20. Hverjar ro per leikor es lf6a land yfir - 
at faognudi fador: 
hvitan skiald peer 4 vetrom betra, 
enn svartan um sumar?—H.k. h. 80 
21. Hverjar ro ber snétir es ganga syrgjandi 
at fagnudi fador: 
hadda bleika hafa peer enar hyit-feoldnu, 
ok eigo i vindi vaka?—H. k. h. 
22.. Hverjar ro ber meyjar es margar ganga saman 85 
at fagnudi fador: 
margom hafa manni per at meini komit, 
ok eigot beer vardéir vera?—H. k. h. 
23. Hverjar ro per bridir es ganga brim-skerjom {, 
ok eigo eptir firdi far: go 
hardan bed hafa per enar hvift-faldno, 
ok leika f logni fatt?—H. k. h. 
24. Fara ek sag foldar mold-bua, 
ok sat nar 4 na; 





a woman; a maid bears a son by a maid. Those goodwives have no 
husband? Read my, etc.—Two Angelicas. 

19. Who are the maids that fight weaponless around their lord; 
the brown ever sheltering, the fair ever attacking him? Read my, etc.— 
The pieces of a table (hnef-tafl). 

20. Who are the merry maids that glide above the land to the joy of 
their father; in winter they bear a white shield, but black in summer? 
Read my, etc.—Snow-flakes and rain [the text gives Rep-hens (1!) }. 

21. Who are the maids that go weeping to the joy of their father, 
white-hooded, fair-haired, wide awake in a gale? Read my, etc.—The 
WAVES. 

22. Who are the maids that go many together to the joy of their 
father; they have brought grief to many; these goodwives have no hus- 
bands? Read my, etc.—The same. 

23. Who are the brides that walk over the reefs, and drive along the 
friths; these white-hooded /adies have a hard bed; in calm weather 
they make no stir? Read my, etc.—The same. 

24. I saw an earth-dweller pass by, a corpse sitting on a corpse; a blind 





78. fognudi] emend.; forvitni, Cd., here and below. 
85 ff. B thus—Hverjar ro ber meyjar es ganga margar saman at forvitni fodur 
hadda bleika hafa per enar hvitfoldodo, 
ok eigot ber par vardir vera. 
Hverjar ro per ekkjor es ganga allar saman at forvitni fodur: 
Sialdan blidar ero ber vid seggja lid, ok eigo per i vindi vaka. 
94. nar 4 na] A; nadr 4 nai, B; nar a na, Skalda, 





§1.] KING HEIDREK’S RIDDLES. gt 


blindr reid blindom ‘brim-reidar #7,’ 95 
iér es andar-vani?—-H. k. h. 
25. Hvat es pat dyra es drepr fé manna, 
ok es iarni kringt: 
horn hefir atta en hafud ekki 
ori pe yaiip Jt 4t 1) ore kae Ks DB: 100 
26. Hvat es pat dyra es Danom hiffir, 
berr bl6éugt bak, en bergr firom, 
geirom meetir, gefr lif sumom; 
leger vid léfa lik sftt gumi?—H. k. h. 
27. ‘Miak vas fordom nasgas’ varin 105 
barn-giarn su-es bar bu-timbr saman ; 
hl{fSo henni halms bit-skalmir, 
p6 14 drykkjar dryn-hraun yfir ?—H. k. h. 
28. Fidrir ganga, fidrir hanga, 
tveir veg visa, tveir hundom verja, 110 
einn eptir drallar ok optast éhreinn?—H. k. h. 
29. Hverr es sa inn eini es sefr { asgrua, 
ok es af gridti eino geerr: 
fador né mddur dat sé inn far-giarni, 
par mun hann sinn aldr ala?—H. k. h. 115 
30. Hest sa ek standa, hy¥ddi meri, 
dudi dyndil, drap hlaun und kvid, | 
or skal draga ‘ok { optad gédéa’ stund.—H. k. h. 





one riding on a blind sea-car, yet the steed was lifeless? Read my, 
etc.—A dead horse floated on an icefioe. 

25. What is that beast, all girdled with iron, which kills the flocks; 
it has eight horns, but no head, and....? Read my, etc.—The hiinn 
(bear) or headpiece in the game of hnef-tafl ( fox and geese). 

26. What is that beast that shelters the Danes; with bloody back 
it covers men, encounters spears, saves many a life, fitting its body to 
the hands of men? Read my, etc.—The shield. 

27. A... . yearning for children, gathered her building 
materials, straw-choppers fenced her in, whilst above her was drink’s 
echoing hall. Read my, etc.—d duck building her nest in a neat’s 
head with the horns on. 

28. Four ganging, four hanging, two showing the way, two keeping 
the dogs off, one ever dirty lags behind. Read my, etc.—A cow. 

29. Who is it that sleeps in the hearth, all made of stone,—a mis- 
chievous being without father or mother,—there is his lifelong abode? 


_ Read my, etc.—4A spark hidden in a flint. 


30. I saw a horse, a maid whipped it, she shooka....? Read my, 
etc.—A /oom (the upright) worked by a woman. 





95. til] somehow wrong; a noun is required (icefloe). 98. iarni kringr utan, B. 
100. ok fylgia bvi margir miok, B. 104. léfa] B; lofda, A. 105. nos- 
gas] thus A, B. varin] emend.; vaxin, Cd. 108. drynhravn, B; drunraun, A, 
112. avs grva, B. 114. fagr-giarni, B. 11@ meri] read mer? 


92 DIDACTIC MYTHOLOGY. [BK. IL. 


31. Hverir ro peir pegnar, es rida pingi at, 
ok ero sext4n saman; 120 
lydi s{na senda peir land yfir 
: at byggja bdl-stadi?—H. k. h. 
32. Sa-ek 4 sumri sdl-biargom i 
verdung vaka vilgi teiti: 
drukko iarlar el pegjandi, : 125 
enn cepandi al-ker st660?—H. k. h. 
33. Meyjar ek sa moldo glfkar, 
véro peim at bedjom biarg: 
svartar ok sAmar f{ sél-vidri, 
enn bess at fegri es feera of sér?—H.k. h. 130 
34. Sa-ek a Grni*, egg-dauda menn? 
bléds-hol© bera { b26rk kvztdar 4, 
35. Hverir ro beir tveir es tio hafa fcétr, 
augo priu, enn einn hala?—H. k. h. 
36. Hvat melti Odinn i eyra Baldri 135 
46r hann vas 4 bal um borinn? 
Heir. g. Undr ok argskap ok alla bleydi! 


THE LAY OF SWIPDAY AND MENGLAD. 


THIs Lay is only found in very indifferent seventeenth century copies 
of a lost vellum, about which we have no information. It is nowhere 





31. Who are the champions riding to court sixteen together;. they 
send their men far and wide to make settlements? Read my, etc.—The 
table (game) of King Itrek. 

32. I saw in summertide a household awake and merry at sunset; 
the gentlemen drank their beer in silence, but the ale-butt stood and 
screamed. Read my, etc.—JA sow with a litter of sucking pigs. 

33. I saw certain dust-like maidens; the rocks were their bedding ; 
they are black and swart in sunshine, but the less one can see [i.e.in the 
dark] the fairer they look. Read my, etc.—Pale embers on the hearth. 

34. | saw on a (see the text). 4 pun, (a hearth, a hawk, a duck, 
talons.) 

35. Who are the two that have ten feet, three eyes, one tail? Read 
my, etc.—The one-eyed Woden riding Sleipni his eight-legged steed. 

36. What did Woden whisper into Balder’s ear ere he was borne on 
the pyre?—Heidrek cries, Wonder and wickedness and all sorts of 
lewdness ! 

Being vanquished he has now forfeited his life, but he treacherously draws 





120. sattir allir sam, B. 

131-2. Thus emendated ; maimed in Codd. thus—Sat eg a segli sa eg dauda menn 
blods hold bera i bork vidar (!). 

® 4rinn=a hearth, also a stone wail, 

» egg-dauda menn =valr, the slain, also a hawk. 

© blood-tube = zr, a vein, also a duck, 

4 belly’s birch =¢alons. 

137. The rest in prose. 





$1.) THE LAY OF SWIPDAY AND MENGLAD. 93 


cited, and the very story appears to be unmentioned by any old writer. 
But there is a Danish ballad of the sixteenth century telling the tale of 
‘Young Sweidal’ (No. 70 of Grundtvig’s Collection), which is clearly 
derived from some old copy or tradition of this poem. The romantic 
character of the story evidently pleased the taste of the sixteenth cen- 
tury, for there are also Swedish ballads (derived from the Danish?) which 
tell it with the variations suitable to the taste of the time. Dr. Bugge 
was the first to discover that the two parts, in which this Lay is found 
(therein entitled Grogaldr and Fiolsvinns-mal), are merely sections of 
the same poem. 

The riddles exchanged between Swipday and the Giant are to such 
a degree obscure and corrupt as to defy any attempt at interpretation. 
We have therefore put them in small type, retaining what belongs to 
Swipday and his love Menglad. 

The story, which is probably a Sun-Myth from some alien source, is 
briefly this:—Young Swipday is bound, by a cruel step-mother, to ride 
into Giantland and win the giant-guarded maiden of the enchanted castle. 
Before setting out he goes to his mother’s cairn, and raising her from 
the dead prays her to give him charms that will protect him on his 
dangerous errand. She grants his prayer, and thus endowed he is able 
to try his wit with success against ‘ Mani-wise,’ the warder of Menglad. 
The charm is broken, and Menglad is set free and gladly welcomes her 
long-expected lover. 

The poet has known and imitated several old poems, e.g. Havamal, 
The Old Wolsung Lay, Lay of Wafthrudni, Skirnismal, etc. Nay, 
a few lines one would think are fragments of lost verses of the Song 
of the High (e.g. v. 9; v. 10 is a duplicate, better text, of Hm. v. 12); 
verses 36, 39 may be an echo of lost verses of Grimnismal. 


1. Svipd. Nine pa Groa! vaki pu gé66 kona! 
q: vek-ek pik daudra dura: 
Ef pu pat mant, at pi binn mag bedir 
til kumbl-dysjar koma. 
2. Médir Hvat es ni annt minom einga syni? 5 
q. hverjo ertu balvi borinn? 
Es pti pA mdéur kallar, es til moldar es komin 
ok or li6d-heimom lidin? 





his magic brand Tyrfing and strikes at Woden, who flies away in the shape of 
a hawk. Heidrek however soon afterwards perishes, slain by his slaves 
with his own sword, 


FIRST SCENE.—4t his mother’s grave. 


S. AWAKE thou, Groa! awake thou, sweet lady! I bid thee awake at 
the door of the dead. Perchance thou rememberest how thou toldest 
thy son to come to the grave-mound, 

The Mother. What is it that troubles thee, my only son? what ails 
thee, that thou callest thy mother, who is turned to dust, and gone 
from the world of men? 





’ .- 
2. dura] not dura; the metre requires (vv). 


94 DIDACTIC MYTHOLOGY. ~  —_—s [Bx m. 


3. Svipd. Lidto leik-bordi skaut si fyr mik in levfsa kona 
q. si es fadmadi mfnn fadur: 10 
par. bad hon mik koma es ‘kvedki veit’ 
moti Menglado. 
4. Moor Lang es far, langir ro farvegar, 
q. langir ro manna munir: 
ef pat verdr, at-bt pfnn vilja bfdr, 15 
ok skeikar pa skuld at skapom. 
5. Svipd. Galdra pi mer gal, p4 es gédir ro! 


q. biarg pu, mddir, megi! 
& vegom allr hygg-ek at ek verda muni; 
pykkjomk til ungr afi. 20 
6. Moir Pann gel-ek ber fyrsfan: pann kveda fial-nytan, 
q. pann gél Vrindr Vala: 


At pu of axl skidtir pvi-es per atalt pykkir; 
sialfr leid pt sialfan pik. 
7. Pann gel-ek ber amnan: Ef pu 4rna skalt 25 
vilja-lauss 4 vegom: 
Urdéar-lokor haldi per allom megom 
es pi 4 sinnom sér. 
8. Pann gel-ek per inn Jridja: Ef per pidd-dr 
falla at fjar-lokom : 30 
hrann ok udr snuisk til Heljar medan 
ok pverri z fyr per. 


9. ' ann gel-ek per inn /fféréa: Ef pik fidndr standa 
goervir 4 galg-vegi: 
hugi pu hverfi pinom heipt-magom, 35 


ok snuisk beim til sAtta sevi. 





S. That false woman, who lies in my father’s arms (my step-mother) 
has set an ill game for me; she bade me go.... to find Menglad. 
Mother. Long is the journey, long are the paths; long are the sorrows 
of men ; perchance thou may get thy will, and the fates turn well for thee. 

S. Chant me chants, that will help; Mother, save thy child, else 
I shall perish in my journey; I am but a youth. 

Mother. The first charm I chant thee, it will stand thee in good 
stead; Wrind chanted it to Wali: Cast off from thy shoulder whatever 
evil thou encounterest; let thyself be thy guide. 

The second charm I chant thee: If despair fall upon thee on thy 
way, may Guarding-charms fence thee about on all sides, as thou goest 
on thy way. 

The third I chant thee: If great waters threaten to overwhelm thee, 
may flood and foam turn back to Hell the while, and dry up before 
thee. 

The fourth I chant thee: If foes stand in ambush on the gallows- 





g. skaut si] Bugge; skautzu, Cd. 12. menglodom, Cd, 20. Not arfi, 
the metre requiring (uv). 22. Vrindr Vala] emend.; Rindr Rani, Cd. 28. 
sinnom sér] Bugge; es pu & sman ser, Cd. 30. Emend.; fiorlotom, Cd. 31. 


Bugge; horn de rudr,Cd. 35. Emend.; hugr peim hverfi til handa per matti, Cd, 











§1.] THE LAY OF SWIPDAY AND MENGLAD. 95 


10. Pann gel-ek per inn fimia: Ef per fiatorr verdr 
borinn at bég-limom: 
leysi-galdri let-ek pa fyr legg of kvedna, 
ok stakkr pa ldss of limom, 40 
en af fétom fiatorr. 
II. Pann gel-ek per inn se//fa: Ef pti 4 sié koemr 
meira an menn viti: 
logn ok ldégi gangi ber { lad saman, 
ok lidi per « frid-dritigrar farar. 45 
12. Pann gel-ek ber inn staunda: Ef pik scekja koemr 
frost 4 fialli ha: | 
ha-vetrar kuldi megit pfno holdi fara, 
ok haldit per le at lidom. 
1%. Pann gel-ek per inn da: Ef pik uti nemr 50 
nott 4 nifl-vegi: 
‘at pvi firr’ megid per til ‘meins goera’ 
kveld-ridor koma. 
14. Pann gel-ek per inn mzunda: Ef pt vid inn nadd-gafga 
ordom skiptir Iaton: 55 
mals ok manvitz se ber 4 munn ok hiarta 
gnéga of gefit. 
15. Far pi nu eva pars forad pykkir ; 
ok standit ber mein fyrir munom! 
A iard-fastom steini st6d-ek innan dura 60 
medan ek per galdra gédl. 





path, mayest thou turn the heart of thine enemies, and shape all their 
mind to goodwill to thee. 

The fifth I chant thee: If fetters be laid on thy limbs, then may 
my loosing spell make them slip off thy body, the bonds snap off thy 
limbs, and the fetters off thy feet. 

The sixth I chant thee: If thou comest on sea swelling higher 
than men can tell, may calm and still obey thy bidding, and give thee 
a peaceful journey. 

The seventh I chant thee: If frost overtakes thee high on the moun- 
tains, may the winter cold not harm thy body, nor any ill take hold of 
thy limbs. 

The eighth I chant thee: If the night overtake thee on a path of 
darkness, may the [evil] night-riding witches have no power to come 
and harm thee. 

The ninth I chant thee: If thou must needs bandy words with the 
goad-wielding Giant, may speech and wisdom be abundantly given into 
thy heart and mind. 

Fare thou well through every danger; may no evil stop thy desire. 
I stood within doors on the earthfast stone, while I chanted thee these 
charms. Do thou, my child, bear thy mother’s words hence, and let 





39. leysi-galdri] Bugge; leifnis elda, Cd. 44. legi | Bugge; légr, Cd. 168] 
or laupr, Cod. S., cp. mod. Icel., pat fellr allt i liufa ‘163. 48. havetrar] Bugge ; 
hreva,Cd. 49. le] emend.; lic, Cd. 52. Readman-véla? = §3. kveld-ridor 
koma] emend.; kristin daud kona, Cd. 56. munn ok | Bugge; minnis, Cd. 


96 DIDACTIC MYTHOLOGY. [BK. 11. 


16. M6éur ord ber pi magr hedan, 
ok lat per { bridsti bua; 
id-gnéga heill skaltu of aldr hafa 
medan pi min ord of mant. 65 


i a 

17. Svipd. Hvat es pat flagda es stendr fyr forgardom 

q. ok hvarflar um hettan loga? 
18. /7ols- Hvers pti leitar, eda hvers pu 4 leitom ert? 

v10 eda hvat viltu vin-lauss vita? 

g.  rgar brautir 4rna pi aptr hedan! 70 

attattu her { v4 vero. 

19. Svipd. Hvat es pat flagda es stendr fyr forgardi, 


g. ok bydrat lfSandom lad? 
semdar orda lauss hefir pu, seger, lifat ; 
ok haltu heim hedan! "5 
20. Fiols. Fialsvidr ek heiti; enn ek 4 frddan sefa, 
q: peygi em-ek mfns mildr matar; 


innan garéa pu kcemr her aldregi; 
ok drif pi ni vargr at vidi! 
21. Svip~d. Augna gamans fysir ‘aptr fan’ 80 
q- hvars hann getr svdst at sid: 
Gardar gloa mer pykkja of gollna sali, 
her vilda-ek cedli una. : 
22. Fiols. Segdu mer, hverjom ertu, sveinn, of borinn, 
q. eda hverra ertu manna magr? 85 
Svipd. Vind-kaldr ek heiti, V4r-kaldr hét minn fadir, 
qs bess vas Fial-kaldr fadir. 


them dwell in thy breast; for ever-abounding luck shalt thou have 
through thy life as long as thou rememberest my words. 


SECOND SCENE.—Swipday in Giantland, before Menglad’s fame-bound 

bower, encounters the Giant Warder Manywise. 

S. What monster is this, standing in front of the fore-court and 
wandering round the hot flame? 

Giant. What dost thou seek, and what art thou in quest of, and 
what wouldst thou, lone man, know? Tread back the wet ways; thou 
hast no abiding-place here. 

S. What monster is this that stands in the front of the fore-court, 
giving no welcome to wayfarers.. .? 

G. Manywise my name is; I have a wise mind, though I am chary 
of my meat; thou shalt never come within these walls, but shalt 
wander forth like a wolf to the woods. 

S. One yearns for the delight of one’s eyes, seeing a sweet sight. The 
courts gleam, methinks, in these golden halls. Here would I live for ever. 

G. Tell me, whom wast thou born of, lad, and whose man’s child art thou? 








64. i6-gnéga] emend.; pvi gnoga, Cd. 


* Cod. here adds— Utan garda hann s& upp um koma 
pursa piddar sidt. 
67. Read heitan ? 71. Emend,; attattu her verndar vanr vero, Cd. 79. at 


vidi] at vegi, Cd, 











$1.) THE LAY OF SWIPDAY AND MENGLAD. 97 


23. ee Segdu mer pat, Fialsvidr, es ek pik fregna mun 
ok ek vilja vita: 
Hverr her rer, ok riki hefir, go 
eign ok aud-salom? 
24. Fiols. Menglad of heitir; enn hana mddir of gat 


q: vid Svafr- porins syni; 
hon her reér, ok rfki hefir, 
eign ok aud-salom. 95 
25. S. Segdu mer pat Fiolsvidr es ek pik annarr of netr sefr, enn annarr 
q:  fregna mun of daga, 
ok ek vilja vita : ok keemz pévetr ef pa kom. 
Hvat su grind heitir, es med god- 33. 8. Segdumer pat F. . . : 125 
om saat q. Hvart sé matar nokkut pat es 
menn it meira forad ? menn hafi, 
26, F. prym-gioll hon heitir, enn hana ok hlaupi inn medan peir 
q. _ prir goerdo 100 eta? 
S$6l-blinda synir ; 34. F. Vegn-bradir tver liggja i Vid- 
fidtorr fastr verdr vid faranda gq:  ofnis lidom, 
hvern ef pu vilt pat vita; 
es hana hefr fré hlidi. pat eitt es sv& matar, at beim 
27. S. Segdu mer pat F. . menn of gefi, 130 
q- Hvat sa gardr heitir, es ‘med oh -ok hlaupa inn medan bpeir 
om séat 105 eta, 
menn it meira forad ? 35. S. Segdu mer pat F. . 
28. F. Gastropnir heitir, enn ek hann q. Hvat pat barr heitir, es 5 breibask 
g-  geervan hefk um 
or Leirbrimiss limom ; lond 6ll ok limar. 
sv hefk studdan, at standamun 36, F, Mima-meidr hann heitir, enn pat 
z medan Old lifir. 110 g- mangi veit 135 
29. S. Segdu mer pat F. . : af hverjom rétom renn, 
q. Hvat peir garmar heita ‘er gifar Vid pat hann fellr es festan varir ; 
reka 7 fier at hann eldr ne iarn, 
giorda fyr léndin lim’ 37. S. Segdu mer pat F. . . : 
30. F. Gift heitir annarr, enn Geri an- g. Hvat af mdi verdr pess ins 
g- =‘narr, mera vidar, 140 
ef pu vill pat vita 115 ef hann fler at eldr ne iarn? 
vardir ellifo es peir varda 38. F. Ut af hans aldni skal 4 eld bera 
unz riufaz regin. q: fyr keli-siikar konor. 
31. S. Segdu mer pat F. . utar hverfa patz per innar skyli, 
q--Hvart sé manna nékkut, ‘pat es s& es hann med ménnum 
megi inn koma midtodr, 45 
medan sékn-diarfir sofa,120 39. S. Segdu mer pat F. ‘ 
32. F. Mis-svefni mikit vas peim miok q- Hvat s& hani heitir, es sitr { enom 
q. of lagit hava vidi, 
sizt beim vas varzla vitud: allr hann vid goll gloir? 





S. Wind-cold is my name, Spring-cold was my father’s name, Hard- 
cold his father. 

(Here begin the questions.) 

Tell me now, Muchwise, what I shall ask, and what I would know: 
Who rules here and reigns over this land and gleesome halls? 

G. Menglad is her name, whom her mother bore to the son of S., she 
rules, etc. 





122, sizt} medan, Cd, 
H 


98 DIDACTIC MYTHOLOGY. [BK. 11. 
40. F, Vidofnir hann heitir; enn hann q. Hvart sé moeta nokkut pat es 
g. stendr vedr-glasi menn hafi, [fegin. 
4 meids kvistom Mima: 150 ok verdr pvi in folva gygr 
einom ekka prungr hann orof 46. F, Lidsan lid skaltu i luér bera 170 
saman q pann-es liggr i Vidofnis 
Surtar Sinmavto. volom, 
41. S. Segdu mer pat F. . Sinm6to at selja, 46r hon scem 
g. Hvart sé vapna nokkut pat es telisk 
knegi Vidofnir fyr vapn til vigs at lid. 
hniga 4 Heljar siot? 155 47. S. Segdu mer pat F. 
42. F. Leva-teinn hann heitir, enn hann g. Hvat sa salr heitir es slunginn es es 
g.  goerdi Loptr ruinn visom vafr-loga ? [175 
fyr n4-grindr nedan : 48. F. Hyrr hann heitir, enn hann lengi 
i segiarns-keri hann liggr hia Sin- g- mun 
moto, & broddz oddi bifask, 
ok halda Niard-lasar nio. aud-rannz bess muno um aldrhafa 
43. S. Segdu mer pat F. . . : 160 frétt eina firar. 180 
q. Hvart aptr koemr sa-es eptir ferr, 49. S. Segdu mer pat F. . 
ok vill pann tein taka? q. Hverr pat goerdi es fyr. gard sik 
44. F. Aptr mun koma sa-es eptir ferr, innan As-maga. 
q ok vill pann tein taka, 50. F. Uni ok Iri, Bari ok Ori, 
ef pat foerir es fair eigo 165 q- Varr ok Vegdrasill, 185 
eiri aurglasis. Dori ok Uri, Dellingr, Atvarér 
45, 'S. Segdu mer fat Fos. 8 Lidskialfr, Loki. 
51. Svipd. Segdu mer pat, Fialsvidr, es ek pik fregna mun, 
q: ok ek vilja vita: 
Hvat pat biarg heitir, es ek sé bridi 4 190 


pidd-meera bruma ? 
52. Fiols. Lyfja-berg heitir, enn pat hefir lengi verit 


q- siikom ok s@rom gaman: 
heil verdér hver pdétt hafi Ars sétt, 
ef pat klifr kona. 195 
53. Svzfd. Segdu mer pat, Fialsvidr, es ek pik fregna mun, 
q. ok ek vilja_ vita: 


Hvat per meyjar heita, es fyr Mengladar knidm 
sitja sattar saman? 
54. &iols. HIff heitir, annor Hlffprasa, pridja Piddvarta, 200 
q: Biort ok Blié, Bliér, Frid, 
Eir ok Aurboda. 





S. Tell me now, Muchwise, etc. What is the rock called, on which 
I see the most belauded maid sit? 

G. Hill of Healing it is called, it has long been the joy of the sick and 
sore. Any woman that climbs it, though she have a year’s sickness on 
her, will become whole. 

S. Tell me, M. etc. What are the maids called that sit together 
peacefully at Menglad’s knees? 

G. The name, (a// healing names.) 





192. Bugge; hyfia berg, Cd. 193. Bugge; siukum ok sari, Cd, 260. 
Bugge; hlifpursa, Cd. 


TS ee 








$1.) THE LAY OF SWIPDAY AND MENGLAD. 99 


55. Svipd. Segdu mer pat, Fialsvidr, es ek pik fregna mun, 
q: ok ek vilja vita: 
Hvart per biarga peim es bléta peer, 205 
ef goerask parfar bess? 
56. Frols. ‘Sumur hvar’ es menn bléta per 


qs 4 stall-helgom stad: 
Eigi sv4 hatt foraé kemr at haléa sonom, 
hvern per or naudom nema. 210 
57. Svipd. Segdu mer pat, Fialsvidr, es ek pik fregna mun, 
q: ok ek vilja vita: 


Hvart se manna nokkut pat-es knegi 4 Mengladar 
svaesom armi sofa? 
58. Fiols, Vetr es pat manna, es knegi 4 Mengladar 215 
q: svésom armi sofa, 
nema Svipdagr einn; hénom vas su in s6l-biarta 
bridér at kv4n of kvedin. 
59. Svipd. Hrittu 4 hurdir! léttu hlid rim! 
q: her mattu Svipdag sj4! 220 
Enn pé vita far, ef vilja muni 
Menglad mitt gaman. 
60. Fiols. Heyrdu, Menglad, her es madr kominn, 
q. gakk pu 4 gest sid: 
hundar fagna, hus hefir upp lokizk ; 225 
hygg-ek at Svipdagr sé. 
61. Mengi. Horskir hrafnar skolo per 4 ham galga 
: slita sidnar or: 
ef bi pat lygr, at her sé langt kominn 
mgr til mfnna_sala. 230 
62. Hvadan pu fért? hvadan pd far goerdir? 
hve pik héto hit? 


S. Tell me, M. etc. Whether they deliver those that worship them, 
if need be? 

G. Every summer, if they be worshipped in an altar-hallowed place, 
though never so high peril overtake the sons of men, they will deliver 
them every one from his need. 

S. Tell me this, M. etc. If there be any one, to whom it is granted 
to sleep in Menglad’s sweet arms? 

G. To none of men is it granted to sleep in Menglad’s sweet arms, 
save to Swipday alone; the sunbright bride was destined to him for wife. 

S. Push open the door, throw back the gates, lo, Swipday is here! 
yet go and see if Menglad will have my love. 

G. (shouting to within). WHearken, Menglad! here is a new comer, 
go and see the guest; the hounds welcome him, the house has sprung 
open of itself; I think it is Swipday. 

Menglad (from within to the Giant). May the great ravens tear out 
thine eyes on the high gallows-tree, if this be a lie that my love is 
come from afar to my hall. (Swipday comes in, she turns to him): 
Whence didst thou start? whence didst thou journey? what did thy 








227, horskir] read hésvir all 
H 2 


100 THE WESTERN ARISTOPHANES. [BK. II, 


at ztt ok nafni vil-ek jartegn vita, 
ef ek vas per kvan of kvedin. 


63. Svipd. Svipdagr ek heiti. Sdlbiartr hét mfnn fadir, 235, 


padan rakomk vindar kalda vego. 
Urdar ordi kvedr engi madr, 

pdott pat sé vid last lagid. 
64. Mengi, Vel pi ni kominn! hefik mfnn vilja bedit. 

q. Fylgja skal kvedjo koss. 240 
Forkunnar syn mun flestan glada, 

hvars hefir vid annan dst. 


65. Lengi ek sat Lyfja-bergi 4, 
beid-ek pin ddégr ok daga: 
Nu pat vard, es ek vett hefi, 245 
at pu ert kominn, magr, til minna sala. 
66. brar hafdar es ek hefi til pins gamans, 


enn pt til mfns munar. 
Nu es pat satt at vid slita skolom | 
evi ok aldri saman. 250 








§2. THE WESTERN: ISLANDS” 


ARISTOPHANES. 


LOKA-SENNA.—THE FLYTING OF LOKI. 


THIs poem is preserved in R, leaves 15-17. Edda (Gg) quotes v. 29, 
yet mixing it up with v. 47; Il. 60-61 seem to have come in here from 
the old Wolsung Play. 

The plot is laid at the Last Banquet of the Gods just after Balder’s 
death. All are present, save Thor and Loki; the latter comes to the 





household call thee? I must have sure token of thy kindred and name, 
to know whether I be thy fated wife. 

S. Swipday is my name, Sunbright was my father’s name; the winds 
have driven me far along cold paths. No one can withstand the word 
of the Fate, even though it be spoken to one’s destruction. 

Menglad. Be welcome now! I have got my will; take a kiss with 
my greeting. A blessed sight is the meeting of two lovers. Long have 
I sat upon the Hill of Healing, day after day I waited for thee. Now 
that which I yearned for is come to pass, and thou, my love, art come 
to my bower. I have yearned sorely for thy kiss, and thou for my love. 
Now it is true that we shall pass our lives and days together. 





243. Bugge; liufu bergi, Cd. 





§ 2.] LOKA-SENNA. 101 


door of Eager’s Hall, and though warned by the cook that he will 
find scant welcome, persists in entering, and going round the hall 
banters each God and Goddess in turn with the bitterest sarcasm, 
reducing all to silence till Thor comes in fresh from his exploits in 
Giant-land, when Loki is forced to retire, cursing his host. 

The treatment is purely dramatic, and the drawing of character is 
extremely vivid and well sustained. Loki’s speeches are full of allusions 
to the scandals of Ansegard (many otherwise unknown to us), a few of 
which seem to be remnants of very archaic. cosmogonic myths, such as 
we find in Irish and Hindu mythology. 

The poet is a heathen; for the mockery is not that of Voltaire or 
Lucian, but of Aristophanes, and there is no more lack of reverence 
in his attitude than in that of the Homeric poems when recounting the 
quarrels of Zeus and Hera or the loves of Aphrodite. 

The diction and vocabulary are as rich as those of Rabelais, and 
contain many words which are not found elsewhere. 

The ¢ext is luckily in a fair state. A few lines, e.g. 76-77, are corrupt. 

The name Loka-senna is warranted by the superscription in R. 


I. 
1. Loki be aaa pat, Eldir, sva-at pu einugi 
q. feti gangir framarr: 
Hvat her inni hafa at al-madlom 
Sigtiva synir: 
2. Eldir Of vpn sin de&ma ok um vigrisni sina 5 
q: sigtiva synir: 


Asa ok Alfa es her inni ero 
mangi es ber { vordi vinr. 
3. Loki Inn skal ganga Adgiss hallir f 
q. & pat sumbl at sid: 10 
‘ioll ok afo’ foéri-ek Asa sonom, 
ok blend-ek beim sv4 meini mizé. 
4. Eldir Veiztu, ef inn pt gengr Adgiss hallir f 
q: & pat sumbl at sid: 
hrépi ok rdégi ef pt eyss 4 holl regin, 15 
4 per muno pau berra bat. 





FIRST SCENE, in Eager’s Hall (Okeanos); all the Gods and Goddesses, 
save Thor, present at a banquet. Loki appears at the door. 


Loki at the door to Eldi the Cook. Tell me, Eldi (Cook), before thou goest 
‘further, what the Blessed Gods talk of over their Ale!—E/di. The 
Blessed Gods are comparing their weapons and their exploits. Of all the 
Anses and Elves within, not one speaks a good word for thee.—Lodi. 
I shall go into Eager’s hall, to see this banquet; I will bring the Gods 
bitter spice for their drink, and mix their mead with venom.—£/d:. 
Be sure, if thou goest in to behold the banquet, and pourest foul words 
and filthy slander on the bounteous Gods, that they will wipe it off on 


Ss 





8. ordi, Ro 


102 THE WESTERN ARISTOPHANES. [BK. II. 


5. Loki Veiztu pat, Eldir, ef vid einir skolom 


q: sdr-yrdom sakask, 
audigr verda mun-ek { andsvarom, 
ef pu meelir til mart. 20 
II. 
6. Loki  Pyrstr ek kom bessar hallar til, 
q: Loptr um langan veg, 


Aso at bidja at mer einn gefi 
meran drykk miadar. 
", Hvi pegit ér sv4, prungin, god! 25 
at ér mela ne megod? 
Sessa ok stadi velid mer sumbli at, 
eda heitid mik hedan. 
8. Brag? Sessa ok stadi velja per sumbli at 
q: Adsir aldregi: 30 
pvi-at AMsir vito hveim peir alda skolo 
gamban-sumbl um geta. 
9. Loki Mantu pat, Odinn, es vid { dr-daga 
q. blendom bl6éi saman? 
alvi bergja letztu eigi mundo, 35 
nema okkr veri badom borit. 
10. Odtnn Ristu pA, Vidarr, ok lat Vulfs faodur 


q: sitja sumbli at: 
sfér oss Loki kvedi lasta-stafom 
Aiigiss heollo f. 40 
11. Loki Heilir Asir! Heilar Asynjor! 
: q- ok all ginn-heilog god! 





thee.—Loki. Be sure, Eldi, if we two be left alone to bandy cutting 
words, that I shall not lack an answer, if thou speakest too much. 


SECOND SCENE.—Loki enters the Hall. 


Loki. Thirsty, I, Loki, came to this hall off a long journey, to beg 
the Anses to give me but one draught of the goodly mead.—(No ansqwer.) 
Why sit ye so silent, ye moody Gods, speaking no word? Give me seat 
and place at this banquet, or else bid me go hence. 

Bragi. The Anses will never give thee seat or place at their banquet: 
for the Anses know well who deserve the joy of the feast. 

Loki and Woden. Loki. Dost thou remember, Woden, how we two 
in days of old blended blood together? ‘Thou sworest never to taste 
ale unless we drank together.—/W. Get up then, Widar, and let the Wolf’s 
father (Loki) sit down to the banquet; that Loki may not make mock 
of us here in Eager’s hall. (Loki sits down and drinks health to the Gods.) 

Loki and Bragi, L. Hail, Anses, hail, Ansesses, and all ye most 
holy Gods, except that one Anse, Bragi by name, who sits on the 





37. Ulfs, R. 

















$ Pg ae ara SRS es 


ee 





_ re 


Pin Si eee ee ee! Ws 


ca 1 he a RSC: - 


el] 


St eh 


§.2.] LOKA-SENNA. ! 103 


nema s4 einn Ass, es inni sitr, 
Bragi, bekkjom 4. 
12. Bragi Mar ok meki gef ek per mins fir, 45 
q: ok beétir per sv4 baugi Bragi: 
sfér pi Asom afund um gialdir. 
Greméu eigi god at per! 
13. Loki 16s ok arm-bauga mundu e vesa 
q. beggja vanr, Bragi! 50 
Asa ok Alfa, es her inni ero, 
pu ert vid vig varastr, 
ok skiarrastr vid skot. 
14. Bragi Veit-ek ef fyr titan verak, svi sem fyr innam emk, 
, Agiss hall um kominn: 55 
hafud pitt bera-ek hendi {, 
‘litt ek’ per pat fyr lygi. 
15. Lokt Sniallr ertu { sessi; skalattu sv4 goera, 
q: Bragi bekk-skrautudr ! 
vega pti gakk ef vreidr sér. 60 
Hyggsk veetr hvatr fyrir. 
16. Jéunn Bid-ek, Bragi, barna-sifjar duga 


q: ok allra ésk-maga : 
at-bi Loka kvedira lasta-staofom 
fiigiss hallo f. 65 
17. Loki Pegi pu, Idunn! pik kved-ek allra kvenna 
q. ver-giarnasta vesa: 


siztu arma pina lagdéir {tr-pvegna 
um pbfnn brédur-bana. 
18. Jéunn Loka ek kvedka lasta-staofom 70 
q figiss hallo f; 
Braga ek kyrri bidr-reifan ; 
vilkat-ek at id vreidir vegisk. 





inner bench.—B, I will give thee out of my store a steed and a sword, 
moreover Bragi will recompense thee with rings; so thou do not abuse 
the Anses. Do not rouse the Gods to anger against thee!—Z. Thou 
hast never had a horse or arm-rings; of all the Anses that are here 
to-day thou art the wariest in fight, and the shyest of shooting.—B. 
Be sure, if I were without Eager’s hall, as I am now within it, I would 
bear thy head in my hand; and give thee that for thy lies—Z. Thou 
wilt not do so. Thou art bold enough in thy seat, O Bragi, thou bench- 
boaster. Go fight if thou be wroth; a valiant man flinches for nought. 

Idun and Loki. Idun. 1 pray thee, Bragi, for our children’s sake, and 
all our beloved, do not provoke Loki here in Eager’s hall.—Z. Hold thy 
peace, Idun; I call thee the lewdest of women, since thou laidest thine 
arms, washed white in the water, about thy brother’s slayer.—I. I am 
not provoking Loki in Eager’s hall; I am but quieting the beer-stirred 
Bragi; I would not see you come to blows in anger. 





59. Quantity amiss (- ¥V). 60. reidr, R. 73. reidir, R, 


104 THE WESTERN ARISTOPHANES. [BK. 1. 
19. Gefion Hvi id sir tveir skolod inni her 
q: sér-yrdom sakask? 75 


‘Lopzci pat veit at hann leikinn es 
ok hann fiorg avll fia.’ 
20. Loki Pegi pu, Gefion! pess mun-ek nt geta, 
q- es pik glapdi at gedi 
sveinn inn hviti, es per sigli gaf, 80 
ok pu lagdir ler yfir. 
21. Odimn Oerr ertu, Loki, ok cer-viti, 


q. es pu fer per Gefion at gremi: 
pvi-at aldar cerlag hygg-ek at hon all um viti 
iafn-goerla sem ek. 85 
22. Loki Pegi pi, Odinn! pi kunnir aldregi 
q. deila vig med verom: 


opt pu gaft peim, es pu gefa skyldira, 
enom slzvorom sigr: 
23. Odin Veiztu, ef ek gaf beim, es ek gefa ne skylda, 90 
q: enom slzvorom sigr: 
Atta vetr vastu fyr iard nedan 
kyr molkandi ok kona, 
ok hefir pi par barn of borit, 


ok hugda-ek pat args adal. 95 
24. Loki Enn pik sida k6d0 Sdmseyjo {, 
q. ok draptu 4 veett sem valor; 


vitka lfki fértu ver-pidd yfir ; 
ok hugda-ek pat args adal. 
25. Frigg Orlagom ykkrom skylit aldregi 100 
. segja seggjom fra, 
hvat ié Adsir tveir drygdut { 4r-daga. 
Firrisk 2 forn rak firar! 





Gefion and Loki. G. Why should ye two Anses bandy angry words 
here within? Loki knows....—Z. Hold thy peace, Gefion! I will now 
tell how the fair swain, who gave thee the raiment, and who lay with 
thee, stole thy love. 

Woden and Loki. W. Drunk art thou, Loki, and out of thy wits, 
to make an enemy of Gefion; for she knows, as well as myself, the 
fate of all men.—Z. Hold thy peace, Woden, thou never couldst deal 
victory fairly out to men; thou often hast given the victory to them 
to whom thou shouldst not have given it, to the cowardly—_W. Know 
that if I gave the victory to whom I should not, to the cowardly, that 
thou wast eight winters underneath the earth, a woman, and a milk- 
maid; and thou hast borne children, and I call that the part ofa.... 
—L. But thou, they say, didst work sorcery in Sams-ey; and thou 
dealtest in magic, like wise women. In a wizard’s shape thou flewest 
over the earth, and that I call the part ofa.... 

Frigg and Loki. F. Ye should never talk of your old doings before 
men, of what ye two Anses went through in old times. Men should let 





76-77. Text corrupt. 94. bérn of | add. Rask, 


ee 





be 
, 
f Pa 
3 
ie: 


§ 2.] LOKA-SENNA. 105 


26. Loki Pegi pu, Frigg, pu ert Fiorgyns mer, 
q: ok hefir x2 ver-giarn vesid: 105 
es pa Vea ok Vilja létztu per, Vidriss brcédr, 
bida { badm um tekit. 
24. Frigg Veiztu, ef inni ettak Aigiss hallo f 
q: Baldri glikan bur: 
it pi ne kvemir fra Asa sonom, 110 
ok veri pé at per vreidom vegit. 
28. Loki Enn vil pu, Frigg, at ek fleiri telja 


q: mina mein-stafi? 
ek pvf red, es pu rida sérat 
sidan Baldr at swlom. TES 
29. Freya (Err ertu, Loki, es pu yéra telr 
q: lidta leid-stafi : 


cerlag Frigg hygg-ek at all viti, 
pdétt hon sialfgi segi. 
30. Loki Pegi pu, Freyja! pik kann ek full-goerva ; 120 
q- esa ber vamma vant: 
Asa ok Alfa, es her inni ero, 
hverr hefir pfnn hér vesid. 
31. Freya Fla es per tunga; hygg-ek at per fremr 
q: myni 6gé6tt um gala: I 
Vreidir ro per Aisir, vreidar ro per Asynjor, 
hryggr muntu heim fara. 
32. Loki Pegi pu, Freyja! pu-ert fordeeda, 
q. ok meini blandin miak: 
‘Sitztu at broedr pinom sido’ blid regin, 130 
ok myndir pi -pa, Freyja, frata. 
33. Wiorér Pat es v4-lftit, pétt ser vardir 
q: vers fai héss eda hvars: 


to 


ur 





bygones be bygones.—Z. Hold thy peace, Frigg; thou art Fiorgyns’ 
daughter, and hast always been wanton; since thou, Woden’s wife, 
laidest We and Wili, thy husband’s brothers, both in thy bosom.—F. Be 
sure, if I had here in Eager’s hail a son like Balder, thou shouldst never 
come out alive from the Anses, but thou shouldst be slain in thy anger. 
—L. Willest thou, Frigg, that I tell more of my abominations? It is 
my doing that thou seest no more Balder ride into the hall. 

Freyja and Loki. F. Drunk art thou, Loki, telling all your horrors. I 
ween Frigg knows the fate of all men, though she say it not.—Z. Hold 
thy peace, Freyja; I know thee well enough; there is no lack of lewd- 
ness in thee; of all Anses and Elves that are here, every one has been 
thy paramour.—F. Loose is thy tongue; it will, I guess, talk down evil 
on thee. The Gods are wroth with thee, the Ansesses are wroth with 
thee; thou wilt go home a sadder man.—L. Hold thy peace, Freyja; 
thou art a witch-hag, most full of evil, since thou ‘bewitchedst’.... 
and then, Freyja, thou didst .... 

Niord and Loki. N.’Tis no great matter, though women find them 





106, breedr] emend. ; kvzn, R. 108. shiek te 10g. likan, R. 
rit. reidom, R. 116-117. Edda(W). 126. vreidar ro per] Bugge ; ok, R, 


106 THE WESTERN ARISTOPHANES. [BK. 1. 


hitt es undr, es Ass ragr es her inn of kominn, 


ok hefir s4 barn of borit. 135 
34. Loki Pegi pu, Niardr! pu vast austr hedan 
q. gisl um sendr at godom: 


Hymiss meyjar hafdo pik at hland-trogi, 
ok per { munn migo. 
35. LViorér Su eromk lfkn, es ek vask langt hedan 140 
q. gisl um sendr at godom: 
pa-ek mag gat, pann es mangi fidr; 
ok pikkir s4 Asa iadarr. 
36. Lokt Hettu nu, Niawrdr! hafdu 4 héfi pik! 
q. munka-ek pvi leyna lengr: 145 
vid systor pinni gaztu slikan mag, 
ok ‘esa p6 véno verr.’ 
37. Tyr | Freyr es baztr allra ballrida 
q: Asa gardom f: 
mey hann ne gretir, né mannz kono, 150 
ok leysir or haptom hvern, 
38. Loki Pegi pi, Tyr! bu kunnir aldregi 


q. bera tilt med tveim; 
handar ennar hcégri mun-ek hinnar geta, 
es per sleit Fenrir fra. 155 
39. Zyr | Handar em-ek vanr, enn pt hrod-vitniss, 
q: baol es beggja pra. 


Ulfgi hefir ok vel es f bondom skal 
bida Ragna-rakrs. 
40. Loki Pegi pu, Tyr! bat vard pinni kono 160 
q. at hon atti mag vid mer; 
aln né penning hafdir pu pess aldregi 
van-réttiss, vesall ! 





lovers, this man or that man. But it is monstrous that a vile Anse, who 
has borne children, should have dared to come in here.—L. Hold thy 
peace, Niord; thou wast sent from the east a hostage to the Gods; the 
maids of Hymi used thee fora....and....—WN. This is my comfort, 
though I was sent as a hostage among the Gods from afar, that I have 
begot a son whom no one hates, and who is best of the Anses.—L. 
Stay now, Niord, keep within measure; I shall not hide it longer; this 
son thou didst beget with thy sister; that outdoes all. 

Ty and Loki. L, Frey is the best of all charioteers in Anse-town ; 
he never makes a maid or man’s wife weep, and redeems all from their 
bonds.—L. Hold thy peace, Ty, thou couldst never set goodwill be- 
tween two men. Now I will call to mind that right hand of thine 
which Fenri bit off thee.—Ty. I lack a hand, but thou hast lost thy 
son the Wolf, Both fare badly. The wolf is in ill plight, for he must 
‘wait in bonds for the Doom of the Powers.—Z. Hold thy peace, Ty. 
It happened to thy wife to have a child by me. Thou hast never had 
an ell or a penny for thy damages, thou sorry fellow. 





136. Read, pu vast austan hegat gisl um sendr godom? 147. esa] pera, R. 
véno] dno, R. 156. Emend.,; hroprs vitniss, R. 158. False alliteration, 








Pat 4c LOKA-SENNA. 107 


41. Freyr Ulf sé-ek liggja 4r-ési fyrir 

, unz ritifask regin ; 165 
pvf mundu nest, nema pu nt pegir, 

bundinn, balva-smiér ! 
42. Loki  Golli keypta leztu Gymiss déttor, 

q. ok seldir pftt sva sverd; 
enn es Muspellz synir rida Myrkvid yfir, 170 
veizta-bu p4 vesall hve pu vegr. 

43. Byggv. Veiztu, ef ek cedli ettak sem Ingunar-Freyr, 


q ok sv4 seelikt setr: 
mergi smzra meoelda-ek p4 mein-krako, 
ok lemda alla f lido. 175 
44. Loki  Hyvat es pat id lftla, es ek pat laggra s¢k, 
q. ok snapvist snapir! 


at crnom Freyss mun-dt ze vesa, 
ok umb kvernom klaka. 
45. Byggv. Bygevir ek heiti; enn mik br4dan kveda 180 
; god all ok gumar; 
pvi em-ek her hrédugr, at drekka Hroptz-megir 
allir aol saman. 
46. Loki Pegi pu, Bygevir! bu kunnir aldregi 
q: deila med mannom mat; 185 
ok pik f fletz stra finna ne mdtto 
fe par es vago verar. 
47. Heimd. Olr ertu, Loki, sv4 at pti ert cerviti, 
, hvi ne ‘lezcabu’ Loki? 
pvi-at ofdrykkja veldr alda hveim 190 
es sina melgi~ne manad. 








Frey and Loki. F. 1 see the Wolf lying in the mouth of the river 
till the world falls in ruins. Thy turn will come next to be bound, 
thou worker of evil, save thou holdest thy peace.—Z. Thou boughtest 
Gymi’s daughter with gold, and gavest thy sword for her. And when 
Muspells’ sons ride over Murkwood, thou shalt not know with what 
to fight, thou sorry fellow. 

Byggvi (Barleycorn) and Loki. B. Be sure, if I had a heritage like 
Frey the Ingowin and such a seemly seat, I would pound thee to mar- 
row, thou ill-omened crow, and maul thine every limb.—Z. What is 
the tiny thing I see there wagging its tail, snuffling about (doglike)? 
Thou wilt be always at Frey’s hearth, yapping at the quern.—B. My 
name is Barleycorn; Gods and men know I am hot-tempered; I am 
here in high spirits because all Hropt’s sons (Anses) are here drinking 
together.—L. Hold thy peace, Barleycorn; thou hast never shared food 
fairly among men. Hid in the bedstraw, thou wast not to be found 
when men were a-fighting. 

Heimdal and Loki. H. Drunk art thou, Loki, and out of thy wits; 
why dost thou not....? Too deep drinking makes men babble they 





* 
176, es pat, which. 178. é6rnom] emend.; eyrom, R. 179. umb] und, R. 


108 THE WESTERN ARISTOPHANES. ~* [xx. it. 
48. Loki Pegi pu, Heimdalir! Per vas { 4r-daga 


q. id lidta lif um lagit: 
aurgo baki pu munt z vesa, 
ok vaka, vaordr goda. 195 
49. Skadi Létt es per, Loki! Munattu sv4 lengi 
q. leika lausom hala; 
pvi-at pik 4 hiarvi skolo ins hrfm-kalda magar 
garnom pinda god. [ 200 
50. Loki Veiztu! Ef mik 4 hiwrvi skolo ens hrim-kalda magar 
q. garnom binda god: 


Fyrstr ok cefstr vas-ek at fiarlagi 
pars ver 4 Piaza prifom. 
51. Skade Veiztu, ef fyrstr ok cefstr vastu at fiarlagi 
q. pa-es ér 4 Piaza prifod: 205 
fra minom veom ok vangom skolo 
per 2 kald rod koma. 
52. Lokc Léttari {i madlom vastu vid Laufeyjar son, 
q: pa-es pt letz mer 4 bed pinn bodit; 
| getid verér oss pess, ef ver goerva skolom 210 
telja ‘vaommin var.’ 
53- Sif _— -Heill ves pi nu, Loki! ok tak vid hrim-kalki 


q. fullom forns miadar! 
heldr pi hana eina ldtir med Asa sonom 
vamma-lausa vesa. 215 
54. Loki Ein pu veerir, ef pi sva veerir 
q. vard gram at veri. 


Einn ek veit, sva-at ek vita bikkjomk, 
hér ok af Hldérrida, 
ok vas pat s4 inn levisi Loki. 220 





know not what.—JL. Hold thy peace, Heimdal! A dull life was meted 
out to thee in old times. Thou must ever stand with a wet back, 
and wake as the Gods’ watchman. 

Skadi and Loki. S. Thou art easy now, Loki, but thou shalt not long 
go tail-awag; for the Gods shall bind thee on swords with the guts of 
thy rime-cold son.—L. Be sure, if the Gods, etc. I was the first and the 
foremost at the slaughter, when we handled Thiazi (thy father) roughly. 
—S. Be sure, if thou wast the first, etc. From my hearth and home 
there shall ever come cold counsels for thee.—Z. Thou wast softer 
of speech to Laufey’s son (me), when thou didst bid me to thy bed. 
We must speak of the . 

Sif and Loki. Sif (banding him a goblet). Now hail to thee, Loki, 
and take this foam-brimmed cup full of old mead, so that thou let but 
her among the Anses be unreviled.—Loki (emptying the goblet). But thou 
too, if so it be, art a wife who has played thy husband false. I know 


for sure one rival of the Thunderer lees? fo: one else but cunning 


Loki (myself). 





215. -lausom, R. 216. Ein] read Enn? 217. vord] emend.; vavr z, R. 








ea 


RP Oe 


1 PU) ae RE Se SE ee 


» tegen Ta © 


SS EES ee ee ae 


seer 





§ 2.] LOKA-SENNA. 109 


55. Beyla Fiall oll skialfa, hygg-ek 4 far vesa 
q: heiman Hlérrida ; 
hann redr r6 peim-es roégir her 
god all ok guma. 
56. Loki Pegi pu, Beyla! bu ert Byggviss kvzen, 225 
q ok meini blandin miak ; 
ékynjan meira koma med Asa sonom; 
coll ertu, deigja, dritin ! 
57. Pérr Pegi pi rag vettr! per skal minn prid-hamarr, 
ae = Miollnir, mal fyr-nema ; 230 
herda-klett drep-ek per halsi af; , 
ok verér pA pino fiarvi um farit, 
58. Zoke Iardar burr es her nt inn kominn. 
q. Hvi prasir pti sv4, Pérr? 
enn pé porir-pd ekki es pti skalt vid ulfinn vega, 235 
ok svelgr hann allan Sig-fador. 
59. bérr Pegi pu, rag vettr! Per skal mfnn Prid-hamarr, 


q. Miollnir, mal fyr-nema; 
upp ek per verp 4 Austr-vega, 
sidan pik mangi sér. 240 
60. Loki  Austr-foorom pinom skaltt aldregi 
q: segja seggjom fra: 


sizt { hanzka pumlungi hndkéir pu, Einridi! 
ok péttiska-pu ba Pérr vesa. 
61. bérr Pegi pu, rwg vettr! Per skal minn Prid-hamarr, 24; 
q. Miollnir, mal fyr nema; 
hendi inni hegri drep-ek pik Hrungniss bana, 
sva-at per brotnar beina hvat, 
62. Loki  Lifa etla~-ek mer langan aldr, 
q: pdétti heétir hamri mer ; 250 





Beyla (housewife) and Loki. B. The mountains are a-quaking; the 
Thunderer must be astir from home; he will quiet those that revile 
Gods and men here.—L. Hold thy peace, Beyla, thou art Barleycorn’s 
wife, and full of malice; nothing more noisome has come among 
the Anses; thou art altogether filthy, thou serving-woman. 

(Here Thor comes in.) 

Thor. Hold thy peace, vile being; Miollni, my mighty hammer, shall 
cut thy speech short. I will knock thy shoulder-knob (head) off, and 
then thy life is done.—Z. Ha! here is Earth’s son at last; why talkest 
thou big, Thor? Thou wilt not be so valiant in thy fight with the 
Wolf, who shall swallow up the Blissful Father (Woden).—T. Hold 
thy peace, Loki, etc. I will fling thee up into the east, where none 
shall see thee more.—L. Never speak to men about thy eastern jour- 
neys, since thou, the Hero, didst crouch in a glove-thumb, remember- 
ing not that thou wast Thor.—T. Hold thy peace, Loki, etc. My 
right hand will smite thee with the killer of Rungni (Hammer), so that 
thy every bone shall be broken.—Z, I mean to live a long life, though 





243. Einridi] emend. ; ein heri, R. 


110 THE WESTERN ARISTOPHANES. [ BK. 11. 


Skarpar Alar péttu per Skrymiss vesa, 
ok mattira-pu pa nesti né, 
ok svaltz-pu pa hungri heill. 
63. Pérr  Pegi-pu, rag vettr! ber skal minn Prid-hamarr, 
g. Miollnir, mal fyr nema; | 255 
Hrungniss bani mon per f{ hel koma 
fyr N4-grindr nedan. 
64. Loki Kvad-ek fyr Asom, kvad-ek fyr Asa sonom 
q: paz mik hvatti hugr; | 
enn fyr per einom mun-ek tt ganga, 260 
pvi-at ek veit at pu vegr. 
65. ©) geerdir pi, Agir, enn pi aldri munt 
sidan sumbl um gera; 
Eiga pin all, es her inni es, 
leiki yfir logi, 265 
ok brenni per 4 baki! 


THE LAY OF SKIRNI. 


GIVEN in R, leaves 11-125; and (the opening only) in A (748) to 1.110. 
Quoted in Edda (Sk), v. 42, where also a paraphrase of the plot is given, 
which supplies the scanty account to be gathered from the poem, which 
is certainly imperfect, with several serious lacunz. 

The character of the story is highly romantic and passionate, and there 
are touches which remind one of Romeo and Juliet. But the bantering 
scenes, in which the faithful servant upholds his master’s cause, testify to 
the poet of Loka-senna. 

Frey, having fallen in love with the beautiful white-armed giant- 
maiden, falls into a deep love-melancholy. His mother, grieving at his 
sad state, bids his trusty page Skirni find out the cause thereof. Skirni 
worms out his secret, and agrees to go to Giant-land to woo Gerda, his 
master’s love, for him. By a mixture of caressing and force he makes 
her consent; but at a great price, Frey’s charmed sword must go to 
Giant-land. Frey welcomes his good squire’s tidings, and the poem 
breaks off before the end. We learn from the prose paraphrase the 


antecedents and consequences of this fiery passion, and why it is that — 


Frey will ride weaponless to the Last Battle at the Crack of Doom. 
The origin of the story is probably a sun-myth. 
The name Skirnismal is warranted by A, where it is thus superscribed. 





thou threatenest me with thy hammer. Skrimnis’ straps were too tight 
for thee, thou couldst not get to thy food, and wast well-nigh starved 
for hunger.—T. Hold thy peace, Loki, etc. The killer of Hrungni shall 
strike thee dead, and (send thee) down underneath the gates of the 
Dead.—L. I chanted to the Anses, I chanted to the sons of Anses, what 
the mind bid me; but for thee alone I will go away, for I know thou 
wilt smite. 

Loki (in parting, addresses Eager the host). Thou didst brew thy ale 
[for a feast], Eager, but thou shalt never more give a banquet. All thy 
goods here within the flame shall lick, and burn thy back to boot. 











§ 2.] THE LAY OF SKIRNI. III 


I, 


I. er Rsto nu, Skirnir, ok gakk at beida 
okkarn mala mag: 
ok pess at fregna, hveim enn frddi sé 
of-reidi afi. 
2. Skirnir Illra orda erumk 6n at ykkrom syni, 5 
ef ek geng at mela vid mag; 
ok pess at fregna, hveim enn frddi sé 
of-reidi afi. 


Il. 


3. Skirnir Segdu mer pat, Freyr, folk-valdi goda, 
ok ek vilja vita: 10 
Hvf pu einn sitr endlanga sali, 
minn dréttinn, um daga? 
4. Freyr WHvi um segjak per, seggr inn ungi, 
; mikinn m66-trega; 
pvi-at alfraodull lysir um alla daga, 15 
ok beygi at minom munom. 
5. Skirnir Muni pina hykka-ek sv4 mikla vesa 
; at pu mer, seggr, ne segir: 
pvi-at ungir saman varom { ardaga; 
vel mettim tveir truask. 20 
6. ce I Gymiss-gardom ek s4 ganga 
mér tida mey; 
armar l¥sto, enn af padan 
allt lopt ok lagr. 
”. Mer es mér tfdari, an manni hveim 25 
ungom { 4rdaga; 





FIRST SCENE.—4t Elfham, in Frey’s Hall. Skadi, Frey’s mother, speaks to 
Skirni, Frey’s messenger. 


Skadi. ARISE, Skirni, and go and get speech of our son, and ask our 
goodly son with whom he is angry.— Skirni. I shall get but evil words 
from your son if I try to speak with him and ask your goodly son 
against whom his wrath is kindled. 


SECOND SCENE.—Skirni goes up to Frey. 


Skirni, Tell me, O Frey, thou captain of the Gods, fain would I know 
why thou, my lord, sittest the livelong day alone in thy hall.—Frey. How 
can I tell thee, my young boy, my heavy heart-sorrow. For the sun 
shines day by day, but brings no joy to me.—Séirni. Can thy grief be so 
great that thou, my friend, couldst not tell it to me? For we were 
lads together in past days ; well might we two trust one another.— 
Frey. In Gymis’ crofts I saw a-walking a maid I love; her arms beamed 
so that sky and sea were lit thereby. This maid is dearer to me than 





1. Alliteration amiss, 5. er mer, R. 25. an manni} enn mann, R ; 
znn manni, A, 


112 THE WESTERN ARISTOPHANES. [BK. m. 


Asa ok Alfa pat vill engi madr 
at vid samt sém. 


8. Skirnir Mar gefou mer p4, pann-es mik um myrkvan beri 
visan vafr-loga ; 30 
ok pat sverd, es sialft vegisk 
vid Iatna ett. 
g. Kreyr Mar ek per pann gef, es pik um myrkvan berr 
A visan vafr-loga ; 
ok pat sverd, es sialft mun vegask, 3 
ef sa es horskr es hefir. 


Il. 


10. Skernir Myrkt es uti, mal kved-ek okkr fara 
q: rig ficoll yfir, 
Pursa pidéd yfir, 
Baéir vid. komumk, eda okkr bada tekr 40 
s4 inn amétki iatunn. 


IV. 


11. Skirnir Segdu pat, hirdir, es pi 4 haugi sitr 
ok vardar alla vega: 
hve ek at andspilli komumk ens unga mans 
fyr greyjom Gymiss. 45 
12. Miroir Hvart ertu ier eda ertu fram-genginn? 


on 


andspilliss vanr bi skalt 2 vesa 
gé6rar meyjar Gymiss. 
13. Skirnir Kostir ro betri heldr an at kloekkva sé 
g. hveim-es ftiss es fara; 50 





ever maid was to a young man. But none of the Anses or of the Elves will 
have us be together.—Skirni. Now give me the horse to bear me through 
the dark flicker-flame thou knowest of; and that sword that fights of itself 
against the Giant-kind.—Frey. I will give thee the horse to bear thee 
through the dark flicker-flame ; and that sword that fights of itself if he 
is bold that bears it. 

THIRD SCENE.—Skirni on his way talks to his horse. 

Skirni. It is dark all about us, it is time for us to go over the wet hills, 
over Ogre-land. We shall both get there unless that foul giant takes 
us both. 

FOURTH SCENE.—In Giant-land, outside Gymis’ hall. To the Shepherd. 

Skirni. Tell me, Shepherd, sitting on the howe and watching all the 
ways, how I may come to talk with the young maid, maugre Gymis’ hounds, 

Shepherd. Art thou fey, or art thou a ghost?... Thou canst never get 
to talk with Gymis’ goodly maid.—Skirni. He must never be flinching 





39. pursa. pidd yfir] A; pyria piod yfir, R. 


rs 
i Me 
i. 2 ~ 


eit Site Wi ef! de 


§ 2.] THE LAY OF SKIRNI, | 113 


eino dcégri mer vas aldr um skapadr 
ok allt lif um lagid. 


V. 


14. Gerir Hvat es pat hlym hlymja, es ek heyri nt til 
; ossom rannom f? 
Tard bifask, enn allir fyrir 55 
skialfa gardar Gymiss, 
15. = Madr es her uti, stiginn af mars baki, 
ié leetr til iardar taka. 
16. Gertr Inn bid-pu hann ganga f{ okkarn sal, 
; ok drekka inn mera mind; 60 
pé6 ek hitt 6umk, at her iti sé 
minn brdédéur-bani. 


VI. 


17. Gerdr Hyvat es pat Alfa né Asa sona 
né vissa Vana? 
Hvi pu einn um komt eikin-fir yfir 65 
ér sal-kynni at sid? 
18. Skirnir Emkat-ek Alfa né Asa sona, 
q: né vissa Vana, 
pé6 ek einn um komk eikin-fdr yfir 
yOor sal-kynni at sid. 70 
19g. Epli ellifo her hefi-ek al-gollin, 
pau mun-ek per, Gerdr, gefa, 
frid at kaupa, at bu per Frey kvedir 
éleidastan lifa. > 
20. Gerdr Epli ellifo ek bigg aldregi 75 
q: at mannzkiss munom; 





whoso wants to go on with his journey. On one day my fate was 
fashioned and all my life laid down. 


FIFTH SCENE.—Inside the hall. Gerda and a bondsmaid. 

Gerda. What is that clattering clatter that I hear in our court? The 
earth is quaking, and all Gymis’ homestead shaking.—Bondsmaid. A man 
is without here, he has got off his horse, and lets his steed graze.—Gerda. 
Go, bid him in to our hall, to drink of our clear mead; though it misgives 
me that my brother’s slayer i is without. 


SIXTH SCENE.—Gerda welcomes Skirni to the ball. 

Gerda. Which of the sons of Anses or of wise Wanes is this? How 
didst thou alone get over the huge fire to visit our hall?—Skirni. I am none 
of Anses nor of Elves nor of wise Wanes, though alone I came over the 
huge fire to visit your hall. I have here eleven all-golden apples; these, 
Gerda, will I give thee to purchase thy favour, that thou mayest call 
Frey the best-beloved of all living. 

Gerda. Thy eleven apples I will never take, for any one’s love; nor 





65. gikin-fir yfir, R; eik inn fyrirA, 
I 


114 THE WESTERN ARISTOPHANES. [BK. m1. 


né vid Freyr, medan okkart fiar lifir, 
byggjom bzedi saman. 
21. Skirniy Baug ek per pd gef, bann-es brenndr vas 
med ungom Odéins syni; 80 
Atta ero iafn-hafgir es af dritpa 
ena niundo hverja ndtt. 
22. Gerdr Baug ek pikkak, pétt brenndr sé 
q. med ungom Odins syni; 
esa mer gollz vant { gardom Gymiss 85 
at deila fé fadur. 
23. Skirnir Sér pi penna meki, mer, midfan, mél-fan, 
; es ek hefi { hendi her? 
hafud hoeggva ek mun pér halsi af, 
nema pi mer sett segir. go 
24. Gerdr Anaud pola ek mun aldregi 
: at mannzkiss munom ; 
p6é ek hins get, ef id Gymir finnisk 
vigs Otraudir, at ykr vega tfdi. 
25. Skirmir Sér pi penna meki, mer, midfan, mé4l-fan, 95 
es ek hefi f hendi her? 
Fyr bessom eggjom hnfgr sa inn aldni iatunn; 
verér pinn feigr fadir. 
26. Tams-vendi ek pik drep; enn ek pik temja mun, 
mer, at minom munom: 100 
Par skaltu ganga, es pik gumna synir 
sidan zva sé. 
27. Ara pufo 4 skaltu 4r sitja, 
horfa heimi or, 
snugga Heljar til. 105 
Matr sé ber meirr leidr, an manna hveim 
enn frani Ormr med firom. 





shall we two, Frey and I, ever live together.—S£irni. I will give thee a 
ring that was burnt with Woden’s young son; eight rings as heavy drop 
therefrom every ninth night.—Gerda. I take no ring, even though burnt 
with Woden’s young son. I lack no gold in Gymis’ house, sharing my 
father’s wealth. 

Skirni (threatening). Look on this blade, maid, slender, marked with 
characters, that I hold in my hand; I will hew thy head from off thy neck 
unless thou yieldest to me.—Gerda. I shall never bear to be driven to 
love any man. Yet I guess if thou and Gymir meet, you will come to 
fight.—Skirni. Look at this blade, etc. Before its edge the old giant 
shall bow down and thy father fall doomed. I shall touch thee with a 
magic wand, for I will tame thee, maiden, to my will; thou shalt go where 
the sons of men shall never see thee, on the Eyrie-mound thou shalt for 
ever sit, looking out of the world, sniffing Hellwards. Meat shall be 
more loathsome to thee than is the cruel Serpent to any man. Thou shalt 





94. Quantity amiss. 104-5. Bugge; horfa heimi sn. H. til, R. 





Tee eee |e ees 





re 


Pe aa ae 


ere. cy Ts 0h og PE) 


[Oe ery «Pre 


§ 2.] THE LAY OF SKIRNI. 115 
28. At undr-si6nom pt verdir es pi ut kcemr, 

4 pik Hrimnir hari! 

4 pik hotvetna stari; 110 


vid-kunnari pi verdir an varér med godom, 
gapi pi grindom fra! 
29. Tépi ok Opi, Tiasull ok Opoli 
vaxi per tor med trega! 
Seztu nidr! enn ek mun segja per 115 
‘sv4ran stis-breka’ 
ok tvennan trega: 
30. Gramar gneypa pik skolo gerstan dag 
Iatna gardom f. 
Til Hrim-pursa hallar pi skalt hverjan dag . 120 
kranga kosta-laus, 
kranga kosta vzon. 
Grat at gamni skaltu f goegn hafa, 
ok leida med taHrom trega. 
31. Med pursi pri-hafdudom pt skalt 2 nara, 125 
eda verlaus vesa. 
Pitt ged gripi! pik morn morni! 
ves-bu sem pistill s4-es vas brunginn 
{ conn ofanverda. 
32. Til holtz ek gekk ok til ‘hr4s vidar,’ 130 
gamban-tein at geta, 
gamban-tein ek gat/k]. 


33- Reidr es per Odinn, reidr es per Asa-Bragr, 
pik skal Freyr fidsk. 
En firin-illa mer, enn pu fengit hefir 135 
gamban-reidi goda. 
34. Heyri Iatnar! Heyri Hrim-pursar! 





be made a show of, when thou comest out. May Rimni (the giant) grin 
upon thee; may everything stare on thee; thou shalt be better known 
than the watchman (Heimdall) among the Gods, gaping through the 
gate! May (the magical characters) Maddener and Whooper, Teasle 
and Lust, bring upon thee tears and sorrow! Sit thee down, I| will yet 
tell thee a heavy ... and double grief. May the demons pinch thee every 
day in Giant-land; thou shalt creep loveless and lovelorn to the Frost- 
Giants’ hall day by day, thou shalt have weeping for joy, and wear out 
sorrow with tears. Thou shalt linger for ever with a three-headed mon- 
ster, or else be husband-less. May thy soul be smitten! May thou pine 
away with pining! Be thou like a thistle-head thrust away in the porch! 
I went to the holt, and to the... wood to fetch the magic wand, and 
got it. Woden is wroth with thee, the pride of the Anses (1 hor) is wroth 
with thee; Frey shall hate thee. Thou, most wicked maid, hast brought 
down upon thee the wrath of the Gods.—Hearken, O Giants! Hearken, 





+ 


114. Read vexi? 118, Tramar, R. 129. \, ba, R; read, ofan vida ? 
135. Emend.; Enn fyrin illa mer, R. 
I2 


116 THE WESTERN ARISTOPHANES. [BK. IL. 


Synir Suttunga! Sialfir As-lidar: 
hve ek fyr-byd, hve ek fyr-banna 
manna glaum mani, 140 
manna nyt mani. 
25. Hrim-grimnir heitir purs, es pik hafa skal, 
fyr na-grindr nedan ; 
par per vil-megir 4 vidar rétom 
geita hland gefi: 145 
cedri drykkja f4 pt aldregi, 
mer, af binom munom, 
mer, at minom munom. 
36. Purs rist-ek per ok prid stafi: 
Ergi ok (di ok Opola ; 150 
sva ek pat af rist, sem ek pat 4 reist, 
ef goerask parfar bess. 
37. Gerdr Heill ves-pti nti heldr, sveinn, ok tak vid hrim-kalki 
q: fullom forns miadar: 
Pé hafda-ek pat eetlad, at myndak aldregi 155 
unna Vaningja vel. 
38. Skirnir CErendi min vil ek all vita 


q. 46r ek rida heim hedan: 
ner pu 4 pingi munt enom proska 
nenna Niardar syni. 160 
39. Gerdr Barri heitir, es vid bedi vitom, 
q. lundr logn-fara : 


enn ept netr pri4r par mun Niardar syni 
Gerér unna gamans. 


VIL. 
40. Freyr Segpu mer pat, Skfrnir, 46r pt verpir sadli af mar, 165 
q. ok pu stigir feti framarr: 





ye Frost-Giants ! ye sons of Suttung! ye companies of the Anses! how 
I forbid, how I deny her all joy of men, all pleasure of men. A monster 
called Rimegrim below Corse-gates shall have thee (to wife). There the 
sons of toil underneath the roots of the wood shail serve thee with....; 
no better drink shalt thou get, maid, for thy pleasure, at my pleasure.— 
I engrave thee with the sign ‘p’ and the three signs, Lewdness, Love- 
Madness, Lust.—Yet will I scrape it off as I scratched it on, if need be. 

Gerda (cowed, now brings him a goblet). Hail now, lad, and take this 
foaming cup full of old mead! Though I had not thought that I 
should ever love the Waningi (Frey) well.—Skirnz. I must have a full 
answer before I ride hence; when wilt thou have a love-tryst with 
Niord’s blooming son?—-Gerda. Barra is the name of a peaceful copse 
we both know; there after three nights Gerda will grant her love to 
Niord’s son. 

SEVENTH SCENE.—Skirni back at Elfham telling his success to Frey. 

Frey. Tell me, Skirni, before thou castest saddle off thy horse and 





163. priar] emend,; nio, R here and 1. 171, 





ys . Pa, eee 


oe rs ard | 


es 


if 


ui 





“eats, 2 
io cle, 
-—} 


a ak ae 


§ 2.] HARBARDS.-LIOD. 114 


hvat pi 4rnadir { Iatun-heima 
pins eda mfns munar? 
41. Skirniy Barri heitir, es vid badir vitom, 
q. lundr logn-fara : 170 
enn ept netr pridr par mun Niardar syni 
Gerdr unna gamans. 


VIII. 


42. Freyr Leng es ndtt! lengri ro tver! 
Hve um preyjaé priar? 
Opt mer mdnadr minni pétti, 175 
an sid half hy-ndétt. 


HARBARDS-LIOD; or, THE LAY OF HOARBEARD. 


Tuis little drama is contained in R (leaves 12-13); and partly in 
A, from ll. 57 to the end. It is otherwise unknown, never having been 
cited or paraphrased. 

The metre is a sort of alliterative prose, which ever and anon be- 
comes regular verse ; a style of composition only met with in this poem 
and in the following fragment. 

The subject of the drama is the contrast between the two religious 
ideals of the age, the old and the new; the homely, hard-working, old- 
fashioned franklin, and the adventurous, gallant, loose-living gentleman- 
buccaneer of the young wicking-days, typified in the two characters 
Thor and Woden. 

The dialogue between the two kings, Eystein the reformer and 
Sigurd the crusader, in The Life of Kings, treats of a similar subject, 
and may be partly inspired by our poem. 

Thor, anxious to get across the stream, which he cannot ford 
(as Bergmann acutely observed) because the water would put out his 
quiver-ful of thunder-bolts, calls to the ferryman, Hoarbeard (Woden 
in disguise), to put him across. Hoarbeard mocks him, denies him a 
passage, and the scene ends by Thor going off grumbling to seek his 
way home by a long roundabout route which his malicious antagonist 
has told him of. 

There are several interesting mythological allusions, and the voca- 
bulary is marked. The text seems pretty straight and perfect. 

The zame ‘ Harbards-liod’ is warranted by R. 





takest one step forward, How didst thou fare in Giant-land—for thy 
pleasure, or mine?—Séirni. Barra is the name of a peaceful copse we 
both know; there after three nights’ time Gerda will grant her love to 
Niord’s son. - 

EIGHTH SCENE.—Frey (soliloquising). One night is long, two nights are 
longer! How can I endure three? A month has often seemed shorter 
to me that this half (short) bridal night. 





; _ 
173. lengri ro] léng, R ; W has, L. es n. léng es 6nnor, hve megak preyja priar. 


118 THE WESTERN ARISTOPHANES. [BK. IL 


Dorr q. GF Boase es sa sveinn sveina, es stendr fyr sundit 
handan? 
Harb. q. “Uverr s4 karl karla, es kallar um vaginn? 
Pérr gq, Ferdu mik um sundit! Fcédi-ek pik 4 morgin: 
meis hefi-ek 4 baki; verdra matr in betri; ; 
At-ek i hvfld, 4dr ek heiman fér, 5 
sildr ok hafra; saér em-ek enn bess. 
Hard. q. Ariigom hrésar pi verdinom ; veitzattu fyr goerla: 
daopr ro pin heim-kynni ; : daud hyge-ek at pin mddir sé. 
Bbérr gq. Pat segir-pu ni es hverjom pikkir verst at vita, 
at min mddir daud sé. 10 
Harb. qg. Peygi es sem pt prit bu géd eigir; 
ber-beinn pu stendr, ok hefir brautinga geervi; 
pat-ki at pi hafir broékr pfnar! 
Pérr gq. Styrdu hingat eikjonni! ek mun per stadna kenna. 
Eda hverr 4 skipit es pt heldr vid landit? 15 
Harb. g. Hildolfr s& heitir, es mik halda bad 
rekkr inn r4é-svinni, es byr { Radseyjar-sundi; 
badat hann hlenni-menn flytja né hrossa-pidfa, 
g6da eina, ok pa-es ek goerva kunna. 
Segdu til nafns pfns, ef pu vill um sundit fara. 20 
Pérr gq. Segja mun-ek til nafns mins, pétt ek sekr sidk, 
ok til allz cedliss:—Ek em Odins sonr; 
Meila brédéir, enn Magna fadir, 
Pridvaldr goda; vid Pér kn4ttu her déma.— 
Hins vil-ek ni spyrja hvat pt heitir. 25 





SCENE, on the banks of a river, Thor shouting on the one bank for the 
Jerryman who is on the other. 


Thor. WHO is that lad of lads, that stands across the river ?—H. Who 
is that churl of churls, that shouts across the water?—TI. Ferry me 
across the water, I will give thee food to-morrow. I have a basket 
on my back; there was never better meat; I dined, as I rested before 
I went from home, on herring and goat-venison; I am still sated with 
it—H. Thou rejoicest in an early meal. Little thou knowest it, but 
dismal is thy home; I guess thy mother be dead.—T. Thou tellest me 
now, what is the worst news to every man, that my mother is dead.— 
H. It looks little like thy having three estates; there thou art, bare-legged 
in a beggar’s gaberdine; not even thy breeches on.—T. Bring the boat 
here, I will show thee the berths. Who owns the bark thou holdest 
by the shore ?—H. Hildwolf is his name, who bade me hold her here; 
the shrewd husbandman who lives in Radsey Sound. He told me not to 
ferry over any poachers or horse-thieves, but only good men and such 
as I knew well. ‘Tell me thy name, if thou wilt cross the Sound.—T. I 
will, though an outlaw, give my name, and all my kin and dwelling. 
I am Woden’s son, Meili’s brother, and Main’s father, the Strong One 
of the Gods; it is with Thor thou speakest. Now I will ask what is thy 





4. matrinn, R., 7. Arligom verkom, R. g. verst] mest, R. 


: 
sae 





§2.] HARBARDS-LIOD. 119 


Harb. q. Harbarér ek heiti; hylk um nafn sialdan. 
Pérr g. vat skaltu of nafn hylja, nema pu sakar eigir? 
Harb. g. Enn pétt ek sakar ne eiga 
p4 mun ek foréa fiarvi mino fyr slikom sem bu est, 
nema ek feigr sé— 30 
Pérr gq. Harm lidtan mer tel-ek at vada um vdginn til pfn, 
ok veta kagur minn. 
Skylda-ek launa kagor-sveini pinom kangin-yrdi, 
ef ek komumk yfir sundit! 
Harb. g. Her mun ek standa, ok pin hedan bfda. 35 
Fantattu mann in hardara at Hrungni daudan. 
Pérrg. Hins viltu ni geta, es vid Hrungnir deildom, 
sa-inn stér-idgi iatunn, es or steini vas hafudit 4; 
pé lét-ek ek hann falla ok fyr hniga.— 
Hvat vanntu p4 medan, Harbardr? 40 
Harb. g. Vas-ek med Fiolvari fimm vetr alla 
{ ey peirri es Algrcén heitir. 
Vega ver par knattom ok val fella; 
margs at freista; mans at kosta. 
Pérr g. verso sninodo yér konor ydrar? 45 
Harb. g. Sparkar 4tto ver konor, ef oss at spakom yrdi; 
horskar Atto ver konor, ef oss hollar veeri: 
Per or sandi sfma undo; 
ok or dali diipom grund um gréfo. 
Varé-ek beim einn allom cefri at rodom, 50 
hvfléa-ek hid peim systrom siau, 
ok hafda-ek ged peirra allt ok gaman.— 
Hvad vanntu p4_medan, Pérr! ~ 





name ?—H. My name is Hoarbeard; I never hide my name.—T. Why 
shouldst thou hide thy name, unless thou be an outlaw?—H. Even 
though I were an outlaw, I could keep my life safe from such as thee, 
unless I were death-doomed.—T. ’Tis a bad job to have to wade 
through the water to thee and wet my quiver; I should pay thee, thou 
quiver-boy (wee boy), for thy mockery, if I were to cross the Sound. 
—H,. Here I shall stand, and bide thy coming; thou shalt not have met 
a better man since Hrungni’s death.—T. Now thou tellest how Hrungni 
and I dealt together, that stout-hearted Giant, whose head was of stone; 
yet I felled him and brought him low. What wast thou doing then?—A#. 
I was with Fiolware five winters together on an island called Allgreen ; 
we fought there, and made a slaughter: tried many things, meddled 
with love.—T. What manner of women were those women of yours? 
—H. Sparks of women they were, had they but been wise; fair they 
were, if they had been but faithful. They wound rope out of sand, 
and dug down the dales into a field. I got the better of them all. I 
slept with these seven sisters, took my pleasure with them all. What 
wert thou doing the while, Thor? 





28. ne] om. R. 31. tel-ek] pikkir, R. 3%. kégur] emend, ; avgur, R. 


120 THE WESTERN ARISTOPHANES, [BK. 11. 


Pérr gq. Ek drap Piaza enn prid-mdédga iatun, 
upp ek varp augom Allvalda sonar 55 
4 bann inn heida himin; 
pau ero merki mest minna verka, 
pau es allir menn sfdan um sé.— 
Hvat vanntu p4 medan, Harbardr? 
Harb. q. Miklar man-vélar ek haféa vid myrk-ridor, 60 
pa-es ek vélta per fra verom; 
Hardéan iatun ek hugda Hlébard vesa; 
gaf hann mer gamban-tein, 
enn ek vélta hann or viti. 
Pérr q. Tom huga launadir-pi pd gédar giafar. 65 
Flarb. g. Pat hefir eik es af annarri skefr, 
um sik es hverr { sliko.— 
Hvat vanntu [p4] medan, Pérr? 
Pérr gq. Ek vas austr ok iawtna bardag 
bridir balvfsar es til biargs gengo. “40 
Mikil mcendi ett iatna, ef allir lifdi, 
veetr moendi manna undir Midgaréi.— 
Hvat vanntu p4 medan, Harbarér? 
Harb. g. Vas-ek 4 Vallandi ok vigom fylgdak ; 
atta-ek iafrom, enn aldri szttak. 45 
Odinn 4 iarla, p4 es { val falla, 
s enn Pérr 4 prela kyn. 
Pérrg. Oiafnt skipta es pi moendir med Asom lidi, 
ef bd ettir vilgi mikils vald! 
Harb. g. Pérr 4 afl crit, enn ekki hiarta: 80 
af hrezlo ok hug-bleyéi per vas { hannzka trodit; 
ok pdttiska-pu p4 Pérr vesa; 





Thor. 1 smote Thiazi, the mighty Giant; I flung the eyes of 
Alwald’s son up into the clear heaven; these are the greatest tokens 
of my works, which all men may see hereafter. What wert thou doing 
the while, Hoarbeard? 

H, Many love adventures I had with the night-riders (hags), when 
I wiled them from their husbands. Sturdy Giant, indeed, was Leebeard; 
he gave me a magic wand, but I wiled him out of his wit.—T. III didst thou 
requite good gift then.—H. One oak takes what is scraped from another. 
Every man for himself. What wast thou doing the while, Thor? 

Thor. I was in the east, smiting the ill-working Giant-brides on their 
way to the hills. Great would be Giant-kind were they all alive. No 
man could then live on this earth. What wast thou doing the while, 
Hoarbeard? 

H. I was in Welshland, busy a-fighting; I drove kings to fight, but 
never wrought peace. Woden owns all the gentlefolk that fall in fight, 
but Thor the thrall-kind.—T. Thou wouldst share out unfair odds among 
the Anses, if the power were thine. 

H. Thor has strength enough, but no heart; from fear and cowardice 
thou wast packed away in a glove, and wast not much like Thor then; 
thou darest not in thy terror either to sneeze or... . lest Fialar heard 





i i i at i i le ie ei Oi ei, ee ae 


ee ee. a eT” 


$2. HARBARDS-LIOD. rot 


hvarki pi pa pordir fyr hrezlo pfnni 
fisa né hnidésa sva-at Fialarr heyrdi. 
Pérr g. Harbarér inn ragi! ek moenda pik { hel drepa, 85 
ef ek meetta seilask um sund. 
Harb. g. Hvat skyldir pa um sund seilask, es sakar ro allz angar ! 
Hvat vanntti' pa, Pérr? 
Pérr gq. Ek vas austr, ok Ana vardak, 
pa-es mik sdétto peir Svarangs synir. go 
Gridti peir mik baréo; gagni urdo peir pé lftt fegnir ; 
pé urdo peir mik fyrri fridar at bidja.— 
Hvat vanntu pA medan, Harbardr? 
Harb. g. Ek vas austr, ok vid einhverja démdak ; 
lék-ek vid ena lin-hvito ok laun-ping hdédak ; 95 
gladdak ena goll-biarto; gamni mer undi. 
Bérr q. G66 Attod ér man-kynni par ‘pa. 
Harb. g. Lids pins vas ek pa purfi, Pérr, 
at ek hélda peirri enni lin-hvfto mey. 
Porr gq. Ek moenda per pa pat veita, ef ek vidr of kémomk. 100 
Harb. g. Ek moenda per pa trua, nema pu mik f trygd véltir. 
Pérr g. Emkat-ek s4 heel-bitr sem hié-skér forn 4 var. 
Hfarb. q. . ; ‘ ‘ : ‘ , ‘ 
Hvat vanntu pA medan, Pérr? 
Pérr gq. Bridir berserkja bardak { Hlesseyjo ; 105 
peer hafdo verst vunnit, villta pidéd alla. 
Harb. g. Kiki vanntu pa, Pérr, es pi 4 konom bardir. 
Pérr g. Vargynjor pat varo, enn varla konor; 
skelldo skip mftt es ek skordat hafdak; 





it.—T. Thou coward, Hoarbeard, I would smite thee to death if I 
could stretch across the Sound.—H. Why stretch across the Sound 
when there is no cause? What didst thou the while, Thor? 

Thor. 1 was in the East, and defended the river, when Swarang’s 
sons set upon me; they pelted me with stones, yet they did not enjoy 
victory, they were obliged to beg quarter of me. What wast thou doing 
the while, Hoarbeard? 

H. | was in the East, in adventure with a certain lady; I played with 
the linen-white one, and held a secret love-meeting; I gladdened the gold- 
bright lady. She, the maid, enjoyed the sport.—T. Ye had a good choice 
of maidens then.—H, I needed thy help then, Thor, that I might keep 
hold of that linen-white maid.—T. I would have helped if I had had the 
chance.—H. I would have trusted thee, if thou hadst not broken truce 
with me.—Z. I am no such heel-biter as an old brogue in the spring. 
wnHT, 4 2 o's » What wast thou doing the while, Thor?—Z. I smote 
the Bearsark brides in Leesey, they had wrought the worst deeds, wiling 
all people.—H. That was a shameful deed of thee, Thor, to beat 
women.—T, She-wolves they were, but hardly women. They shattered 





84. Fialarr] thus. 95. laun-ping] A; lavng ping, R. 97. atto pr, R. 
98. vas] A; vera, R. 106, villta] A; velta, R. 


122 THE WESTERN ARISTOPHANES. [BK. 1. 


cegdo mer iarn-lurki; enn elto Pialfa— 110 
Hvat vanntu medan, Harbardr? 
Harb. g. Ek vask { hernom es hingat goerdisk, 
gneefa gunn-fana, geir at ridda. 

Pérrq. Pess viltu ni geta, es pu fért oss 6litfan at bidda. 
Flarb. q. Bota skal per pat p4 munda-baugi, 115 
sem iafnendr unno, peir es okr vilja sztta. 

Pérr gq. Hvar namtu pessi in hneefiligo ord, 
es ek heyréa aldri in hneefiligri? 
Harb. g. Nam-ek at ‘mannom,’ beim enom aldrénom, 
es bua { heimis-haugom. 120 
Pérr q. Pé gefr pu gétt nafn dysjom 
es pu kallar per heimis-hauga. 
Harb. q. Svi démi ek um slfkt far. 
Pérr g. Oré-kringi pin mun per flla koma, 
ef ek red 4 vag at vada: 125 
Ulfi hera hygg-ek pik pa muno, 
ef pu hlytr af hamri hagg. 
Harb. gq. Sif 4 hér heima; hans mundo fund vilja; 
pann muntu prek drfgja; pat es ber skyldara. [130 
Pérr q. Melir pu at munnz radi sva-at mer skyldi verst pikkja; 
halr enn hug-blaudi! hygg-ek at pt litigir. 
Harb. g. Satt hygg-ek mik segja; seinn ertu at far pinni; 
Langt moendir pi nu kominn, Pérr, ef pt litom foerir. 
Pérr g. Harbarér inn ragi! heldr hefir pd ni mik dvaldan. 





my ship which I had beached, threatened me with an iron club, and 
chased Thialfi. What wast thou doing the while, Hoarbeard? 

H. I was in the army, which was marching hither, hoisting the war- 
banner, and reddening the spear.—T. Now thou art telling how thou 
wentest to do harm to us.—H. I will make it good to thee with a hand- 
ring, as the daysmen order who shall settle our cause. 

Thor. Where didst thou learn those cutting words? I never heard 
words more cutting.—H. I learnt them from the old [giantesses] that 
live in the home-howes.—I. Thou givest a (too) fair name to cairns, 
when thou callest them home-howes.—H. So I judge on this head (that 
is what I call them).—T. Thy word-fencing will turn out ill to thee, if 
I do set myself to wade across; thou wouldst, methinks, cry louder than 
the Wolf, if thou shouldst get a stroke of the Hammer.—d. Sif [thy 
wife] has a paramour at home, go and seek him, that is a job for thee; 
*tis nearer at hand to thee.—T. Thou lettest thy tongue lead thee to 
say what is most offensive to me; thou coward, Hoarbeard, thou liest, 
I warrant thee. 

H. I speak true, I warrant thee; thou art too slow on thy journey. 
Thou wouldst have been far on thy way now, if thou hadst started at 
break of day.—T. Hoarbeard, thou coward, how long thou hast kept 





113. gun fana, A. 118. aldri in] A; aldregi, R. IIg. ménnom] 
mm, A; om. R.; read ividjom ? 120. Bugge; -skavgom, A; skogom, R. 
122. -skoga, R and A. / 128. hor] hd, R and A, 


$2] IVAR AND WODEN. , 123 


Harb. q. Asa-bérs hugda-ek aldregi mundo 135 
glepja far-hirdi farar. 
Pérr gq. R&S mun-ek per nti rada!_ R6 pti hingat batinom; 
hettom heéttingi; hittu foodor Magna. 
Harb. g. Far pu firr sundi! per skal fars synja. 
Pérrg. Visa-pi mer nt leidina, allz pu vill mik eigi um v4ginn 
ferja ! 140 
Harb. g. Litid es at synja: Langt esat fara: 
Stund es til stokksins; annor [es] til steinsins ; 
Halltu sv4 til vinstra vegsins unz pu hittir Verland. 
Par mun Fiorgyn hitta Pdr son sfnn, 
ok mun hon kenna honom 4ttunga brautir til Odins 
landa. 145 
Pérr q. Mun-ek taka pangat { dag? 
Harb. g. Taka vid vil ok erfidi at upp-vesandi sdlo 
es ek get pana. 
Pérr gq. Skamt mun ml okkat, allz pi mer skcétingo einni 


svarar ; 
Launa mun-ek per far-synjon, ef vid finnomk { sinn 
annat. 150 


Harb. g. Farpu nu pars pik hafi allan gramir! 


THE FLYTING OF IVAR AND WODEN. 


THIS curious fragment is found in a prose paraphrase in the Skiol- 
dunga Saga; whence we have taken those lines which still keep traces 
of the old poetic form. The text is printed in the Icelandic Prose 
Reader, pp. 191-192. 

Ivar Widefathom, the famous Danish conqueror, had a dream, as 





‘me waiting.—H. I never thought a ferryman could stop Anses-Thor’s 
journey.—T. I will give thee counsel; pull the boat hither; let us stop 
hooting. Come to meet Magni’s father (me). 

H. Get thee gone from the Sound, passage shall be denied thee.—T. 
Then shew me the way, since thou wilt not ferry me across the water. 
—H. That is a small thing to refuse. It is no long way to go; an hour 
to the stock; an hour to the stone; then keep on to the left hand, till 
thou comest to Werland, there shall Fiorgyn meet her son; and then 
she will tell thee the highway to the land of Woden.—T. Shall I get 
there to-day ?—H. Aye, thou wilt get there with great toil and trouble 
at sunrise, or nigh about, I think. 

Thor. Short shall our talk be, since thou answerest me nothing but 
mocking. I will pay thee back for refusing me passage, if we two 
meet again. 

H. Get thee gone. May all the fiends take thee! 








SEPT POR ETE 


136. far-hirdi] Egilson; fe-hirdi, R; fe-hirdi, A. I4I. esat] er at, R. 
142. es] add. A, 143. vegsins} R; vags, A. « 147. upp-vesandi] see 
Lex. 657 a; upp renandi, A. 148. pana, R; pana, A. 


= 


eal oi Faas = 


eRe 


124 THE WESTERN ARISTOPHANES. [BK. 11. 


he lay on his ship off a haven, in which he saw a great fiery dragon, 
flying up from the sea, followed by all the birds in the Northern lands; 
and from the land he saw a great cloud rolling up, with rain and tem- 
pest, towards the dragon; and presently the dragon and his followers 
were swallowed up in the cloud, and were seen no more, But there 
came great thunderings and terrible lightnings, and rain and hail over 
all the realms that were under his rule; and when he looked for his 
war-galleys, to put to sea and take refuge from the storm, lo, they 
had turned into whales and were swimming away into the deep. With 
that the King woke, and called on Hord, his old foster-father, to read 
his dreadful dream. But Woden took the likeness of Hord, and stood 
on the pier by the side of the King’s ship, while the King sat under the 
awnings at the stern and talked to him. 

It is at this point that our paraphrase begins:—At the end of the 
dialogue the King rose up furious, and jumped overboard to get at 
Hord, who dived into the water before he reached him, and neither 
of the two was ever seen again, and the revolution foretold by the 
dream came to pass, so that the mighty empire of Ivar Widefathom 
was broken up and ruled over by strangers. Munch has traced the 
events alluded to with great ingenuity in his Norse History. 

The metre appears to have been the same as in the preceding Lay of 
Hoarbeard; and by the same poet. 


Ivar ‘Paar 4 skip Harér ok r46 draum minn.... 
Hor6r ... Es nt kominn 4 pik hel-graér. 

Ivar Gakk hingat ok seg ill-spar pinar! 

Horér Wer mun-ek standa ok hedan segja. 

Ivar  Hverr es Halfdan Snialli med Asom? 5 
Horsr "ann vas Baldr med Asom es all Regin greto. 

Ivar _Gakk hingat ok seg tfdendi! 

Horér Her mun-ek standa ok hedan segja. 

Ivar  verr vas Hrérekr med Asom? 

Horor Hann vas Heénir es hreeddaztr vas Asa. 2 $8 
Ivar  verr vas Helgi inn Hvassi med Asom? 

Horsr Wann vas Hermdér es bazt vas hugadr. 





King Ivar. Come on board, Hord, and read my dream. 

Hord. 1 shall not come; read it thyself. Thy kingdom shall fall from 
thee, both Sweden and Denmark. And surely the greed of Hell is 
come upon thee, since thou thinkest to lay all realms under thy rule; 
but thou shalt die, and thine enemies shall take thy kingdom. 

K. I. Come hither, and tell thy prophecies of evil! 

H. I will stand here and speak from this place. 

K. I. Which of the Gods may Halfdan the Sharp be likened to? 

H. He is Balder among the Gods, whom all the powers mourned 
for—very unlike thee. 

K. I. Come hither, and tell thy words of wisdom. 

H. I will stand here and speak from this place. 

K. I. Which of the Gods may Hrorek be likened to? 

H. He is Honir, the cowardliest of the Gods, and he, too, is un- 
favourable to thee. 

K. I. Which of the Gods may Helgi the Keen be likened to? 

H. He is Hermod, who was the boldest-hearted, and... 


a 
\ ee Me r 
ER a a CRS 





§3.] FRAGMENTS OF LOST POEMS. 125 


Ivar  verr vas Godroedr med Asom? 

Horir Heimdallr vas hann es heimskastr vas Asa. 

Ivar  Uverr em-ek med Asom? I 

Hlorir Muntu vesa Vormr sa sem verstr es til ok heitir Mid- 
gardz-ormr. 

Ivar Ek kenni pik hvar pt stendr, pridna-pursinn ! 

Hordr Far pi nu ner, Midgardéz-ormrinn .. .! 








§ 3. MYTHIC FRAGMENTS. 


FRAGMENTS OF LOST MYTHOLOGICAL POEMS. 


1. Heimdal’s Charm (Heimdallar Galdr). A fragment preserved in 
Edda (Gg). 

2. The Dialogue of Niord and Skadi, probably by the author of Skir- 
nismal. Husband and wife ill-matched; the God of the Sea with the 
Giantess of the Hills. A morsel saved in Edda (Gg). It is also para- 
phrased by Saxo, pp. 53-55 (ed. 1839); but falsely attributed by him 
to King Hadding and his Queen, Saxo dilutes the eight Norse lines 
into thirty-one Latin ones, 

“ The Goddess Gna’s talk with the Wanes; just this morsel in Edda 
(Gg). 

4. Balder’s Death. A mere quotation in Edda (Gg) and a para- 
phrase of the story is all that remain of what must have been a fine 
poem. Thokk is Loki in disguise. 

5. Geirrod and Thor. A story of one of Thor’s adventures paraphrased 
in Edda (Sk). Eilif Gudrunson’s Thor’s Drapa gives a later version 
of the legend. There is an Irish version of this story derived from 
a Northern source (as the word ‘Iarla’ shows) in the Revue Celtique, 
1880, 


1. H&IMDALLAR-GALDR. 


Nio em-ek mcééra magr, 
nio em-ek systra sonr. 





K. I. Which of the Gods may Godfred be likened to? 

H. He is Heimdall, the most foolish of the Anses. 

K. I, To which among the Anses am I like? 

H. Thou art the serpent, the worst of all things, called the Earth- 
serpent. 

K. I, If thou art foretelling my fate, I can tell thee of thine. For 
I know thee, where thou standest, thou monstrous Demon. 

H, Come nearer, thou Earth-serpent, and let us prove our might. 





1. Heimdall’s Charm. 
- » » » 1 AM nine mothers’ child, I am nine sisters’ son, 


126 MYTHIC FRAGMENTS. [BK. I. 


2. LNiord and Skadz. 


Niorir Leid eromk fiall, vaskat-ek lengi 4, 
q: netr einar nio: y 
, ulfa pytr pdéttomk illr vesa 5 
hia sangvi svana. 
Skadi Sofa ek ne makat sevar-bedjom 4 
q fogls iarmi fyrir: 
s4 mik vekr, es af vidi koemr, 
morgun hverjan mar. 10 


3. Gnd and her steed Hofvarpni. 
Vanir vat par fl¥gr? hvat par ferr? 
q. eda at lopti lfdr? 
Hon Ne ek flfg, pd ek fer, 
q. ok at lopti 116 
4 Hé6fvarpni peim-es Hamskerpir 15 
gat vid Gardrofo. 


4. Lay on Balder (the Giantess Thokk). 
Thokk Pakk mun grata purrom tdrom 


q. Baldrs_ bal-farar : 
Kviks né dauds nautka-ek Karls sonar. 
Haldi Hel pvi-es hefir! 20 
5. hor and Giant Geirrod. 
Borr Vaxat-pu ni Vimor allz mik pik vada tidir 
q. Iatna garda {! 





2. Niord and Skadi. 

Quoth Niord. | LOATHE the mountains; I was not long there, nine 
nights only. The howl of the wolves seemed evil to me after the song 
of the swans. 

Quoth Skadi. 1 cannot sleep in the resting-places of the sea (shore) 
for the shrieking of the sea-fowls. The mew, coming in from the sea, 
wakes me every morning. 


3. Gna and her steed Hoofsplasher. 

The Wanes say: WHAT is that flying? What is that moving, gliding 
through the air? 

She says: 1am not flying, though I move and glide through the air on 
the back of Hoofsplasher, whom Hamsharp begot with Gardrof. 


4. Lay on Balder’s Death. 

The ogress Thokk says: THOKK will weep dry tears at Balder’s bale- 
fire. What have I to do with the Son of Man quick or dead? Let 
Hell keep what she holds! 


5. Thor and Giant Geirrod. 
Thor, (wading through the river Wimmer, says): Wax not, Wimmer, 





3. &] add. W. 5. pdottomk] emend.; mer potti, W. 7. makat] emend. ; 
matat (i, e. macac), W. 21. Vimra, W, but elsewhere Vimor. 








eer eor 


FRAGMENTS OF LOST POEMS. 124 


veiztu ef pti vex, at p4 vex mer As-megin 
iafn-hatt UPP sem himinn. 

Vino ative tvisak Re waciri 25 
Iatna gaordom {: 

pa es Gialp ok Greip, dcétr Geirradar, 
vildo hefja mik til himins. 








for I am minded to wade through thee to Giant-land. Be sure if thou 
waxest, my god-power will wax too, as high as heaven. .. . 

Once I put forth all my God’s-power in Giant-land, when Squall and 
Grip, Geirrod’s daughters, tried to lift me up to heaven. 





25. sinni] om. U; allz (for As), U. Both W and r drop this verse. 


Bp ODER Trt 


EARLY WESTERN EPICS. 


TuHis Book contains the flower of Northern Epic Poetry (kvidor) ; 
of the best period of what we take to be a Western School. These 
poems differ widely from those of the preceding Books in spirit and 
form. The metre of the first three Sections is epic (kvido-hattr). 


SECTION 1 includes the finest Heroic poems in the whole range of 
Northern Song; all, we think, by the same unknown hand, the ‘ poet 
of Helgi.’ 


SECTION 2 is made up of the Lay of Weyland, Thryms-kvida and 
Balder’s Doom, the Danish Mill Song, the Morsels of Biarka-mal, all 
marked out by their ballad-like spirit. 


SECTION 3 contains Volo-spa, the great prophetic Sibyl’s Lay of the 
last days of heathendom, 


The first Northern Christian poems which make up SECTION 4 we 
have preferred to put here, next to Volo-spa, rather than in the pre- 
ceding Book with works kindred in metre, but wholly alien in spirit. 
They are the last genuine poems in Didactic measure, but their strength 
and subject are those of Dante, not of Hesiod. 








LR Re Te 


ea 








Ti ea] — ws 


EE SOR NOD Mee NOS Re BY 


ee 


Cia HELGL POET, 


THE HELGI TRILOGY, 


THIs trilogy has reached us in a single vellum, R, (leaves 20a-264,) 
where its component parts are massed together confusedly, just as they 
must have been taken down by the collector from the mouth of re- 
citers who had half forgotten the old poem. As the editions by no 
means represent the state of the MS., it will be necessary to enter 
into detail, especially as there is no other part of R which shows so 
clearly how the collector received and treated his matter. 

R gives the trilogy in this order :— 

(a) The story of HELGI and SiIGRUN down to line 235 (A text), 
followed by— 

(4) The story of Hiorward and Sigrlind, and HELer and Swava, 
with the Flyting of the Giantess embedded in it, going on without fresh 
title to— 

(c) The beginning of HreLG1 and KARA, under the names of Helgi 
and Sigrun. ‘Then come without a break— 

(d) The fragments of the old Wolsung Lay, to which are attached— 

(e) The last section of Helgi and Sigrun, Il. 236 sqq., with— 

(f) Stray verses of the earlier part. of the same story, strewn pell- 
mell among the rest, giving a duplicate text (B) to part of the story 
(ll. 125-235); being probably the recollections of a second reciter, who 
happened to know a few verses the collector had not got before. 

The Wolsung paraphrast, working from a sister copy of our R, takes 
(a), and uses it for his story, without noticing the following sections 
(or text B), which indeed were not necessary for his purpose. Of 
Helgi and Swava, we have zo paraphrase. But we do find such bits of 
the story of Helgi and Kara in the late and wretched Saga of Hromund 
Gripson, as enable us to restore the proper names in (c), and show that 
it is really the first part of the old Karoliod referred to in the 
prose of R. : 

We have used (a), (e), and (/) in our text of the first part of the 
trilogy (Helgi and Sigrun), choosing the best versions where they run 
parallel. Both texts A and B are printed in the Notes, side by side. 

The second part (Helgi and Swava) has been cleared from its inter- 
polations. 

The old Wolsung Lay fragment is printed separately. 

The third part (Helgi and Kara) is thus left distinct. 

The lot of the three parts is all built on the same lines. The 
whole story may be thus resumed.—A young hero wins the love and 
protection of a Walkyrie, marries her, and dies in the height of his 
glory. She joins him in the grave, and the two" lovers are born again 

K 


130 THE HELGI POET. [BK. 111. 


under different names to go through the same life-story, though with 
varying incidents, as follows :— 


I. Helgi and Sigrun. Helgi is born at Bralund of Borghild, and is 
blessed by the Fates, though an evil Fate foretells trouble to him. 
While he is yet a child, his father, Sigmund, is slain by King Hunding. 
His first deed of arms is to avenge his father in a battle at Lowefell. 
As he is resting after the fight, the Walkyrie Sigrun, daughter of King 
Hogni, comes riding through the air to him, and begs him to deliver 
her from being given in marriage to Hodbrord, the cruel son of 
Granmar. He agrees to do so, and sets out with his fleet; when he 
reaches the enemy’s coast there follows an episode, the Flyting between 
Sinfiotli, his captain of the host, and Godmund, Hodbrord’s watchman. 
At the battle of Frekastein, Helgi slays his enemy, but also unwittingly 
his love’s father and elder brother, but saves Day, the next brother, 
making him swear fealty to him. Day breaks his oaths, and kills his 
father’s slayer at the battle of Fettergrove. Sigrun curses her brother 
for his perjury, and goes into the grave with Helgi’s ghost. 


II. Helgi and Swava. The opening scenes are very fragmentary. 
Atli, by help of the talking birds, woos Sigrlind, Swafni’s daughter, for 
his master, King Hiorward. Rodmar, a piratic king, kills Swafni, and 
Sigrlind escapes to Hiorward, marries him, and bears a son, Helgi, who 
is dumb and nameless in his youth, till he meets Swava, a Walkyrie, 
in a wood; she gives him a name and a charmed sword which will 
enable him to avenge,his grandfather, Swafni. He accordingly kills 
Rodmar in battle, and marries Swava. His half-brother, Hedin, having 
refused the love of a witch, is cursed by her, and in consequence makes 
a foolish vow at the Brag-cup, toewed Swava, his brother’s wife. In 
horror at his words he tells all to Helgi, who bids him be at ease, for 
he himself is doomed to fall in battle against Rodmar’s sons. As Helgi 
lies dying but victorious in the field, he sends for Swava, and gives 
her to his brother, but she refuses to marry him till he has avenged her 
husband. Here the story breaks off abruptly. 


III. Helgi and Kara. We have very little of this story left. It is 
evident that Helgi’s father (Sevi?) has been slain, for we find him 
brought up by a foster-father, Hagal, with his own son Hamal. In 
their house he is sought for by his enemies under the conduct of 
King Hadding’s counsellor, Blind the balewise, but contrives to elude 
them by putting on a bond-woman’s dress and grinding at the hand- 
mill. After this he meets the Walkyrie Kara, Halfdan’s daughter, who 
tells him that she has long watched over him though invisible. Here 
the poem breaks off; but no doubt there was in the last part a flyting, 
in which Hamal took part, a battle in which Helgi slays his father’s 
slayer, Hadding,—a complication in which Kara’s brothers, Sigar and 
Hogni, are mixed up, and a final tragedy in which both Kara and Helgi 

erish. 
: That Haddinga-skadi (not Haddinga-skati, as it is twice written, the 
word only occurring thrice in all) is the proper epithet of this Helgi, 
appears from the parallelism with ‘ Hundings-bane,’ from the name 
‘Halding’ (an evident corruption of Hadding), in Hromund. Grip- 
son’s Saga, and from the fact that it fits the verse, while there is 
no place for Hadding in Helgi Hiorward’s son’s life at all. 

For the transposition at the end of Helgi and Sigrun see the Notes. 





g 
m 
Ls 
4 
i 
: 
i 


en eee ae aid ioal teria hme ms 


ee a 


ee. ee ee 








§1.] HELGI AND SIGRUN. 131 


HELGI AND SIGRUN. 

b I. HELGA-KvIpA. 

A* vas alda pat-es arar gullo, 
hnigo heilag vatn af Himin-fiallom : 

pa haféi Helga inn hugom-stéra 
Borghildr borit { Br4-lundi. 

Nétt vard { be; Nornir kvémo. 5 
peer-es adlingi aldr um sképo: 
Pann bdo fylki freegstan verda, 
ok budélunga baztan pikkja. 
Snero per af afli cerlag-badtto 
burar Borghildar { Bralundi; 10 
per um greiddo gollin sfimo, 
ok und mana-sal midjan festo. 
Per austr ok vestr enda falo, 
par 4tti loféungr land 4 milli. 
Bra nipt Nera 4 Nordr-vega 15 
einni festi: ey bad hon halda. 

Eitt vas at angri Yifinga nid 
ok peirri meyjo es munud fcéddi.. . 


Hrafn kvaé at hrafni, sat 4 hom meidi, 
and-vanr #to:—Ek veit nakkod: 20 
Stendr f brynjo burr Sigmundar, 
deégrs eins gamall ;—nt es dagr kominn— 
hvessir augo sem hildingar ; 
s4 es varga vinr. Vid skolom teitir! 
Drétt pdtti sa daglingr vesa, 25 





I. IT was in the olden days, the eagles were screaming, the holy streams 
were flowing from the Hills of Heaven, when Helgi the stout of heart 
was born of Borghild, in Braeholt. Night lay over the house when 
the Fates came to forecast the hero’s life. They said that he should 
be called the most famous of kings and the best among princes. With 
power they twisted the strands of fate for Borghild’s son in Braeholt, 
they spread the woof of gold and made it fast under the midst of the 
moon’s hall. In the east and in the west they hid the thrums, all the 
land between was to be his. Neri’s sister fastened one strand in the 
a sides of the North, and prayed that it might hold for ever. 

There was one thing only that threatened the son of the Wolfings 
and the lady that bore the darling.... 
[ Quoth a raven to a raven, as he sat on a lofty branch, famished for 
food, ‘ Somewhat of tidings I know. The son of Sigmund, one night 
old, stands in his armour—now the day is a-dawning—his eyes flash- 
ing like a hero’s; friend of the wolves is he. Let us be of good 
cheer !’ 
The household looked on him as a dayling [bright son of light], 








1o. burar Borghildar] emend.; pa er borgir braut, 2 18. Here a verse 
or more seems to be lost. 


K 2 


132 THE HELGI POET. [BK. 111. 


kvoSo med gumnom 266 wr komin. 
Sialfr gekk visi or vig-primo 
ungom fcéra ftr-lauk grami. 
Gaf hann Helga nafn, ok Hring-stadi, 
S6l-fizoll, Snze-fiall, ok Sigars-vaollo, 30 
Hring-stad, Hatin, ok Himin-vanga, 
bl6é-orm buinn, broédr Sinfizotla. 
P4 nam at vaxa fyr vina bridsti 
almr ftr-borinn yndiss liéma. 
Hann galt ok gaf goll verdungo; 35 
Spardiat hilmir hodd ‘bl66 rekinn,’ 
Skamt lét visi vigs at bida: 
b4-es fylkir vas fimt4n vetra, 
ok hann hardan lét Hunding veginn 
pann-es lengi ré6 landom ok pegnom. 40 
Kvaddo sidan Sigmundar bur 
auds ok hringa Hundings synir, 
pvi-at pbeir atto iadfri at gialda 
fidr-nam mikit ok faodur dauda. 
Létad budlungr beétr uppi, 45 
né nidja in heldr nef-giald fa. 
Van kvad hann mundo vedrs ens mikla 
grara geira ok gremi Oédins. 
Fara hildingar hizor-stéfno til 
peirrar es lagdo at Loga-fiollom : 50 
Sleit Frééa-frid fidnda 4 milli; 
fara Vidriss grey val-giarn um ey. 
Settisk visi, p4-es vegit hafi 
Alf ok Eyjolf, und Ara-steini, 





saying, ‘ Now are good seasons come among men.’ The king himself 
came off the battle-field bearing a fair leek to the young prince. He 
gave him the name of Helgi with Ringstead, Sunfell, Snowfell, Sigars- 
field, Ringhaven, Hightown and Heavening; moreover he gave Sin- 
fiotli’s brother an inwrought blood-serpent [sword]. 

The high-born elm [hero] grew up fair and lovely before his kinsman’s 
eyes, he dealt out the gold and bestowed it on the household, never 
sparing the red hoards. He did not wait long fora war.... When 
he was fifteen years old he slew the stark Hunding, who had long 
borne rule over his lands and people. Then the sons of Hunding 
summoned the child of Sigmund to give them riches and rings, for 
they had to make him repay them for their father’s death and a 
‘vast plunder. But the prince paid the heirs neither recompense nor 


weregild, but bade them await the fierce tempest of spears and the © 


anger of Woden. The king’s sons came to the sword-tryst at 
Lowefell, as was appointed. Frodi’s peace was broken between the 
foes, Woden’s greedy hounds ravined over the island. When he 
had slain the sons of Hunding, Alf and Eywulf, Hiorward and 





26. g68] blank for three letters in R, 36. spardi eigi, R. 45. botir, R. 





Be Nae Ss le rene) 








Se ne 


eee en 


"5 _W-Suyel phage rath Poe 


§1.] HELGI AND SIGRUN. 133 


Hiarvard ok Havard Hundings sono ; 55 
farit hafOi hann allri ett Geirmimiss, 
Pa bra liéma af Loga-fiallom ; 
Enn af beim liémom leiptrir kvémo 
qe sk Chea en ish. elgin fara 
h4|var und hialmom 4 himin-vanga. 60 
Brynjor varo peirra bl6di stoknar ; 
enn af geirom geislar stédo. 
Fra 4rliga or ‘ulf-idi’ 
daglingr at pvi dfsir Sudrcénar, 
ef per vildi heim med hildingom 65 
pa nétt fara—brymr vas alma.— 
Enn af hesti Hagna déttir 
—liddi randa rym—reesi sagdi: 
Hygg-ek at ver eigim adrar syslor 
an med baug-brota bidér at drekka. 70 
Hefir minn fadir meyjo sfnni 
grimmom heitit Granmars syni ; 
enn ek hefi, Helgi, Hadbrodd kvedinn, 
konung 6neisann sem kattar son. 
P6 koemr fylkir farra nAtta, D3 
nema pi hanom visir val-stefno til, 
eda mey nemir fra mildingi. 
Helgi Uggi eigi pi Isungs-bana! 
q: fyrr mun dolga dynr, nema ek daudr sidk. 


Sendi sro allvaldr padan, 80 
of land ok um-lag leidar at bidja, 





Haward, and destroyed the whole race of Geir-Mimi, the prince sat 
down beneath the Eagle-Rock. - Then over Lowefell there burst 
flashes of light, and out of the flashes the lightnings leapt ....- 
Then appeared high in air a troop of fairies, riding in the field of 


. Heaven;/they wore helmets, and their mail-coats pes? Ga with 
I 


blood, aid from their spear-points light-beams shone.fIt was early 
when the king called out of Wolfwood to the Maids of the South 
and asked them if they would follow him home that night—there was 
a clang of bowstrings..fBut Hogni’s daughter answered from where 
she sat on her steed—the shield-clash lulled—‘ Other matters have we 
on hand, I ween, than to birl at the ale with the prince [you]. My 
father has plighted his daughter to the grim son of Granmar, though 
I, O Helgi, have said that I held King Hodbrord no better than a cat’s 
son. f Yet he will come, within a few days’ space, save thou, O prince, 
challenge him to battle or deliver me out of his hand.’ / ‘Fear not, 


- maiden, the slayer of Isung [Hodbrord], there shall be a rattle of blades 


first, unless I be dead.’ 
Thence the king seht messengers over land and sea to call out a 





59-60, Thus partly emend., Bugge; leiptrir qvomg, pa vas und hialmom, R. 
75- po] sa, R. 81, land] lopt, R. 


134 THE HELGI POET. [ BK. III, 


i6-gnédgan Ognar-liéma 
bragnom bidda ok burom peirra :— 
Bidit skidtliga til skipa ganga, 
ok or Brandeyjo btina verda. 85 
Padan beid pengill, unz pingat kvémo 
halir hund-margir or Hedinseyjo. 
Ok par af stundo or Stafnsnesi 
‘beit her’ ut skrido ok buin golli. 
Spurdi Helgi Hizorleif at pvf: go 
Hefir pi kannada koni éneisa? 
Enn ungr konungr adrom sagéi: 
Seint kvad at telja af Traono-eyri 
lang-hafdud skip und lféondom 
pau-es Iorva-sund ttan féro: 95 
tolf hundrué tryggra manna. 
pé es { Haétinom halfo fleira 
vig-lid konungs. Van eromk rémo. 
Sv4 bra styrir stafn-tialdom af 
at mildinga mengi vakdi, 100 
ok daglingar dags-brin sid, 
ok siklingar snero upp vid ra 
vef-nistingom 4 Varinsfirdi. 
Var6 dra ymr, ok iarna glymr; 
brast rand vid rand; rero vikingar ; 105 
Eisandi gekk und adlingom 
lofdungs floti landom fiarri. 
Sv4 vas at heyra es saman kvémo 
Kolgo systir ok kilir langir, 
sem biarg eda brim brotna meendi. 110 





levy, promising the warriors and their sons gold in good store. ‘Bid: 


them get aboard their ships forthwith and make ready to sail from 
Brandey.’ ‘There the prince waited, till there came thither warriors 
by hundreds from Hedinsey. Forthwith the gold-decked fleet stood 
out to sea from Staffness. Then quoth Helgi to Hiorleif, ‘ Hast thou 
mustered the blameless host?’ And the young king answered that it 
were long to tell over the high-stemmed ships freighted with mariners 
from Crane-ore, as they sailed out to sea down Yorwa-sound, twelve 
hundred trusty men. ‘ Yet there lies at Hightown a king’s host twice 
as great. We must make us ready for battle.’ 

The host awoke, they could see the brow of dawn; the king bade 
furl the bow-awnings, and they hoisted the woven canvas to the 
yards in Warinsfirth. Then there arose a plashing of oars and a rattle 
of iron, shield clashed against shield as the Wickings rowed. With a 
foaming wake the king’s fleet of warriors stood out far from the land. 
When Kolga’s sister [the billow] and the long keels dashed together, 
it was to the ear as if surf and cliffs were breaking against each other. 





88. af stundo] emend.; stgndom, R. 89. beit her} thus? 95. Thus, 
not i orva-. 102, ra] tre, R. . 


> 


ia 














TOF OE et Ra em 





§1.] HELGI AND SIGRUN. 135 


Draga bad Helgi h4-segl ofarr. 
Vardat hifom hrann ping-loga, 
pa es égorlig Aigiss déttir 
4 stag stidrn-marom steypa vildi. 
Enn peim sialfom Sigrin ofan 155 
folk-dizorf um barg ok fari peirra: 
Sneerisk ramliga Ran or hendi 
gialf-dyr konungs at Gnfpa-lundi. 
Svat bar um aptan { Una-vogom 
flaust fagr-buin fliédta~ knatto. 120 
Enn bpeir sialfir fra Svarins-haugi 
med hermdar hug her kannodo. 
Fra god-borinn Godmundr at pv: 
Hverr es skialdungr sa-es skipom styrir, 
letr gunn-fana gollinn fyr stafni? 125 
pikkira mer frid-skiaoldr { farar-broddi ; 
verpr vig-roda um vikinga. 
Sinfizotli kva6—Sleeng upp vid rao 
raudom skildi; rand vas or golli. 
Par vas sund-vardr sa-es svara kunni, 130 
ok vid adlinga ordom skipta :— 
Segdu pat f aptan, es svfnom gefr 
ok tikr yérar teygir at solli, 
at sé Ylfingar austan komnir 
gunnar giarnir fyr Gnfpa-lundi. 135 





Helgi bade them hoist the topsails higher. The fast-following seas 
kept tryst upon the hulls, whilst Eager’s dreadful daughter strove to 
whelm the bows of the steer-steeds. But battle-bold Sigrun, from on 
high, saved them and their craft off Cliffholt. The king’s brine-steed 
was wrested by main strength from Ran’s hands, and that night the 
fair-found fleet rode safe once more in Unisvoe. 

The foes gathered at Swarin’s howe, mustering their host in angry 
mood. Quoth the god-born Godmund [Hodbrord’s warder], ‘Who 
is the king that steers these ships with a golden war-standard at his 
bows? No shield of peace, methinks, do I see in the van, but a halo 
of war wraps the Wickings about.’ 

Quoth Sinfiotli, hoisting a red shield, golden-rimmed, to the yard— 
he was a warder that could give a good answer, and bandy words with 
warriors—‘ Remember this evening, when thou art feeding the swine 
and leading the bitches to their swill, to make it known that the Wol- 
fings from the East, in fighting mood, have come off Cliffholt. There 





112. vardat hifom hrénn ping-loga] thus emend,; hranom hrav,‘n, R (the scribe 
mended the wrong word). 114. & stag . . .] emend.; stagstiorn mavrom, R. 
11g. Svat] i.e. sva-at; sat, R. 123. Hence to I, 235 there is a double text, 
A and B. - 126. Emend.; piccia mer frid i farar br-, R. 127. Thus Text 
B; Text A has—Hverr er land reki sé es lidi styrir | ok feikna lid ferir at landi,— 
A duplicate. 128, ra] tre, R. 135. fyr] fra, R. 135-139. Text 
B—... Gnipa-lundi. Her ma H. Helga kenna | flotta traudan i flota midjom | Hann 
hefir cedli zttar binnar | arf Fiorsunga und sik prungif—A duplicate. 


136 THE HELGI POET, [BK. HI. 


Par mun Hadbroddr Helga finna 
flug-traudan gram { flota midjom, 
sa-es opt hefir arno sadda 
medan pu at kvernom kysstir pyjar. 
Godm., Fyrr vilda-ek at Freka-steini 140 
g. _ hrafna sedja 4 hraejom pfnom, 
an tikr yérar teygja at solli, 
eda gefa galtom. Deili gram vid pik! 
Sinf. Fyrr mundo, Goémundr, geitr um halda, 
q: 


ok berg-skorar brattar klifa, 145, 


hafa per { hendi hesli-kylfo, 
pat-es ber blidara an brimiss démar. 


Gobm. Fatt mantu, fylkir, fornra spialla, 
g.  eS-bu adlingom ésanno bregér: 
Pi hefir etnar ulfa krAsir 150 


ok breedrom pinom at bana ordit; 
opt sar sogin med svalom munni; 
hefir { hreysi, hvar-leiédr, skridit. 
Sinf. bu vart valva { Varinseyjo, 
q. skoll-vis kona, bartu skraok saman; 155 
kvaztu engi mann eiga vilja, 
sege brynjadan, nema Sinfizotla. 
Pu vart, en skceda, skass, Valkyrija, 
wtul, amatlig, at Alfadur; 
mundu Einherjar allir berjask, 160 
sveip-vis kona, of sakar pinar. 





in the midst of his fleet may Hodbrord find Helgi, that flight-spurning 
hero, who has often given the eagles their fill, whilst thou wast kissing 
the slave-girls at the querns. . 

Quoth Godmund: 1 would sate the ravens on thy carcase at Wolf- 
stone before I would lead your bitches to their swill, or feed the hogs. 
The fiends bandy words with thee. 

Quoth Sinfiotli : Thou, O Godmund, shalt sooner tend goats, and climb 
steep scaurs, holding a hazel club in thy hand. That is more to thy 
liking than the moot of the swords. 

Quoth Godmund: Thou knowest little, my lord, of the stories of old, 
when thou bringest false charges against warriors. Thou thyself hast 
eaten wolves’ meat and murdered thy brother. Thou hast often sucked 


wounds with cold mouth, and slunk, loathsome to all men, into the dens 


of wild beasts. 

Quoth Sinfiotli; Thou, witch-hag that thou art, wast a sibyl in Warin- 
sey, fashioning false prophecies. Thou didst say that thou wouldst 
have none of the mail-clad warriors to husband save Sinfiotli. Thou, 
hateful ogress, wast a Walkyrie, hideous, accursed of All-father. The 





139. at] a, R. 140-143. These lines, clearly due in here, are a response to 
the preceding. Text B has—pvi fyrr skolo at Freka steini sAttir saman um sakar 
déema | Mal es Hodbrodd hefnd at vinna ef ver legra hlut lengi barom.—A 
duplicate. 142. an] enn, R. 151. bredrom] V; broedr, R. 158, *.q/ 
(i.e. quap Sinfiotli), add. R after skoda. 161. sveip-vis] emend.; svevis, R. 





ba) bas 


I} 


r € 
ae ih a ee ee See enn 





ey, 


$1.] HELGI AND SIGRUN. 137 


Nio #tto vid 4 nesi Sago 
ulfa alna; ek vas einn fadir peirra. 
Godm. Fadir vasattu Fenris-ulfa 
g.  ellom ellri, sva-at ek muna: 165 
sizt pik geldo fyrir Gnfpa-lundi 
pursa meyjar 4 Pérsnesi. 
Stitipr vastu Siggeirs, l4tt und stadom hreina, 
varg-liddom vanr 4 vidom uti; 
kémo per é6gagn all at hendi, 170 
p4-es breédr pinom bridst raufadir, 
cerOir pik freegjan af firin-verkom. 
Sinf. Pi vast bridr Grana 4 Brdvelli; 
q: goll-bitlod vast, goer til rasar: 
hafda ek per médri mart skeid ridit 175 
svangri und saéli, simul forbergis. 
Godm. Sveinn pdttir pi sidlauss vesa 
g.  pa-es pi Gollniss geitr molkadir ; 
enn { annat sinn Iméar déttir, 
taottrug-hypja. Vill pu talo lengri? 180 


Helgi Veeri ykkr, Sinfiatli, s@mra miklo 

q- gunni at heyja ok gladéa awrno; 
an sé ény¥tom ordom at bregdask, 
pétt hring-brotar heiptir deili. 
Pikkjat mer gédir Granmars synir ; 185 
p6 dugir siklingom satt at mela: 
peir hafa markat 4 Mains-heimom 
at hug hafa hiarom at bregda. 





Host of the chosen had well-nigh fought together for thy sake, thou 
false woman. On Saganess we two had a litter of nine wolves; I was 
the father of them all. 

Quoth Godmund: Nay, thou wast no father of Wolves, that I can 
remember, since the ogre-maids gelt thee on Thorsness by Cliffholt. 
Thou wast Siggeir’s step-son, and didst lie in the reindeer’s lairs, out 
in the woods, used to the songs of the wolves. All manner of crimes 
fell to thy lot; thou didst rip up thine own brother’s breast, and didst 
make thyself famous for abominations. 

Quoth Sinfiotli: Thou wast Grani’s dam on Braefield, golden-bitted 
thou rannest saddled for a race. I have ridden thee many a course, 
uphill and down dale, sitting in saddle on thy slim back, thou.... : 

Quoth Gedmund; Thou wast a mannerless swain when thou wert 
milking Gollni’s (the Giant’s) goats; and now, for the second time, 
thou hagspawn, thou tatter-screen, wilt thou a longer tale? 

Quoth Helgi; It would beseem you both far better, good Sinfiotli, 
to fight out your quarrel and gladden the eagle, than to bandy un- 
profitable words. Though the princes are my foes, yet a warrior should 
speak the truth, and brave, methinks, are Granmar’s sons; they have 
proved on Moin’s heath that they have the heart, to wield their swords. 





168. hreina] Bugge; heima, R, 181. per es |, Text B. 184. hild- 
ingar, Text B, 188. ero hildingar heelzti sniallir, add. Text B. 


138 THE HELGI POET. [BK. III. 


Peir af rfki renna léto © 
_ Svipod ok Sveigiod Sélheima til, 190 
dala doeggdétta, doekkvar hlfdir. 
Skalf mistar marr hvar megir féro. 
Mecétto peir tiggja { tin-hlidi; 
sogdo stridliga stilli kvémo. 
Uti st6d Hadbroddr hialmi faldinn, 195 
‘hugdi hann ioreid eettar sfnnar’— 
Hvi es herméar litr 4 Hniflungom? 


Godm. Snuask her at sandi snefgir kidlar, 
q. rakka hirtir, ok rar langar, 
skildir margir, skafnar 4rar, 200 


geaofukt lid Gylfa, gladir Yifingar. 
Ganga fimtan folk upp 4 land, 
p6 es { Sogn ut sjau pusundir. 
Liggja her { grindom fyr Gnfpa-lundi 
brim-dyr bla-svart ok buin golli; 205 
par es miklo mest mengi beirra. 
Muna nt Helgi hiwr-ping dvala? 
[Hadbroddr kvad_ |: 


Hosbr.  Renni-rakn bitlid til regin-pinga | 

q Enn Sporvitnir at Sparins-heidi, 210 
Melnir ok Mylnir til Myrkvidar. 
Latid engi mann eptir sitja 
peirra es ben-logom bregda kunni! 
Biddid ér Hagna ok Hrings sonom, 
Atla ok Yngva, Alf enom Gamla, 215 
Peir-ro giarnir gunni at heyja; 
Latum Valsunga vidr-nam fa. 





Now they rode their steeds Sweepwood and Swaywood with all speed 
to Sunham, through dewy dales and dusky glens; the sea of mist [air] 
shook as they passed by. They met the king in the gate of the court, 
and told him of the coming of his foes. Hodbrord was standing helm- 
hooded without the house, looking on the riding of his kinsmen: ‘ Why 
are the Hniflungs flushed with wrath?’ [quoth he.] 

Quoth Godmund: The lithe keels are turning their heads to our 
shore, ringed sea-stags, with long sail-yards, with many shields and 
smooth-planed oars, a great war-fleet, the gallant Wolfings. Fifteen 
battalions are landing, but out in Sogn are seven more thousand, At 
the dock by Cliffholt are lying surt-deer, swart-black, and fair ‘with 
gold, there is by far the most of their host. Helgi will not put off 
the sword-moot. 

Quoth Hodbrord: Bridle the fleet steeds to go forth and call a great 
levy! Saddle Spurwitni for Sparin’s heath, Melni and Milni for Mirk- 
wood. Let no man stay away that can beara brand. Call up Hogni 





209. Renni-rékn bitlié] emend, by Grundtvig; renni avkn bitlud, R. 





$1.] HELGI AND SIGRUN. 139 


Svipr einn vas pat, es saman kvémo 
feoolvir oddar at Freka-steini. 
Ey vas Helgi Hundings-bani 220 
fyrstr { folki par es firar bardusk ; 
cestr 4 imo, all-traudr flugar. 
S4 hafdi hilmir hart m6é-akarn. 
Kémo par or himni hialm-vittr ofan 
—6x geira gnyr—pber es grami hlffdo. 225 
b4 kvad pat Sigrin, sdr-vittr fluga— 
‘4t havlda scer af hvgins bari :’— 
Heill skaltu, vfsi, virda nidta, 
Att-stafr Yngva, ok una Iifi! 
es pti fellt hefir inn flugar-trauda 230 
iafur pann-es olli Agiss dauda. 
Ok per budlungr samir bedi vel 
raudir baugar ok in rikja meer. 
Heill skalti budlungr beedi nidta 
sigrs ok landa—pP4 es sdkn lokit. 235 


Sigr. Muna pér Sigrin fra Seva-fizllom. 
q: Hadbroddr konungr, hnfga at armi. 
Lidin er evi—‘ opt nair hrefi 

gran-stod Gridar’—Granmars sona. 


Felgt Esat per at allo, al-vittr, gefid ; 240 
q p6 kve6-ek noekkvi Nornir valda: 

Fello { morgon at Freka-steini 

Bragi ok Hagni; vard-ek bani beirra. 

Enn at Styrkleifom Starkaér konungr ; 

enn at Hiébiargom Hrollaugs synir: 245 





and the sons of Ring, Atli and Yngwi, Alf the old; they are all eager 
to waken war. Let the Wolsungs meet resistance. 

With one swoop the yellow blades crossed at Wolf-Rock. Ever 
fought Helgi Hunding’s slayer foremost in the foremost ranks, with 
stoutest mettle, spurning to fly. That hero’s heart was steadfast. And 
now the Helmed Fairies, that watched over him, came down from 
heaven,—higher grew the clash of spears. Then spake Sigrun, winged 
war-fairy.... Hail, Prince of Yngwi’s race, have joy of thy life, 
for thou hast felled the flight-spurning king that wrought the death of 
Eager. Thine, king, by right are now the red-rings and the mighty 
maiden. Hail, king, and have joy of thy victory and thy realm !—Now 
the battle is ended.... 

Sigrun to Hodbrord dying on the battle-field; Sigrun from Sevafell shall 
never, O King Hodbrord, rest in thy arms. Thy life and that of the 
sons of Granmar is at anend.... 

Quoth Helgi: Thou canst not give good hap in all things, thou fairy, 
though some of this is the Fates’ doing [not thine]. Bragi and Hogni 
fell this morning at Wolf-Rock, and at Styrcliff King Starkad, and 
Hrollaug’s sons at Leaburgh: I was their slayer .... The fiercest 





224. hialm vitr, R. 231. Read Lsungs? 


140 THE HELGI POET. [BK. IIL: 


pann s4-ek gylva grimm-idgastan 

es bardisk bolr, vas 4 brot hafud. 

Liggja at Iordan allra flestir 

nidjar pinir at ném ordnir: 

Vantattu vigi; vas per pat skapad 250 
at pu at régi rfkmenni vart! 


Il. 


Dagr Traudr em-ek, systir, trega ber at segja, 
q. pvi-at ek hefi naudigr nipti greetta :— 
Fell { morgon und Fizotur-lundi 
budlungr sa-es vas baztr { heimi, 255 
ok hildingom 4 halsi stéé. 
Sigr. Pik skyli allir eidar bita 
q: peir es Helga hafdir unna, 
at eno lidsa Leiptrar vatni, 
ok at ur-svalom Unnar steini! 260 
Skridiat pat skip, es und per skr{éi, 
pdétt éska-byrr eptir leggisk ! 
Rennia s4 marr, es und per renni, 
pdotta fiandr pina fordask eigir! 
Bitia ber pat sverdé, es pt bregdir, 265 
nema sialfom per syngvi um heofdi! 
PA veri per hefnt Helga dauda, 
ef pi veerir vargr 4 vidom Uti, 
auds andvani ok allz gamans ; 
hefdir eigi mat nema 4 hreom spryngir, 270 
Dagr Cir ertu, systir, ok ervita, 
q: es pt broedér pfnom bidr forskapa: 





king I ever saw, his trunk fought on when his head was off. Most 
of thy kinsmen lie corpses at Yordan. This slaughter was no work of ~ 
thine, but thou wast fated to be the cause of feud among the Mighty. 

II. Day comes to Sigrun to tell her the news of ber lover's death by his hand, 
saying « Sorry am I, sister, to tell thee tidings of sorrow, and it is sore 
against my will to make my kinswoman weep. He fell this morning 
at Fetterholt that was the best of earthly princes, that trod upon the 
necks of kings. 

Quoth Sigrun; May all the oaths that were sworn to Helgi, by the 
bright Lightning water and the ice-cold Rock of the Waves, sting thee 
now. May the ship that sails under thee sail not, even though thou 
have a fair wind aft! May the horse that runs under thee run not, 
yea, though thy foemen are following after thy life! May the sword 
that thou drawest bite not, save when it is whistling about thine own 
head! Helgi’s death were but rightly avenged, if thou wert a wolf 
[outlaw] out in the woods, poor and joyless, and lacking meat save 
what thou couldst get from leaping on carrion corpses! 

Quoth Day: Thou art mad and distraught, sister, to pray down 





248. Thus, Iordan, R, not at idrd0; a name of place is required. 





§1.] HELGI AND SIGRUN. 141 


Einn veldr Odinn allo balvi, 
oy med sifiungom sak-rinar bar. 
er bydr brdédir bauga rauda, 275 
oll Vandils-vé ok Vigdali. 
Haf pt halfan heim harms at gialdom, 
bridr baug-varid, ok burir pfnir. 
Sigr. Sitka-ek sv4 szl at Seva-fiallom 
’ 4r né um neetr, at ek una Iffi: 280 
nema at lidi lofdungs liéma bregdi, 
renni und visa Vig-bler pinig 
goll-bitli vanr; knega-ek grami fagna. 
Sv4 hafdi Helgi hraedda goerva 
fiandr sina alla ok frzendr peirra, 285 
sem fyr ulfi 66ar rynni 
geitr af fialli geiska-fullar. 
Sv4 bar Helgi af hildingom, 
sem ftr-skapadér askr af pyrni; 
eda s4 dyr-kalfr doeggo slunginn, 290 
es cefri ferr allom dyrom, 
ok horn gloa vid himin sialfan. 


III. 
Helgi bi skalt, Hundingr, hverjom manni 
q: fét-laug goera ok funa kynda; 
hunda binda; hesta geta; 295 
gefa svinom sod, 46r sofa gangir..... 
Sigr. Kominn veri ni, ef koma hygdi, 
q. Sigmundar burr fr4 salom Odins, 





curses on thine own brother. It was Woden alone that wrought all 
this evil, when he scattered runes of strife among kinsfolk, Thy 
brother offers thee red rings, all Wandilswe and Wardales, yea, the 
half of his land to recompense thy wrong to thee and thy sons, thou 
ring-dight lady. 

Quoth Sigrun: Nevermore shall I sit happy at Sevafell, nor have joy 
of my life at morn or eventide; for nevermore shall I see the light 
flash on my lord’s company, nor the war-steed with its gold bit bearing 
my king thither; nevermore shall I welcome the prince home, Helgi 
struck terror into his foemen and their kindred, so that they were like 
unto the fearful goats that run madly downhill from the wolf. Helgi 
was among other kings as it were a noble ash among the thorns, or 
as a young hart, flecked with dew, towering above the other deer, his 





283. Read knegat-ek ? 284. Helgi] om, R, 


142 THE HELGI POET. [BK. IIL. 


Kved-ek grams pinig grenask vanir 
es 4 ask-limom ernir sitja 300 
ok drffr drétt all draum-pinga til. 


Ambott _Hvart ero pat svik ein es ek sid pbikkjomk, 
g. e0a Ragna-rok? R{fda menn daudir! 
Er iéa ydra oddom keyrit? 
eda es hildingom heim-faor gefin | 305 
Felg? Esa pat svik ein es pt sid pikkisk, 
q. né aldar-rof, pétti oss litir: 
pétt vér ida é6ra oddim keyrim; 
heldr es hildingom heim-far gefin. 
Ut gakk pu, Sigriin fra Seva-fiallom, 310 
ef pik folks iadar finna lystir. 
Upp es haugr lokinn; kominn es Helgi. 
Dolg-spor dreyra; Daglingr bad pik 
at pi sar-dropa svefja skyldir. 
Mal es mer at rida rodnar brautir, 315 
lata faolvan id flug-stig troda: 
Skal-ek fyr vestan Vind-hialms bruar 
4ér Salgofnir sigr-pi6dd veki. 


|Amdéoit]  Vesattu sv cr, at ein farir, 
q: dis Skialdunga, draug-htsa til. 320 
Verda aflgari allir 4 néttom 


daudir dolg-megir an um daga lidésa. 





to come, from the halls of Woden. I have but faint hope of his 
coming, now that the eagles are sitting on the limbs of the ash and 
all the household are thronging to the Assembly of Dreams. 

Sigrun’s bondmaid sees Helgi and his company riding by in the dusk, and 
cries out: Is it a mere phantom that I think I see, or is the Doom 
of the Powers come?—Can dead men ride? Ye are pricking your 
steeds with the spur !—or have ye been granted leave to come home? 

Helgi answered her: \t is no mere phantom that thou thinkest thou 
seest, nor is it the end of the world, though we prick our steeds with 
the spur, but we have been granted leave to come home. Come out, 
O Sigrun from Sevafell, if thou desirest to see thy lord. The barrow 
is opened, Helgi is come, the sword-prints are gory on him. The 
king bids thee come to stay the bleeding of his wounds. It is time 
for me to ride along the reddening roads, to let my fallow steed tread 
the paths of air. I must be west of Windhelm’s bridge [the sky 
bridge, i.e. rainbow] before Salgofni [chanticleer] awakens the mighty 
Host. 

The bondmaid answered: Be not so mad as to go alone, thou sister 
of kings, to the houses of the Ghosts. All dead fiends of Hell wax 
stronger by night than in the bright daylight.. 





299. grenaz, R. 309. heldr] Bugge; ‘n.,’ R. aa 3. Read bidr ? 
319. ver pu eigi, R. 322. dolg-megir| emend.; dolg mer, R 





§1.] - HELGI AND SIGRUN. 143 


Sigr. Nui em ek sv4 fegin fundi okkrom, 
q. sem 4t-frekir Odins haukar, 
es val vito, varmar bradir, 325 
eda dagg-litir dags-brtin sia. 
Fyrr vil ek kyssa konung 6lifdan 
an pu blédugri brynjo kastir. 
Har es pitt, Helgi, hélo prungit ; 
allr es visi val-dagg sleginn ; 330 
hendr Ur-svalar Hagna magi,— 
Hve skal-ek per, budlungr, pess bét of vinna? 
Helgi Ein veldr pu, Sigrtin fra Seva-fizollom ! 
es Helgi es harm-dceegg sleginn: 
Gretr pu, goll-varid, grimmom térom, 335 
s6l-bicrt, sudrcén 46r pu sofa gangir: 
hvert fellr bl6édugt 4 briédst grami, 
ur-svalt, 6fialgt, ekka prungit.... 
Vel skolom drekka dy¥rar veigar, 
pétt misst hafim munar ok landa; 
skal engi madr angr-li6d kveda, 
pdétt mer 4 bridsti benjar liti. 
Nu ero bridir byrgdar { haugi, 
lofda dfsir, hj4 oss lidnom! 
Sigr. Her hefi-ek per, Helgi, hvilo goerva 345 
q. angr-lausa miak, Yifinga nidr! 
Vil-ek per { fadémi, fylkir, sofna, 
sem ek loféungi lifnom myndak. 
Helgi Nut kved-ek enskis cer-veent vesa 


, 240 


~ 





Sigrun goes out to meet her dead lord, and falls upon his neck and kisses 
him, saying: 1 am as glad to meet thee as are the greedy hawks of 
Woden when they scent the slain, their warm prey, or dew-spangled 
espy the brows of dawn. I will kiss thee, my dead king, ere thou cast 
off thy bloody mail-coat. Thy hair, my Helgi, is thick with rime, thy 
whole body is drenched with gory dew, thy hands are cold and dank. 
How shall I deliver thee from this, O my lord? 

Helgi answered her; It is thine own doing, Sigrun from Sevafell, that 
Helgi is drenched with deadly dew. Thou weepest cruel tears, thou 
gold-dight, sun-bright lady of the South, before thou goest to sleep: 
every one of them falls bloody, dank cold, chilly, fraught with sobs, 
upon my breast.... Let us drink costly draughts, though we have 
lost both love and land! Let no man chant wailing dirges, though he 
see the wounds on my breast. Now are maidens, royal ladies, shut up 
in the barrow with us dead men! 

Quoth Sigrun; I have made thee a bed here, Helgi, a very painless 
bed, thou son of the Wolfings. I shall sleep in thine arms, O king, 
as I should if thou wert yet alive. 

Helgi answered; Now 1 swear that there shall never be a greater 





337. fellr] Bugge; felt, R. 338. ofialgt] infialgt (i.e. ufialgt), R. 


144 THE HELGI POET. [BK. IT. 


q: si6 né snimma at Seva-fiollom: — 350 
es bu 4 armi dliféom sefr, 
hvit, { haugi, Hagna déttir ; 
ok ert 6 kvik, in konung-borna! 


HELGI AND SWAVA. 
I. Kine Hiorwarp Anp SIGRLIND. 


Frog GAtru Sigrlinn Svafniss déttor, 
meyna fegrsto { Munarheimi? 

p6 ero hagligar Hiarvardz konor 
gumnom pekkjar at Glasiss-lundi. 
Alli Mundo vid Atla Idmundar son, 5 
q. fog] fré6-hugaér, fleira mela? 
Fogl Mon-ek, ef mik budlungr bléta vildi, 

q: ok kyss-ek paz ek vil or konungs gardi. 
Alli Kidsattu Hiarvard, né hans sono, 

q: ne inar fegro fylkiss bridir ; 10 
eigi bridir ber es budlungr 4. 
Kaupom vel saman; pat es vina kynni. 


Frog Hof mun-ek kiésa, harga marga, 
q. goll-hyrndar kyr fra grams bui, 
ef hanom Sigrlinn sefr 4 armi, 15 
ok énaudig izofri fylgir. 
Aili Heofom ervidi ok ekki cerendi; 
q. Mara praut é6ra 4 megin-fialli; 





marvel, early or late, at Sevafell: for thou, the white daughter of Hogni, 
art sleeping in the arms of the dead; thou, a king’s daughter, art 
come down alive into the barrow. : 





I, FRAGMENT.—King Hiorward and Sigrlind. Hiorward sends Atli to 
woo Sigrlind to him; he is helped by a talking bird. 

The Bird says: Hast thou seen Sigrlind, Swafni’s daughter, the 
fairest maid in this blissful world, though the lovely wives of King 
Hiorward in Glassgrove seem fair to men ?—4?#/i. Thou wise bird, wilt 
thou talk more to Atli the son of Idmund?—Bird. I will, if the king 
will worship me, and I may choose what I will out of the king’s house. 
—Atli. Thou shalt not choose Hiorward, nor his sons, nor any of his 
fair wives, nor one of the king’s wives. Let us bargain together as 
friends do.—Bird. I will choose temples, and many high places, gold- 
horned kine from the king’s stock, if I get Sigrlind to sleep in his 
arms, and follow the king of her own will. 

Atli comes back to the King: We have had trouble and ill speed, our 
steeds foundered on the broad mountains; we had to wade across 





353. ert pd] ertu (i.e. ertd), R. 4. pekkjar] emend.; piccia, R, 


| 


Te ee ee ee ee ee ee Te ee ae. 


eS eae eee oe ait 


— Ts ee 


Oe ee ee 


§1.] HELGI AND SWAVA. 145 


urdom sfdan Szmorn vada; 
PA vas oss synjat Svafniss déttor 20 
hringom goéddrar es ver hafa vildom. 


a}, Sfepes AND SWAVA. 


Valk. S{6 mundu, Helgi, hringom r4da, 
q rikr rég-apaldr! ne Raduls-vallom— 
ern g6él 4rla—ef pu z begir, 
pétti hardan hug, hilmir, gialdir. 25 
Helgi Hvat letr pu fylgja Helga nafni, 
g. briidr biart-litud! allz pu bidda reedr? 
Hygg pt fyr wllom atkvedom vel; 
piggiat-ek pat, nema ek pik hafa. 
Valk. Sver6 veit-ek liggja { Sigars-holmi, 30 
q. fidrom fra an fimm togo: 
eitt es peirra allom betra 
vig-nesta bal, ok varid golli. 
Hringr es { hialti, hugr6é es { midjo; 
cenn es { oddi, peim-es eiga getr: 35 
liggr med eggjo ormr dreyr-fadr ; 
enn 4 valbasto verpr nadr hala. 


Helgi Ertattu, Hiarvardr, heilradr konungr, 
: folks odd-viti, péttu freegr sér: 

léztu eld éta iafra bygdir, 40 
enn peir angr vid pik ekki goerdo; 





Semorn; and then we were denied Swafni’s daughter, the ring-endowed 
maid, whom we came to woo. 

Il. The king wins ber at last, and she bears him a son, and his father 
having been slain, he was silent and nameless, He goes one day out in the 
wood, and meets the Walkyria Swava, a king’s daughter. She says— 

Helgi, my warrior, it will be long ere thou rulest over rings or the 
Sunfells—the eagle screamed early—if thou alway keep silence; though 
thou broodest over thy revenge.—He/gi. What gift wilt thou give with 
the name, thou bright-faced lady, since thou givest me these commands? 
Consider well thy words, I take no gift unless I am to have thyself to 
boot. Then the Walkyria tells him where to find a magic sword, with 
which he is to win fame and avenge his father. 

I know where swords, two score and six, lie in Sigar’s ha]m, but one 
is the best of them all, the curse of the war-net [mail], inwrought with 
gold. There is a ring in the hilt, a tang through the midst; an ‘onn’ 
in the point, for him that gets it; a blood-painted serpent lies along 
the edges, writhing his tail round the sword-knot. 


-O H., thou art not a well-advised king, although thou be a great 
champion; thou madest the fire consume the halls of a king who 
had done no harm to thee. But thou lettest Rodmar rule over 





29. pigg ck eigi, R. 34. hugré es] emend,; hygr er, R (see Lex. 309 a). 
35. cenn | emend.; ogn, R (see Lex. 765 b). 
L 


146 THE HELGI POET. [BK. III. 


enn Hrodmarr skal hringom raéa 

peim-es <tto drir nidjar ; 

sa sésk fylkir feest at Iffi, 

hyggsk aldauda-arfi at rada. 45 


Helgi Kom-pt heill, Hedinn! Hvat kanntu segja 
q. nyra spialla or Néregi? 
Hyvi es per, stillir, stoekkt or landi, 
ok ert einn kominn oss at finna? 
Hedinn Mik hefir miklo glépr meiri séttan: 50 
g. ek hefi kcerna ena konung-borno 
bridi pina at Bragar-fulli. 


Helgi Sakask eigi pi! sann mono verda 
q: al-mal, Hedinn, okkor beggja: 
Mer hefir stillir stefnt til eyrar ; 55 


priggja natta, skylak par koma. 
If es mer 4 pvi, at ek aptr koma; 
p6 ma at gddo goerask slikt ef skal. 
Hlesinn Sagdir pu, Helgi, at Hrodmarr veeri 
g.  g66s verdr fra per, ok giafa stérra; 60 
per es scemra sverd at ridda 
an frid gefa fiandom pfnom. 


Helgi Reid 4 vargi, es rekvid vas, 
q. flidd eitt es Hedin fylgjo beiddi; 
hon vissi pat, at veginn moendi 65 
Sigrlinnar sonr 4 Sigars-vallom. 


Sendi Helgi Sigar at rida 
eptir Eylima einga-déttor :— 





the treasures which our forefathers had. He (Rodmar) sits free from 
fear of foes, for he thinks he holds the heritage of an heirless race. 
(K. Rodmar knew not that Helgi, Sigrlind’s son, survived from the 
slaughter.) 

Helgi to his brother Hedin: Hail, Hedin! what news hast thou to 
tell from Norway? why art thou outlawed from thy country, and come 
alone to see us here ?—Hedin. Far greater is my guilt; I have chosen at 
the Bragi-toast thy king-born bride.—He/gi. Blame not thyself; 
the ale-talk of both of us may prove true. A king has challenged me to 
the field; within three nights’ time I must be there. I doubt if I shall 
ever come back; yet it may turn out well if I do not.—Hedin. Thou 
saidest that Rodmar had deserved goodwill and great gifts from thee, 
but it beseems thee better to redden thy sword than to give peace to 
thine enemies. 

It was a witch, riding a wolf in the gloaming, that bade Hedin follow 
her. She knew that Sigrlind’s son should be slain at Sigarsfield. 

Helgi (qwounded to death) sent Sigar [his friend] to fetch Eylimi’s 





45. aldauda-] emend.; aldaudra R (see Lex. 11 a). 55. stefut] steyct, R. 
58. slikt ef skal] corrupt? 59. Hrodmarr] emend,; h’, R. 


ee a 














$1] HELGI AND SWAVA. 147 


Helgi Bid brlliga bina verda, 
q ef hon vill finna fylki kvikvan. 70 


Sigarr Mik hefir Helgi hingat sendan 
g. vid pik, Sv4va, sialfa at meela: 
Pik kvazk hilmir hitta vilja 
_ 46r ftr-borinn ando tyndi. 
Svdva Hvat vard Helga Hiarvardz-syni— ns 
q mer es hardliga harma leitad? 
Ef hann ser um lék, eda sverd um beit, 
peim skal-ek gumna grand um vinna. 
Sigarr _Seig her { morgon at Sigars-vallom 
g.  budlungr sa-es vas baztr und sédlo. 80 
Alfr mon sigri allom rdéa, 
pott petta sinn paorfgi veeri. 


Helgi Heil ves pi Svdva! hugi deilattu ; 
sid mun { heimi hinztr fundr vesa: 
Tid budlungi bloeeda undir ; 85 
mer hefir hisarr komid hiarta id nesta. 
Bid-ek pik, Svava—brudr grattattu— 
ef pu vill mfno mali hlyda: 
at pi Hedni hvilo geervir, 
ok iafurr ungan #stom leidir. go 
Svdva Melt hafda-ek pat { Munar-heimi 
q: p4-es mer Helgi hringa valdi, 
myndiga-ek lostig at lidinn fylki 
iafur 6kunnan armi verja. 





only daughter (Swava): ‘Tell her to make her ready quickly, if she 
would find her lord alive.’ 

Sigar goes to Swava and says: Helgi has sent me hither to speak 
to thee, Swava. He said he wished to see thee before he yielded up 
his breath.—Swava. How came hurt to Helgi Hiorwardson? I sorely 
am stricken with grief—was it by sea or was it by sword, then I will 
surely harm his slayer.—Sigar. This morning at Sigar’s-field fell the 
best king under the sun. Alf has won, though it was in evil hour. 


Swava comes to Helgi on the field of battle. 

Helgi. Hail to thee, Swava! let not thy heart fail thee! this shall be 
our last meeting. My wounds are bleeding; the sword has cut right 
to my heart. I pray thee, Swava, if thou wilt hearken to my words— 
weep not, my lady !—to make ready the bed for Hedin, and lay thy love 
on him.—Swava. I had vowed in the home of my happiness, when 
thou, Helgi, didst endow me, that I would never, of my will, take any 
other to my arms after my lord’s death. 





69. Bid] Bugge; bidr, R. 79. Seig her i m. at Sigars-vollom] emend, ; fell 
her i m. at Frekasteini, R, 83. hugi deilattu] emend.; hug skaltu deila, R. 
L2 


148 THE HELGI POET. - [BK. mf, 


Hetinn Kystu mik, Sv4va! Kem-ek eigi 46r  ° ~— 5 
g.  Régheims 4 vit ne Raduls-fialla, 
46r ek hefnt hefik Hiarvaréz sonar 
pess es budlungr vas baztr und sdlo, 


HELGI AND KARA. 
Karo-L16D (FRAGMENT). 


Helgi GPaer Hemingi, at Helgi man 
q: hvern ‘{ brynjo’ bragnar feldo, 
es ulf ungan inni hafdot 
par es Hamal hugdi * Haddingr konungr. 
Blindr T"vass ero augo { Hagals pyjo; 
bolvist esa pat karls ett es 4 kvernom stendr; 
q: steinar rifna; stoekkr 106r fyrir. 
Nu hefir hard dcémi hildingr pegit, 
es visi skal val-bygg mala. 
Heldr es scemri hendi peirri 10 
me@al-kafli, an mzondul-tré. 
Hagall Pat es litil va, pétt 4dr prumi, 
q. es man konungs mandul hreerir. 
Hon skevadi sk¥jom cefri, 
ok vega pordi, sem vikingar: 15 


on 





Helgi dies, and Hedin bids farewell to Swava before going to revenge his 
brother. 

Hedin. Kiss me, Swava! I will never come back to Strifeham, or 
Sunfell, before I have revenged the son of Hiorward, the best king under 
the sun! 





When Helgi’s father {Sevi?| was slain, he was saved by his foster-father | 


Hagal, who sent him to be brought up in the hall of his enemy, giving him 
the name of his own son Hamal. When he was grown up Helgi left his 
Soe’s Louse, and bade a shepherd tell Heming whom he had fostered. 

1, TELL Heming that Helgi knows who slew his father at B. (place, 
Bear-bay?); ye have cherished a wolf-cub among you, K. Harding, 
deeming that it was Hamal. 

Blind the mischievous was sent to seek after him, and came to Hagal’s 
house, where Helgi was hid in a bondmaid’s dress, working the mill. When 
he saw him Blind said— 

5. Hagal’s bondmaid has fierce eyes, no slave-born maid is she that 
stands at the quern. The stones are cracking, the bin is shivering. 
Surely the prince is hardly entreated, when a lord such as he must 
grind the barley, The grip of the sword fits those hands better than 
the mill-handle. 

12. Hagal answered; It is little wonder that the bin rattles as the 
king’s bondmaid turns the handle. She was wont to ride above the 





4. *Haddingr] Hundingr, R. 6. 4] read at? g. malajom.R. 13, 
man] mer, R 





oe ee a ere Pte Se ees ee 


; 3 H 
EA Ge Pee eee ee OO Re 





§1.] HELGI AND KARA. 149 


4dr hana ‘Helgi’ hapto gerdi; 
Systir es hén peirra Sigars ok Hagna; 
pvi hefir atul augo Yifinga man. 


+ Kara Hverir ldta flidta fley vid bakka? 
q- Hvar, her-megir, heima eigud? 20 
Hvers bfdit ér { Brina-vogom ? 
Hvert lystir yér leid at kanna? 
+ Hamall . Hamall letr fliéta fley vid bakka. 
q: Eigom heima { Hless-eyjo. 
BiSdom byrjar { Briina-vagom. 25 
Austr lystir oss leid at kanna.: 
Kéra Hvar hefir pi, hilmir, hildi vakda, 
q. edr gagl alin Gunnar systra? 
Hvi es brynja pin bl6di stokkin? 
Hvi skal und hialmom hratt kiat eta? 30 
Helgi Pat vann nest nyss nidr Yifinga 
. fyrir vestan ver, ef pik vita lystir, 
es ek biarno t6k { Braga-lundi, 
ok ztt ara oddom saddak. 
Nu es sagt, mer, hvadan sarkat goerdisk; 35 
pvi vas 4 legi, mer, Iftt steikt etid. 
Kéra Vig lysir pi;. vard fyrir Helga 
q. Haddingr konungr hnfga at velli; 
Bar sékn saman es Seva hefndod, 
ok busti bl66 4 brimiss eggjar. 40 





clouds, and dared to fight as wickings use, before H. (mame uncertain) 
made her captive. She is the sister of Sigar and Hogni. That is why 
the Wolfings’ maid has such wild eyes. 

After the battle, in which Helgi had slain Harding and avenged his 
Sather’s death, Kara, the War-fairy, comes flying towards him. 

19. Kara said; Who are ye that moor your ships by the shore? 
Where is your home, ye warriors? What are you awaiting at Bear- 
bay? Whither are you bound? Helgi answers : Hamal is letting his ships 
lie by off the shore. Our home is in Leesey. We are awaiting a fair 
wind at Bear-bay. We are bound for the east. Kara says: Where 
hast thou, King, wakened the war, and where didst thou sate the birds 
of the sister of Battle? Why is thy mailcoat flecked with blood? Why 
eat ye raw flesh, helmed as ye are? Helgi answers: The very last deed of 
the sons of the Wolfings west of the Main, if thou seekest to know, was 
when I baited the bears in Bragholt and fed the eagle’s brood full with 
my blade. Now, maiden, I have told thee why our meat is raw; we get 
little roast meat at sea, maiden! Kara says: Thou tellest of war; 
King Harding was made to bow low in the field before Helgi. The 
fight was joined, and Sevi was avenged, and the blood spirted on the 





19. Kara] Sigrun, R, here and below. 23. +Hamall] Helgi, R. 35. 
sarkat goerdisk] Bugge; sacar gorduz, R. 38. Ha@dingr|? Hundingr, R. 


150 THE HELGI POET. [ BK. IIL. 


Helgi Hvat vissir pu, at peir sé, 
sndét svinn-hugad, es Seva hefndo? 
Margir ro hvassir hildings synir 
ok A4munir ossom nidjom. 
Kéra Vaska-ek fiarri, folks odd-viti, 45 
q: goer 4 morgon grams aldr-lokom: 
P6 tel-ek slégjan [*Seva] bur 
es { val-rinom vig-spizll segir. 
Leit ek pik um sinn fyrr 4 lang-skipom, 
p4-es pu bygéir blééga stafna, 50 
ok utr-svalar unnir léko: 
Nu vill dyljask daglingr fyrir mer, 
enn mer Halfdanar Helga kennir. 


VOLSUNGA KVIDA IN FORNA. 
THE OLD TALE OF THE WOLSUNGS (Fracment). 


A fragment of a poem, found imbedded in Text B of the great Helgi 
Lay in R. It gives a duplicate, but inferior, version of the first meeting 
of Helgi and Sigrun, and may be by a different poet. 


SoTt! Sigrtin sikling gladan; 
heim nam hon Helga hand at scékja ; 
kyssti ok kvaddi konung und hialmi. 
b4 var6d hilmi huer 4 viffi. 
Fyrr lezk hon unna af allom hug 5 
syni Sigmundar an hann sé6 hafdi. 
Vas ek Hadbroddi { her fastnud, 
enn iafur annan eiga vildak. 





edges of the brand. Helgi says : How canst thou tell, thou wise lady, 
that we be they that avenged Sevi? There are many keen wickings 
like unto us. Kara says: 1 was not far off, my lord, yestermorn when 
the chief was slain, though thou, son of Sevi, talkest covertly, and tellest 
of the war in strange riddles. I have seen thee before on the long 
ships, when thou stoodest at the bloody bows, and the ice-cold waves 
played about thee. Thou art striving to hide thee from me, my prince, 
but Halfdan’s daughter knows thee well. 





Sigrun seeks Helgi after the battle in which he had avenged his father, to 
beg his aid against Hodbrord her suitor, as it is told in the Lay of Helgi. 
_ 1, SIGRUN went to meet the joyful king; she was minded to seek 

Helgi’s hand; she kissed and greeted the helmed king. Then the hero 
heart was moved to her. She told him that she had loved him long ere 
he had seen her. 

Saying: 1 was plighted to Hodbrord, though I loved another king; 





47. *Sigmundar, R. 53. mer Halfdanar] emend.; Hogna mer, R. Helga] 
om. R. 6. hann] emend.; hon, R; cp. Lay of Kara. 





a 
j 
: 





§1.] LAY OF ATLI AND RIMEGERD. 151 


bé siamk, fylkir, freenda reidi; 
hefi-ek mfns fadur mun-r46_ brotid. 10 
Nama Hagna mer of hug mela; 
hafa kvazk hon Helga hylli skyldo. 

Helgi Hird eigi pi Hagna reidi 

q: né illan hug zettar pinnar. 

Pu skalt, meer ung, at mer lifa. 15 
‘Att Attu, in gdda, es ek sidmk.’ 


HELGI AND SIGRUN (Fracment). 


A fine fragment from what was probably, judging from the metre, a 
short dialogue-poem between Helgi and Sigrun. It is found after |. 251 
in R (Helgi and Sigrun). 


ond j BN an Sigrtin! Hildr hefir pu oss vesit. 
Vinnat skialdungar skapom. 
[Stgr] Lifna munda-ek nt kidésa pa-es lidnir ro, 
q: ok knetta-ek per pdé f{ fadmi felask. 


LAY OF ATLI AND RIMEGERD THE GIANTESS. 


A dramatic episode in the story of the second Helgi, into whose 
poem it is stuck in the vellum after 1. 45. It is probably by the same 
author. 


1. Hrimg. Pp yer ro haldar { Hatafirdi? 
3 skialdom es tialdat 4 skipom. 





though I fear, my lord, my kinsmen’s wrath. I have broken my father’s 
dearest wish. 

11. Hogni’s daughter spoke from her heart, when she said that she 
would fain have Helgi’s love. 

13. Helgi spake; Fear not thou the wrath of Hogni nor the evil 
thoughts of thy kindred. Thou shalt live with me, young maid . 





Helgi tells Sigrun that he has not only slain his enemies but also her father 
Hogni. 

COMFORT thee, Sigrun, thou hast been a war-goddess as it were to me. 
Kings cannot withstand fate. Sigrun answers: Indeed I could wish 
those alive that now are dead. But yet I would shelter me in thy 
arms, 





Helgi has slain giant Hati, Rimegerd’s father, and has brought his ships 
to Hatefirth, where they are moored by night. Atli his warder is keeping 
watch on deck, while the warriors sleep, when Rimegerd appears on the 
cliff and calls to him. 

Rimegerd. WO are the men in Hatefirth, whose ships are awned 





16, Ett Attu] read ertattu? 2. skipom ydrom, R. 


152 THE HELGI POET. ~~ [ BK. 11. 


Freknliga l4tid; ftt hygg-ek ydr sidsk. 
Kennit mer nafn konungs! 
2. Ai Helgi hann heitir; enn pd hvergi matt 5 
q: vinna grand grami; 
iarn-borgir ro um adlings flota; 
knegod oss falor fara. 
3. Hrimg. Hve pu heitir, halr inn amatki? 
q: Hve pik kalla konir? | 10 
fylkir per truir, es pik { fagrom letr 
beitz stafni bua. 
4. Ati —_ Atli ek heiti; a/al/ skal-ek per vesa; 
q. miak em-ek gfifrom gramastr ; 
urgan stafn ek hefi opt buit, 15 
ok. kvaléar kveld-ridor. 
5. Hve pti heitir, hala na-grodug? 
Nefndu pfnn, fala, fador! 
Nio rastom es pu skyldir nedarr vesa, 
ok vaxi per 4 baémi barr. “90 
6. Hrimg. HUrimgerér ek heiti, Hati hét mfnn fadir ; 


g pann vissa-ek amatkastan iatun; 
margar bridir hann lét fra bui teknar 
unz hann Helgi hid. 
4. Ati bu vast, hala, fyr hildings skipom * 95 
q: ok ltt { fiarSar mynni fyrir. 


resiss rekka es pu vildir Ran gefa, 
ef ber kcémid f pverst pvari. 
8. Hrimg. Dulidr ertu ni, Atli; draums kved-ek ber vesa, 
q. sfga letr-pu brynn fyr brar; 30 





with shields? You come in boasting guise, as if you feared no danger. 
Tell me your king’s name!—A/?/i. Helgi is his name, but thou canst 
never do him harm. There are iron fences about his fleet; ye ogresses 
are powerless over us.—Rimegerd. What is thy name, thou foul wight? 
How do men call thee? Thy prince must trust thee well to set thee 
at his ship’s fair bow.—4z/i. My name is Ati; and Hateful (a pun) shall 
I prove to thee. I am the fiercest foe to ogresses. I have often stood 
in the wave-washed bows, and many a night-rider have I slain. What 
is thy name, thou corse-greedy monster? Name thy father, ogress! 
Thou shouldst be set nine miles deep in earth, with the thorns growing 
from thy breast.—Rimegerd. My name is Rimegerd. My father was 
named Hati, the grimmest giant I have heard tell of. He carried off 
many a wife from her home ere Helgi hewed him down.— 4#/i. Monster, 
thou wast swimming before the king’s ships, and didst lie before the 
mouth of the firth. Thou wouldst have given the king’s crews to Ran, 
hadst thou not been thwarted.—Rimegerd. Thou art astray in thy mind, 
Atli; thou art in a trance, I think, with thy brows bent over thine eye- 
lids. It was my mother that lay before the prince’s ships; but it was I 





g. pu] pic, R. 











oe en 


Gin wie 


§1.] LAY OF ATLI AND RIMEGERD. 153 


modir min 14 fyr mildings skipom; 
ek drekéa Hladvarz sonom f hafi. 
9. Gneggja myndir pt, Atli, ef pi geldr ne veerir; 
brettir sfnn Hrimgerdr hala. 
Aptarla hiarta hygg-ek at pftt, Atli, sé, 35 
pétt pu hafir reina radd. 
10. Afi Reini mun ek ber pikkja, ef pu reyna knatt, 


q: ok stfga-ek 4 land af legi; 
all muntu lemjask, ef mer es al-hugat, 
ok sveigja pinn, Hrimger6r, hala. 40 
11. Hrimg. Atli, gakk pd 4 land, ef pd afli truir, 
q: ok hittomk { vik Varins, 


rifja rétti es pi munt, rekkr, fa, 
ef pG mér { krymmor kcemr. 
12. Afi Munka-ek ganga 46r gumnar vakna, 45 
q: ok halda of visa veaord ; 
esa mer cerveent ner é6ro kcemr 
skars upp undir skipi. 


13. Hrimg. Vaki pt, Helgi, ok bét vid Hrimgerdi 
q: es bu lézt haggvinn Hata: 50 
eina nétt kn4 hon hia iafri sofa, , 
pa hefir hon balva beétr. 
14. Helgi Lodinn heitir es pik skal eiga, leid ertu mann-kyni, 
q: sa byr { Polleyjo burs, 
hund-viss iatunn, hraun-bua verstr ; 55 
si es ber makligr madr. 
15. diane: Hina viltu heldr, Helgi, es ré6 hafnir skoda 
q. fyrri ndétt ‘med firom,’ 





that drowned the sons of Lodvar in the deep. Thou wouldst neigh, 
Atli, wert thou not gelt. Lo, Rimegerd tosses her tail; surely thy heart 
must be sunk low within thee, Atli, for all thou hast a stallion’s voice. 
—Atli. I will prove myself a stallion, if we meet and I land from the 
sea. Thou shalt be mauled, and carry thy tail low, Rimegerd, if 1 set 
to work in earnest.—Rimegerd. Come ashore, Atli, if thou trustest in 
thy strength. Let us meet in Warin’s Bay. A rare rib-stretching thou 
shalt get, thou champion, if thou comest within my clutches.—47#/i. I shall 
not leave the deck ere the crews awaken, but keep watch about my 
lord. I can never be sure but that some monster may come up from 
under the ship. 

Rimegerd. Awake, Helgi, and recompense Rimegerd for the slaughter 
of Hati! If I lie but one night with thee, I will count my loss made 
good.—Helgi. Shaggy is the name of the giant that shall wed thee,— 
thou art loathsome to mankind,—the ogre that lives in Tholley, a 
cunning giant, worst of all the haunters of the waste, fit husband is he 
to thee.—Rimegerd. Thou wouldst rather have her, Helgi, who was 





36. hreina, R. 37. remi, R, 53. es] erc, R, 58. Something 
wrong. = 


154 THE HELGI POET. [BK. 111 


Margollin meer, mer pdtti afli bera; 
her sté hon land af legi, 60 
ok festi sv4 ydarn flota: 
Hon ein pvi veldr, es ek eigi mak 
budlungs mannom bana. 
16. Helgi WHeyrdu nu, Hrfmgerdr, ef ek boéti harma ber, 
‘ segdu goerr grami: 65 
Vas su ein vettr, es barg adlings skipom; 
eda féro peer fleiri saman? 
17. Hrimg. Prennar niundir meyja; pé reid ein fyrir 
hvit und hialmi meer: 
Marir hristusk; st66 af manom beirra 70 
dogg { diupa dala, 
hagl f hava vido; 
padan koemr med aldom 4r. 
Allt vas mér pat leitt es ek leitk. 


18. Af Austr littu nt, Hrfmgerér, ef pik losta hefir 75 
Helgi hel-staofom: 
A landi ok 4 legi borgit es lofdéungs flota, 
ok siklings mannom id sama. 
19. Dagr es nt, Hrimgerér! Enn pik dvaldéa hefir 
Atli til aldr-laga. 80 
Hafnar-mark pykkir hleégligt vesa, 
pars pu f steins liki stendr. 





watching over the haven ‘among the men’ last night! A gold-bright 
maiden, she seemed mighty to me; she landed here from the sea, and 
moored your fleet. It is her power alone that withholds me from killing 
the king’s crew.—He/gi. Hearken, Rimegerd, if I make good thy loss, tell 
me all about it. Was it one fairy alone that saved my ships, or were 
they more together ?—Rimegerd. Three nines of maids; but one rode 
foremost, a white maid, enhelmed. When their steeds reared, they 
shook from their manes dew into the deep dales, and hail upon the lofty 
woods; thence come fair seasons to men. But the whole sight was 
hateful to me. 

Atli. Look eastward now, Rimegerd! Helgi hath stricken thee with 
the wand of Death. By land and by sea the king’s fleet is safe, and his 
crew likewise. It is day, Rimegerd! Atli has lured thee to deadly 
delay. It will be a laughter-moving harbour-mark, methinks, that thou 
wilt make now thou art turned to stone! 





66. vetr, R. 77. legi] vatni, R. _lofdéungs] avdlings, R. 


* . 
oe 


alia ane 


j 
ny = 


eS ee ae ee 


fe ee ee ee ee a ee he ee oe 


§1.] THE WESTERN WOLSUNG-LAY. 155 


THE WESTERN WOLSUNG-LAY. 


THE fragments of this Lay (save one) are found scattered here and 
there, up and down the older poem, the Old Play of the Wolsungs (Book i. 
§ 4), on the same subject, whose gaps the Collector thus strove to fill 
up. The first fragment is preserved by the paraphrast of Wolsunga, 
and is put with the rest as probably belonging to the same poem. 

We would ascribe this ‘Lay’ to the Helgi poet, whose style is almost 
unmistakable, especially in the better parts of the fragments, the meet- 
ing with Sigrdrifa and the birds’ talk. 


L 


a af magni mikla hello 
Sigmundr hiarvi ok Sinfiatli. 


Il. 


Andv. Pat skal goll es Gustr Atti 
q. broedrom tveim at bana verda, 
ok wdiingom Atta at régi; 5 
mun mins fiar mangi nidta. 


III. 


Hretém. A\ pti pé déttur, dfs ulf-hugud, 
q: ef pu getrad son, vid siklingi: 
f4 pi mey mann f{ megin-barfar ; 
p& mun bpeirrar sonr pins harms reka. 10 


IV. 


Reginn Kominn es hingat konr Sigmundar, 
. seger inn snar-rAdi til sala varra; 
m66 hefir meira an madr gamall; 
ok es mer fangs vén at frekom ulfi. 
Ek mun foda folk-diarfan gram ; 15 





The escape of Sigmund and his son Sinfiotli from the stone cave in which 
they were imprisoned. 

1. WITH all their might they scored the great stone with the sword, 
Sigmund and Sinfiotli. 

Andwari, as he dies, lays the curse upon the treasure which is to prove 
fatal to the Wolsung race. 

3. The gold which I owned shall be the death of two brothers, and 
set feud among eight kings; no one shall have joy of my hoard. 

The dying Rodmar wishes the blood-revenge to go on like a heritage in his 
race, and having no son to take it up at once, says to his daughter— 

7. Bear a daughter, thou wolf-hearted lady; if thou bearest no son 
to the king thy husband, give the maid to a man to wife, perchance 
their son may avenge thy loss (my death). 

The first meeting of Sigurd and his foster-father, Regin. 

11. The son of Sigmund is come hither, a keen warrior, to our hall. 
He has more courage than many a full-grown man: I look for a grip 
from a wolf’s cub. I will bring up the dauntless prince, now that 


156 THE HELGI POET. [BK. ant. 


ni es Yngva konr med oss kominn: 
Sia mun resir rikstr und sdélo; 
prymr um all land cerlag-simo. 


Reginn Hatt muno hleja Hundings-synir, 
q: beir-es Eylima aldrs synjodo, 20 
ef meirr tyggja munar at scekja 
hringa rauda an hefnd fador. 


Wi 


Hnikar “verir rida par Reevils hestom, 
q. havar unnir, haf glymjanda? 
segl-vigg ero sveita stokkin, 25 
munat vag-marar vind um standask. 
Reginn Her ro ver Sigurér 4 se-tridm, 
q. es oss byrr gefinn vid bana sialfan; 
fellr brattr breki brandom heri ; 
hlunn-vigg hrapa. Hverr spyrr at pvf? 30 
Hintkar Wnikarr hétomk p4-es hugin gladdak, 
q. Valsungr ungi! ok vegit haféak: 
na matti kalla karl af bergi 
Feng eda Fiolni. Far vil ek piggja. 


Hutkar Engr skal gumna f goegn vega 35 
q. si6 skinandi systor M4na: 
peir sigr hafa es si4 kunno 
hiaorleiks hvatir, eda hamalt fylkja.... . 





he (the son of Yngwi) has come among us. He shall be the mightiest 
king under the sun; the thrums of the woof of his fate lie over all lands. 

Regin eggs Sigurd on to slay Fafni, as he cannot do so himself. 

19. Loud would they laugh, Hundings’ sons, who took Eylimi’ s life, 
if I were more bent on getting the red rings than on avenging my 
own father. 

On the way to Gniteheath Sigurd and Regin meet Hnikar (Woden), in 
the likeness and apparel of an old man, standing on a rock by which they 
pass. Hnikar says :— 

23. Who are they that are riding on Refil’s steeds over the high 
billows, the sounding sea? The sail-steeds are splashed with blood, 
the wave-horses cannot stand against the wind. 

Regin says: Here are we, Sigurd and I, on our sea-trees; we have 
a wind aft to waft us to death, the steep billows are breaking ese 
over our prows. The surge-steeds are plunging. Who is it that asks? 

Hnikar: My name was Hnikar when I gladdened the raven, thou 
young Wolsung, and had fought a battle. Now thou mayst call the 
old man of the rock Feng or Fiolni. I want a passage . 

Hnikar’s wise counsel to Sigurd : No one should fight with his face 
to the setting sun, the moon’s sister. They win the Peto who are 
quick in the play of swords and set the battle-wedge in array . 





31. heto mik, R. 





$1.] THE WESTERN WOLSUNG-LAY. 157 


VI. 
Reginn Nu es blodogr arn bitrom hiarvi 
q: bana Sigmundar 4 baki ristinn: 40 


cengr vas fremri, s4-es fold ryi, 
hilmiss arfi, ok hugin gladdi, 


VII. 


1s Bird Par sitr Sigurdér sveita stokkinn, 
F4fniss hiarta vid funa steikir : 
spakr pcétti mer spillir bauga, 45 
ef hann fiar-sega franan eti. 
and Bird Par liggr Reginn, redr um vid sik, 
vill tela mag pann-es truir hanom; 
berr af reidi rang ord saman; 
vill balva-smidr brdédor hefna. 50 
3rd Bird Horskr peetti mer, ef hafa kynni 
Ast-ra6 mikit ydvar systra; 
hygéi hann um sik ok hugin gleddi. 
Par es mer ulfs van, es ek eyro sék. 
4th Bird Esat sva horskr hildi-meidr 55 
sem ek hers iadar hyggja mundak, 
ef hann br6édor letr 4 brot komask, 
enn hann adrom hefr aldrs um synjat. 


Birds Bitt pu, Sigurdr, bauga rauda; 

together esa konungligt kviéa margo: 60 
Mey veit-ek eina myklo fegrsta, 
golli goedda, ef pi geta meettir. 
Liggja til Giika groénar brautir ; 





Sigurd has slain Hunding. Regin rejoices at the deed. 

39. Now is the Blood-eagle cut with the brand on the back of 
Sigmund’s slayer. No greater king’s son ever ruled a realm or glad- 
dened the raven. 

When Sigurd has slain Fafni, Regin sets him to cook the dead monster’s 
heart for him, and lies down to sleep. While Sigurd is sitting at the fire, 
the talking birds begin to sing. 

43. 1st Bird. ‘There sits Sigurd blood-bedabbled, roasting Fafni’s 
heart at the fire. I should call him wise if he were to eat that fierce 
life-core. 2nd Bird. There lies Regin plotting within himself, he will 
deceive him that trusts him. He is heaping up wrongful charges out 
of his wrath, the plotter of mischief would fain avenge his brother. 
3rd Bird. 1 should count him wise if he were to take the loving counsel 
of you two sisters, to bethink himself and gladden the raven. I look 
out for the wolf when I see his ears. 4¢4 Bird. He is not so wise 
as I should have thought him, if he lets the one brother go free now 
that he has slain the other. ; 

Sigurd takes the birds’ counsel and slays Regin. The birds speak again. 

59. Truss up thy red-rings, Sigurd, it is not kingly to forebode future 
ill. I know a maid, gold-dight, fairer than gll others by far, if thou 
couldst get her. Green paths lead to Giuki’s, the fates point the warrior 


158 THE HELGI POET. [BK. HII. 


fram visa skap folk-lféondom: 

Par hefir dy¥rr konungr déttor alna; 65 
_ pa mundu, Sigurér, mundi kaupa. 

Salr es 4 hd Hindar- fialli, 

allr es hann ttan eldi sveipinn ; 

pann hafa horskir halir um goervan 

or 6dceekkom Ognar-liéma. 70 

Veit-ek 4 fialli félk-vittr sofa, 

ok leikr yfir lindar v4éi: 

Yger stakk porni, es adra felldi 

heor-gefn hali an hann of vildi. 

Knattu, magr, sj4 mey und hialmi 75 

pa-es fra vigi Ving-skorni reid : 

Ma-at Sigrdrffar svefni bregda, 

Skialdunga nidr, fyr skapom Norna. 


VIII. 
Sigrdr. vat beit brynjo? Hvf bra-ek svefni? 
q: Hverr felldi af mer falvar naudir? 80 
S7g. Sigmundar burr sleit fyr skammo 


q. hrafns hre-lundir hiarr Sigurdar.... 
Sigrdr. Agnarr hét Audo brdédir 


q: es vetr engi vildi biggja.... 
Sigrdr. Biér foéri-ek per, bryn-pings apaldr, 85 
q magni blandinn ok megin-tfri; 


fullr es hann liéda ok Ifkn-stafa, 
g66ra galdra, ok gaman-riina. 





forward. . There is a great king who has a daughter, her shalt thou 
buy with a dowry. There is a hall on the high hill of Hind, it is all lapt 
in fire without ; cunning men built it of bright gold. I know a battle- 
fay that sleeps on the mountain, the linden’s bane [fire] plays about 
her. Woden touched her with his wand of sleep, because she brought 
low in battle others than those he wished to fall. Thou shalt see, 
my son, the helmed maid, who rode Wing-skorni from the fight. Sigr- 
drifa’s sleep cannot be broken, thou son of the Shieldings, because of 
the Fates’ decrees. 

Sigrdrifa wakes from the enchanted sleep, as Sigurd, who has burst 
through the wall of fire to her, cut off her mail-coat, and says— 

74. Who has cut my mail? How have I broken my sleep? Who 
threw the pale pans off me?—Sigurd answers: Sigmund’s son has just 
cut the raven’s.... [mail-coat] with Sigurd’s sword,—Sigrdrifa tells of 
the cause of Woden’ s ange: [There were two warriors, the one] was Aud’s 
brother Agnar, whom no fairy would take .. .—Sigrdrifa gives Sigurd the 
magic cup. I bring thee, my hero, a cup of ale mixed with power and 
glory; it is full of charms and love-spells, and good enchantments any 
mysteries of joy. 





71. Read folk-vitti? (acc. sing.) 73. es adra] Bugge; adr a, R. 74. an 
hann of} enn hafa, R. 76. Vingskornir, R. 83. Agnarr] Bugge ; annarr, R. 


—— | 7 
i SN fH Ay 


a ee re | 


455 ae" ks 


§1.] HIALMAR’S DEATH-SONG. 159 


HIALMAR’S DEATH-SONG 
AND 


THE WAKING OF ANGANTHEOW. 


Hialmar’s Lay is only found in the second MS. of Herwor and 
Heidrek’s Saga, Cod. Reg. 2845 (B). But that text may be mended 
by a few genuine fragments which occur in the later recension of 
Orvar Odd’s Saga (O), mixed up with a deal of late and spurious verse, 
written no doubt by its compiler. We have used the following lines,— 
4-7, 25-28, 45-50. The earlier text of Orvar Odd leaves blanks for 
these verses which were never inserted. 

The Waking of Angantheow is happily given in both vellums of 
Herwor’s Saga; Hauks book (A), which has the better text, and (B). 
The latter omits Il. 1-2, 13-20, 25-28, 50-57, and gives a slightly dif- 
ferent order. Our text is founded on A, save necessary transpositions 
that have been made, viz. ll. 50-57, taken from between ll. 77-78, and 
ll. 98-101, from after |. 72 to their present position. 

The story of the Sons of Arngrim, archetypes of all later Bearsarks, 
was very widely known. The author of Hyndlo-liod sums up their 
exploits in a mangled verse, ll. go-98, which we have been able, by the 
help of an incomplete citation in Orvar Odd’s Saga, to restore, see Book 
iv.§ 2. Arnor Earl’s poet, c. 1066, names Tyrfing, but this, curiously 
enough, is the only mention of this cycle we can call to mind throughout 
the whole court poetry. The Thulor Compilers know the legend. 
In his Fifth Book Saxo tells the tale of their life and death, which he 
probably got from an Icelandic Saga of Arrow-Odd. Both in Norway 
and the Faroes, ballads were founded on versions of Odd’s and Hervor’s 
Sagas. When Earl Gizur left Norway for Iceland in the autumn of 
1258, he passed by the Hebudes, where he got a sword, which (by a 
confused reminiscence of Tyrfing, we can hardly doubt) he named 
Eyfarar-naut, the heirloom of Eyfora; this blade afterwards stood 
him in good stead. 

In the remains of the Arngrim-cycle left us, we have the work of 
at least four poets. 1. The author of Hialmar’s Death-Song, who may, 
perhaps, be the Gudrun poet. 2. The author of Angantheow’s Waking, 
who cannot, we believe, be other than the poet of He/gi. ‘The freshness 
and pathos, the choice of scene and incident, the harmony, flow and 
wording: of the verse are his alone. 3. The author of the Riddle of 
Gest and Heidrek (Book ii. § 1) belongs to an earlier school, and 4. 
the poet who sang of an epigonic Angantheow (Book v. § 5), to a later 
_ time than the authors of the Lays in this Book. 

The story of the cycle, as far as touches our present purpose, 
runs thus :—Swafrlami, a king of the seed of Woden, stole the sword 
Tyrfing [Ripper] from the Dwarves who made it. Unable to get 
back their treasure, they laid a curse upon it, that it should ever bring 
death to its bearer, that no wound it made should ever be healed, that 
three deeds of dolour and shame should be wrought by it. It is the 
working out of this doom, which, like that of the Niflung Hoard, runs 
through eight generations, which is the backbgne of the cycle. Arn- 
grim, a famous champion of Gautland, slays Swafrlami, and wins the 


. = 


160 THE HELGI POET. [BK, TIL. 


sword. He has twelve sons by his wife Eyfura, the eldest of whom, 
the renowned Angantheow, inherits the magic weapon when it has 
slain his father. He and his eleven brothers became Wikings, and 
‘rage like wild-fire over land and sea.’ At last they came to Upsala, 
where Angantheow bids the Swedish King yield him his lovely 
daughter, Ingiborg, or find a champion to meet him. Hialmar 
the Stout-hearted, the lady’s lover, and his trusty comrade Arrow- 
Odd, ‘the best of them that speed the flying shaft,’ take up the 
challenge. The trysting-place is fixed at Samsey. Hialmar and 
Odd reach the island first and go ashore, leaving their crew on 
board their ship in the haven. Here the twelve Bearsarks find them, 
and falling into their mad battle-fury kill them to a man. Rush- 
ing ashore, in the belief that they have slain all their foes, they wear 
out their supernatural rage against the trees and rocks. When it is 
quenched, and the languor, which ever follows it, is weighing upon 
them, the Swedish champions appear. Hialmar, as the greatest war- 
rior, claims to fight Angantheow, leaving to his comrade Odd the 
easier task of encountering the eleven brethren. Had the fury been 
on them, the sons of Arngrim must have overcome their foes; but, 
as it is, in spite of Angantheow’s giant-strength and deadly weapon, 
Hialmar slays him, and Odd kills all his brethren. But Tyrfing has 
done its work, and Hialmar, wounded in sixteen places, has but the 
time to chant his Death-song to his sorrowing friend before he breathes 


his last. Odd takes his body home, but lays the twelve brethren with 


their arms under a huge mound of earth on the island. 

Angantheow has left his wife Tofa with child. After his death she 
bears a woman-child, Herwor, who is brought up as a bond-maid, with- 
out any knowledge of her father’s name or kin. When she learns the 
truth, the war spirit comes upon her too: she arms herself as an Amazon, 
and goes forth to seek her rightful heritage, the deadly sword her 
father owned. For the vengeance of the Dwarves is not yet sated, 
and now the doom rests on her. Our second poem opens as she 
reaches Samsey. Unheeding the shepherd’s warning, unfrightened by 
the horrible sounds that fill the air, and the awful flame that towers 
up to heaven above the Mound of Angantheow, she calls on her dead 
father to give her, his heiress, the precious Tyrfing. The dauntless 
calm of the warrior-maid, the Ghost’s vain struggle not to part with his 
treasure, and at last, when forced to yield, the touching appeal of the 
father, who knows that the curse will follow it and fall upon his beloved 
daughter, are most strikingly given. With words of doom and woe 
she receives the sword, and our poem closes. The rest of the story 
and the fulfilment and working out of the curse are told in the 
Epigonic Lay of Angantheow the younger, Book v. § 5. 


I. 


Oddr pA vas mer Otti eino sinni 
es beir grenjandi gengo af askom 
tirar-lausir, voro tolf saman. 





Qucth Odd ; ONCE only I felt fear, when those wicked ones left the 
ships howling, twelve together.... 


Prat 
bat ta 2 ae 


§1.] HIALMAR’S DEATH-SONG. 161 


Oddr Menn sé-ek ganga fra Munar-vagom 
q: gunnar-giarna { gram serkjom ; 5 
peir hafa reidir r6mo hada, 
ero okkor skip aud 4 strando. 
Fivalmar Fara halir hraustir af her-skipom 


q: tolf menn saman tirar-lausir. 
Vid munom { aptan Odin gista, 10 
tveir fést-broédr, enn peir tolf lifa. 
Oddr bv{ man-ek ordi ann-svar veita: 
q: Peir muno { aptan Odin gista, 
tolf berserkir, enn vid tveir lifa. 
Oddr __ Einn skal vid einn eiga, nema sé deigr, 15 
q. hvatra drengja, eda hugr bili, 
II. 
Oddr Hvat es per, Hialmar, hefir pti lit brugdit? 
q: pik kved-ek mcééa margar undir: 
Hialmr pinn es hoeegginn, ok 4 hlid brynja; 
ni kved-ek fiarvi of farit pfino. 20 
Hialmar Sér hefi-ek sextan, slitna brynjo ; 
q svart es mer fyr sidbnom; sékat-ek ganga. 


Hneit mer vid hiarta hiarr Angantyss, 
hvass bl6é-refill herdr { eitri. 

Fregni-a pat 4 fold konor, 25 
at ek hoeggom hiffask goerdak: 





=~ 


Quoth Odd; 1 see men in grey mail wending in fighting mood from 
Munarvoe [Love-bay]. They have made a grim slaughter. Our ships 
lie unmanned on the shore.—Quoth Hialmar: Doughty warriors are 
wending from their war-ships, yea, those wicked ones, twelve together, 
We shall lodge to-night with Woden, we two foster-brothers, while 
those twelve still live on.—Quoth Odd: This is the answer that I give 
thee, they shall lodge together to-night with Woden, those twelve Bear- 
sarks, while we two live on. 

When Angantheow and his brothers come up, Odd calls to them: Brave 
men fight man to man, [not many against one, and so shall we,] unless 
ye be soft-spirited, or your hearts quake. 

When the battle was over, and the two foster-brethren had slain their 
foes, Odd spoke: What ails thee, Hialmar? surely thy countenance is 
changed! I think thy many wounds are making thee faint. Thy helm 
is hewn through, and the mail-coat on thy sides. Thy life is failing 
fast, I trow. 

Quoth Hialmar : 1 have sixteen wounds, my mail-coat is cut through, 
it is dark before mine eyes, I cannot see to walk. Angantheow’s sword, 
that keen blood-grooved blade, tempered in venom, has gashed me 
to the heart. The women at home shall never be told that I sought 





19. & hlid] O; in sida, B. ™ 
M 


162 THE HELGI POET. [BK. III. 


hierat at pvi, at ek hlida goerda 
snét svinn-hugud Sigtinom f. 
Attag at fullo fimm tin saman; 
enn ek pvi aldri unda radi: 30 
ni verd-ek liggja lifs andvani, 
sverdi undadr, f Sdmseyjo. 
Drekka { hallo htskarlar miad, 
menjom gafgir at mins fadur ; 
mcééir marga mungat fira, 35 
enn mik eggja-spor { eyjo pid. 
Gledrat Hialmar { hall konungs 
aol né rekkar aldri sféan. _ 
Hvarf-ek fra fogrom fli6da sangvi 
étraudr gamans austr med Sédta: 40 
for skundadak, ok férk f{ 1fd 
hinnzta sinni fra holl-vinom. 
Leiddi mik in hvita hilmiss déttir 
4 Agnafit vitan-verda ; 
saga mun sannask sti-es hon sagdi mer, 45 
at aptr koma eigi myndak. 
Ber pt til s¥niss—s4 es minn vili— 
hialm ok brynjo { hall konungs: 
Hugr mun gangask hilmiss déttor 
es hon hoeggna sér hlff fyr bridsti. 50 
Drag pti mer af ‘hendi ‘hring inn rauda, 
foerdu inni ungu Ingibiwrgo: 
S4 mun henni hug-fastr tregi 
es ek eigi kem til Uppsala. 





shelter from sword-strokes, nor shall the fair, wise-hearted lady in 
Sigtown ever hear that I flinched. I owned five goodly manors to- 
gether, yet was I never content with my estate; now I shall die, reft 
of life, deadly wounded by the sword, here in Samsey. The house- 
servants all decked with rings are drinking the mead in my father’s 
house, and the ale overcomes many a one of them, but the prints 
of the sword-edges are chastising me here in the island. Never again 
shall ale or good-fellowship in the king’s hall gladden the heart of 
Hialmar. 

I left the fair song of the ladies with a merry heart, there in the 
east at Soti’s house, and went on my way leaving my dear friends for 
the last time. The king’s fair daughter sped me on my way as far 
as Agni’s-bank; the words that she spake to me, when she told me 
that I should never come back, will surely prove true. Carry back 
my helmet and my mail-coat to the king’s hall, such is my wish; the 
heart of the king’s daughter will be moved when she sees the buckler 
of my breast hewn through. Draw the red ring off my arm, and 
bear it to the young Ingiborg. It will be a lasting sorrow of -heart 





37. Gledr ei, B. 40. med] vid, B. 


ee i, ele 


1 / 
Taye _ a ott 2 : 
SS at eee eee ee RFE i has Rie ee a | be To 


§ 1.] THE WAKING OF ANGANTHEOW. 163 


Sé-ek hvar ssitja Sigttinom f 55 
fli6d pau es latto farar mik pannig. 


Hramn flfgr austan af hom meidi; 
flygr honom eptir orn f{ sinni: 
peim gef-ek erni efstom brddir; 
s4 mun 4 bl66i bergja mino. 60 


THE WAKING OF ANGANTHEOW. 


1 


H™ hefir mer ung { Munar-vagi 
vid sdlar-setr segg at hiardo. 


Firs. Hverr es einn saman f.ey kominn? 
q. gakktu greidliga gistingar til. 
Hero. Munkaé-ek ganga ‘gistingar til, 5 


g. pvi-at ek engi kann Eyjar-skeggja‘: 
Segdu ‘hradliga, 46r hedan {dir : 
Hvar ro Hiarvardi haugar kenndir? 
irs. Spyrjattu at pvi, spakr ertu -eigi, 
q. vinr Vikinga, pi ert van-farinn. 10 
Farom fraliga sem okkr fcétr ‘toga ; 
allt es titi amatt firom! 
Frerv. Men biddom per -mals at gialdom ; 
q. muna drengja vin deelt~at letja. 





to her, that I shall never come to Upsala again. I-can ‘see the ladies 
that would have hindered my journey here, sitting in Sigtown. 

There ‘is.a raven flying from the east off the tall tree, and there 
is an eagle flying after him. That is the last eagle I shall ever give 
ameal to. He shall.batten on my blood, ’ 





AT sunset in Munarvoe [Love-bay] the young maid met a man 
driving his flock home.—Quoth the Shepherd: Who comes alone to this 
island? “Begone ‘forthwith and seek guesting [for ‘the night]. With 
that he turned to go on his way.—Quoth Herwor ; | shall not seek -guest- 
ing for the night, for I know none of the island folk. Tell me straight- 
way, ere thou go hence, where are the howes called Hiorward’s howes ?— 
Quoth the Shepherd: Ask me not that, thou art not wise, thou friend of 
the wickings, thou art-in evil straits. Let us rather run as fast as our 
feet-can carry us,'for out ‘of doors all is awesome for men to:Jook ‘on. 
—Ouoth Herwor ; 1 offer thee a neck-ring as payment for thy guiding. 
I, the ‘friend of heroes, am not lightly to be stayed.—Quoth the Shepherd : 





3. Hyver er yta, B. 4. greidliga] sysliga, B. q 12. Thus A and B, not 
4 natt forom. 


M2 


164 THE HELGI POET. [ BK. 11. 


Lirs. Fer engi mer sv4 fridar hnossir, 15 
q: fagra bauga, at ek fara eigi. 
Heimskr pikki mer pa-es hedra ferr 
madr einn saman myrkvar egrfmor : 
Hyrr es 4 sveimon! Haugar opnask! 


Brenn fold ok fen! Farom hardara! 20 
Herv. Hirdomatfelask vid fnason slfka, 
q: pdtt um alla ey eldar brenni: 


Latumat okkr lidna rekka 
skidétla skelfa. Skolom vid talask. 


Vas pa fé-hirdir flidtr til skégar 25 
miak fra mali meyjar pessar : 
Enn hardé-snuinn hugr { bridsti 
um sakar slikar svellr Hervzoro, 


II, 
Hero. Vaki pu Angantyr! Vekr pik Hervar 
q: einga-déttir ykkor Téfo. : 30 


Sel-pti mer or haugi hvassan meeki, 
pann-es Svafr-lama sl6go Dvergar ! 
Hervar6r, Hiarvardr, Hrani, Angantyr! 
vek-ek ydr alla und vidar-rétom, 
hialmi ok med brynjo, hvasso sverdi, 35 
rond ok meé reidi, rodnom geiri. 
Miak erod ordnir, Arngrims synir, 





No man shall give me such beautiful jewels or fair rings, as shall prevent 
me from going home. Foolish I hold him that will come hither alone 
in the dark night: fires are flitting, grave-mounds are opening, field 
and fen are ablaze. Let us run harder.—Quoth Herwor; Let us not be 
frightened by such snortings [of the flame}, though fires be ablaze all 
over the island. We must not let the ghosts of the dead scare us so 
quickly. "We must parley awhile together. 

With that the shepherd sped fast to the woods, away from the voice 
of the maid, but in this strait the hard-knit heart rose higher in the 
breast of Herwor. 

II. 

Herwor goes on alone to where she sees the flames blazing around the 
Hewes, and calls upon the spirits of her father Angantheow and his 
brethren :-— 

Awake, O Angantheow! It is Herwor, the only daughter of Tofa 
and thee, that bids thee awaken! Give me out of the howe the sharp 
blade which the Dwarves forged for Swafurlami. O Herward, O Hior- 
ward, O Rani, O Angantheow! I bid you all awaken where ye lie under 
the roots of the trees, with helm and with mail-coat, with sharp sword, 
with shield, and with harness and with reddened spear! (No answer.) 
Surely ye are turned to heaps of dust, ye sons of Arngrim, since no one 





23. latum eigi, A. 32. Sigrlama, B. 








ae Yet oa OS Pi ee er aes ae 


ie 





§1.] THE WAKING OF ANGANTHEOW. 165 


megir mein-giarnir, at moldar-auka: 
es engi skal sona Eyfuro 
vid mik mela { Munarvagi. 40 
Hervardr, Hiarvardér, Hrani, Angantyr! 
Sv4 sé ydr allom innan rifja, 
sem ér { maura mornid hauga! 
nema sver6 selit mer, pat-es sl6 Dvalinn ; 
samira draugom dyr vapn fela. 45 
Angant.  Hervar, déttir! hvi kallar sv, 
q: full feikn-stafa? ferr pu per at fllo: 
cer ertu ordin, ok cervita, 
vill-hyggjandi; vekr menn dauda. 
Kvedkat-ek pik, mer ung, mannom glfka 50 
es bi um hauga hvarfar 4 nétto 
graofnom geiri, ok med Gota-malmi, 
hialmi ok med brynjo, fyrir haugs dyrr. 
Ferv. Maér pdéttomk ek mennzkr til bessa 
q. 4dr ek sali yOra, scekja rédak: 55 
sel pi mer or haugi hvassan meeki, 
dverga sm{di; dugira per at leyna. 
Angant. Gréfad mik fadir, nidr, né freendr adrir, 


peir hafdo Tyrfing tveir es lifdo; 
var6 pé eigandi einn um sfdir. 60 
Hero. Seg-pi einn satt mer; sv4 lati ‘oss’ pik 


q heilan { haugi, sem pt hefir eigi 





of the children of Eyfora will speak with me here in Munarvoe. 
O Herward, O Hiorward, O Rani, O Angantheow! May it be with 
all of you within your ribs, as if ye were nested in an ant-hill, unless 
ye give me the sword that Dwale forged. It ill beseems ghosts to keep 
costly weapons in hiding. 

Quoth Angantheow (answering her out of the howe): Herwor, my 
daughter, why art thou crying out upon us words so full of cursing? 
Thou art walking to thine own destruction, thou art become mad or 
distraught of wit, bewildered in thy mind, that thou awakenest the 
dead. Young maid, thou art surely not like other mortals, that thou 
roamest about the howes by night, and standest before the door of the 
howe with graven spear and the ore of the Goths, with helmet and with 
mail-coat.—Quoth Herwor ; I was aye held to be a mortal, till I came 
hither seeking your abode. Give me the sharp blade that the Dwarves 
smithied out of the cairn. It avails thee nought to hide it.—Quoth 
Angantheow : Neither father nor son buried me, nor any others of my 
kin, but it was my foemen that laid me in my cairn; they, the only two 
that remained alive, got possession of Tyrfing, but afterward one only 
became the owner thereof.—Quoth H. Tell me naught but truth. May 





38. B; megir at mein-samir moldar-auka, A. 43- haugi, B, 45. samir 
eigi, A. fela] bera, B. 53. haugs] hallar,@. 57. dugir ei, A. 
61-64. Segir pu ei satt sva lati oss p, h. i. h. sitja s. p. h. e. T, traudr ertu..., B. 


166 THE HELGI POET. [ BK. II. 


Tyrfing med per. Traudr ert pi 
arf at veita einga-barni. 


Angant. nigin es Hel-grind; haugar opnask; ~ 65 
q: allr es { eldi ey-barmr at sia: 
Atallt es uti um at’ litask. 
Skyntu, mer, ef pi mAtt til skipa pinna! 
Hero. Brenniéa ér sv4 bal 4 néttom, 
q. at ek vid elda yéra felomk: 70 
Skelfrat® meyjo. mun-tin hugar, 
po-at hon draug si4i { durom standa.... 
va} Ek vigi sva virda dauda, 
~ at ér skoloé allir liggja 
daudir med: draugom f dys funir: 75 
sel mer, Angantyr, ut or haugi 
hlifom hettan Hialmars bana! 
Angant. Liggr mer und heréom Hialmars bani, 
q. allr es hann ttan eldi sveipinn: 
mey veit-ek conga moldar hvergi, 80 
at bann hier pori f hendr nema. 
Hero. Ek mun hiréa, ok { hendr nema 
q. hvassan meeki, ef ek hafa meettag ; 
uggi ek eigi eld brennanda, 
pegar loga legir es ek lft yfir. 85 
Angant. Heimsk ertu, Hervar, hugar eigandi, 
q. es bi at augom {eld hrapar. 
Viljak heldr selja per sverd or haugi, 





the [fiend] only let thee rest whole in thy howe if thou have not Tyrfing 
with thee. Thou art loth to deal thine only child her heritage ! 

Quoth A. The gates of Hell are ajar, the howes are opening, the 
whole round of the island:is ablaze before thine eyes. Everywhere out 
of doors it is an awful sight to see. Haste thee back to thy ships, if 
thou mayest, maiden!—Quoth H. Ye can light no such bale-fire by 
night as that ye could affright me with the flame thereof. Thy daugh- 


Quoth H. I bind you all with spells, ye dead, that ye may all lie dead 
and rotten among the ghosts in the grave. O Angantheow, give me 
the mail-scathing slayer of Hialmar out of the howe! 

Quoth A. The slayer of Hialmar lies under my shoulders. It is all 
wrapped about with fire. I know no maid upon earth that dare take 
this brand in her hands.—Quoth H. I will hold the keen blade and take 
it in my hands, if I may get it. I care not for the burning fire, the 
flame sinks before my eyes.—Quoth A. Thou art foolish, O Herwor the 
brave, to rush open-eyed into the fire! I will rather give thee the sword 





63. B; trautt er per at veita arfa binom einar boenir, A. | 69. brenni per ei, A. 
8o.. fyrir mold ofan, B. 88.. viljak] ek vil, A. 








ee Tt, ee Om 








§1.] THE WAKING OF ANGANTHEOW. 167 


mer in unga, m4kad-ek per synja. 
Herv. Vel goerdir pu, Vikinga nidr, go 
q. es pu seldir mer sverd or haugi. 
Betr pikkjomk nt, budlungr, hafa 
an ek Noregi nedag allom. 
Angant. Veitztattu, déttir, vesal ertu mala 
q. f4ra5 kona, hverjo fagna skal. 95 
Sid mun Tyrfingr, ef pt trua meettir, J /) 
ett pfnni, meer, allri spilla. 
Mundu son geta, pann-es sidan mun 
Tyrfing bera, ok trua afli: 
Pann muno Heidrek heita lydir ; 100 
s4 mun rfkstr alinn und raduls tialdi. 
Flerov. Ek mun. ganga til gialfr-mara ; 
q: nui es hilmiss mzr f hugom gédom. 
Litt hredomk pat, lofdunga nidr, 
hvat synir mfnir sfdan deila. “105 
Angani. Pu skalt eiga ok una lengi, 
). haféu 4 huldo Hialmars bana. 
Takattu 4 eggjom, eitr es f bodom; 
s4 es mannz miatudr meini verri. 
Far vel déttir! Fliétt geefa-ek per 110 
tolf manna fiar, ef pu trua mettir ; 
afl ok elion, allt id géda 
pat es synir Arngrims at sik leifdo. 





out of the howe, for 1 cannot deny. thee, thou young maiden. [Here 
Angantheow hands out the sword and Heravor takes it.] 

Quoth H. Thou hast done well, thou son of the wickings, to give me 
the sword out of the howe. I hold myself happier in having it, O king, 
than if I were the conqueror of all Norway.—Quoth A. Thou little 
knowest, my daughter, at what thou rejoicest; hapless are thy words, 
thou foolish woman. This Tyrfing, if thou wilt believe me, shall be 
the destruction of all thy race. Thou shalt bear a son, who shall wield 
Tyrfing in days to come, trusting in his might. Men shall call him 
Heidrek, he shall be the mightiest man born under the pavilion of the 
ORs dui 5 

Quoth H. 1 must go to my steeds of the billows [ships], the king’s 
daughter is in good heart. I care little, O son of kings, how my sons 
may hereafter come to quarrel.—Quoth A. Thou shalt own it, and enjoy 
it long; but keep it aye sheathed, this slayer of Hialmar; touch not the 
edges, there is poison on both of them; this Doomer of men is worse 
than a plague. Farewell, my daughter, fain would I give thee, if thou 
wilt believe me, the life of us twelve men, all the goodly strength and 
pith that the sons of Arngrim lost when they died. 





94. Segi-ek per Hervér hlyd pu til medan | visa déttir pat es verda mun | Sa mun 
Tyrfingr ef pu tr. m. | ett pinni mer a. spilla—A duplicate in A after line 72. 
105. synir] hence is a blank in B. ” 


168 | THE BALLAD POET. 3 [BK. UI. 


Ferv. Bui ér allir—brott f¥sir mik,— 
q. heilir { haugi! Hedan vil-ek skidtla. 115 
To her- Helzt péttomk nu heima f millim 


self es mik umbhverfis eldar brunno. 








§2. THE BALLAD POET. 


THE LAY OF WEYLAND. 


ONLY found in R (leaves 18 and 19) now, but another copy of the 
same text once stood in A 748, for the last remaining leaf of that MS. 
contains the first few words of the prose introduction. 

With the exception of the old Lays of Atli and Hamtheow and a few 
others, no poem has suffered so much. Yawning gaps and sloughs of 
despond break the course of the verse, and we have been able to do 
little to make the path surer. 

We seem to have in our fragment the opening and first part of a trilogy 
dealing with the three brothers Weyland, Egil, and Slagfin, and their 
fates. Weyland the Smith is the hero of our poem, which, in spite of 
its mangled: condition, manages to tell its own story pretty clearly. It 
opens with the trapping of three Swan Maidens, Lathgund, Allrune, and 
Swanwhite, by the shore of a lake, by the three heroes, who take them 
as. wives. But after some years’ happiness, during their husbands’ 
absence, they betake them to their wings and fly away. Weyland alone 
and unwarned is trapped by Nidad, king of the Niars, hamstrung, and 
forced to work for him in his forge on the isle of Seastead in lake 
Wolfmere. He contrives to slay his tyrant’s sons, beguile his daughter, 
and by the aid of a pair of wings which he has fashioned to soar away 
from his prison-house, rejoicing in his revenge. Here our poem is 
abruptly broken off. That the king’s daughter had a son by Weyland, 
the famous Wade (the memory of whose magic boat Wingelock 
lingered in N. England till the Reformation), we know from Wilkina 
Saga. 

The Weyland smithy of the O. E. Berkshire charter, the Weyland by 
which Alfred translated Fabricius, the Galant of the French Chansons 
de Gestes, the Weyland’s houses or labyrinths of N. Europe, all attest 
the wide fame of this Teutonic Daidalos and his dealings with his 
Minos. 

The story of Egil the Archer is told in Wilkina Saga, which says that 
he was called Allrune’s Egil by the Northmen, and repeated in the 
legend of Heming, in Saxo’s tale of Palna-toki, and in the 8. German 





Quoth H. Hail all ye that dwell in the howe! I yearn to be away. 


I must hasten hence.—To herself as she turns away and the fires sink 


and darkness falls again over all: Surely I felt between Life and Death 
when the fires were burning all about me! .... 








i 


eh eal 





TE otbaier ST? if 


§2.] THE LAY OF WEYLAND. 169 


Tell-myth. Eyvind Poet-spoiler knew it. In the year of the great 
famine (975) he sings of how he bartered the silvery herrings (arrows) of 
Egil’s bow for the swift arrows of the sea (herrings). The archer on 
Mr. Frank’s Whalebone-Casket is labelled Egill. The myth of S/ag- Fin, 
whom we take from his name to be the Harper, is lost, unless a broken 
shadow of it linger in the Saga of Herraud and Bosi (see Prol. p. 194). 


bd xc al flugo sunnan Myrkvid { goegnom, 
alvittr ungar, cerlag drygja: 
per 4 Seevar-straond settosk at hvflask 
disir Sudrcénar dyrt lin spunno. 
Ein nam Olrin Egil at verja, 5 
fagr mer Kiars, fadmi lidsom ; 
connor Svanhvit Slagfid .. .; 
enn Hladgudr hennar systir 
vardi hvitan hals Valundar. 
Sato sidan siau vetr at bat; 10 
enn inn Atta allan praddo; 
enn inn niunda naudr um skildi. 
Meyjar fystosk 4 Myrkvan vid, 
alvittr ungar, cerlag drygja. 
Kom par.af veidi vedr-eygr skyti, 15 
Slagfidr ok Egill, sali fundo auda; 
gengo Ut ok inn, ok um sidsk: 
Austr skreid Egill at Olrtno, 
enn sudr Slagfidr at Svanhvito. 
Enn einn Valundr sat { Ulfdalom; 20 
Hann sl6 goll rautt vid ‘gim fastan;’ 
lukéi hann alla lind bauga vel. 
Sv4 beid hann sfnnar lidssar 
kvanar, ef hon um koma geerdi. 





FRoM the south through Mirkwood, to fulfil their fates, the young 
fairy maidens flew. The Southern ladies alighted to rest on the Sea- 
strand, and fell to spinning their goodly linen. First Allrune, Cear’s 
fair daughter, took Egil to her bright bosom. The second, [Herwor] 
Swanwhite, éissed Slagfin. But Lathgund her sister clasped the white 
neck of Weyland. Seven winters they stayed there in peace, but on 
the eighth they began to pine, on-the ninth they must needs part. The 
young fairy maidens hastened to Mirkwood to fulfil their fates. 

The weather-eyed huntsman and Slagfin and Egil came home from 
the hunt, and found their house empty. They went in and out and 
sought around. Egil skated eastwards after Allrune, and Slagfin south- 
wards after Swanwhite. But Weyland sat alone behind in Wolf-dale, 
hammering the red gold upon ‘the stithy,’ closing all the ring-bands 
tightly. Thus he awaited his bright wife if peradventure she might come. 





2. Emend.; alvitr unga, R. 4. drésir, R. 5. Olrin] emend.; peira, R. 
6. Kiars] fira, R. 7. Grimm; onnor var Svanhvit, svanfiadrar drd, R. 8. enn 
Hladgudr hennar] enn in pridja peirra, R. 14. alvitr unga, R. I5. vegr- 
eygr, R, but vedr-e., 1. 35 below. 21. Gim fastan, R. 24. hon um] 


hanom, R, 


170 THE BALLAD POET. [BK. mI. 


Pat spyrr Nidadr Niara drdttinn, 25 
at. einn Valundr sat f Ulfdalom: 


Néttom f6ro seggir; negldar v4ro brynjor; 

skildir bliko peirra, vid inn skaréa ména. 

Stigo ér sadlom at salar gafli; 

gengo inn padan endlangan sal. 30 
Sa peir 4 bast bauga dregna, 

siau hundraé: allra, es sA seger atti. 

Ok peir af téko, ok peir 4 léto; 

fyr einn ttan, es peir af léto.... 

Kom bar af veidi vedr-eygr skyti, 35 
Vaolundr lfdandi um langan veg. 
‘Gekk brunni’ bero hold steikja ; 

‘har brann hrisi all’ purr fura 
vidr enn vind-burri fyr Valundi. 
Sat 4 ber-fialli, bauga taldi, 40 
alfa-li6di, eins saknadi: 
hugdi hann at Hlaégudér Hladvess déttir, 
alvittr unga, veri aptr komin. 

Sat hann sv4 lengi, at hann sofnadi; 
ok hann vaknadi vilja-lauss : 45 
Vissi ser 4 handom hafgar naudir, 
enn 4 fétom fiator um spenntan. 


[b4 kvad pat Vaolundr visi Alfa] :— 

Hverir ro iafrar es 4 lagdo 

‘besti byr sima,’ ok mik bundo? 50 
Kalladi ni Nidudédr Niara dréttinn :— 





But Nidad, king of the Niars, heard that Weyland was sitting alone 
in Wolf-dale. The men marched forth by night, in their studded mail- 
coats, their shields shining against the waning moon. They alighted. from 
their saddles at the hall gable, and went in forthwith right up the hall, 
There they saw rings threaded on bast, seven hundred in all, which the 
hero owned; and they took them off the bast and put them on again, 
all save one, which they took away. Home from the hunt came the 
weather-eyed hero Weyland gliding along the far track. He.... 
roasting a she-bear’s flesh, high blazed the faggots of rock-dry fir: 
the wind-dry wood before Weyland. He sat down on the bear-skin, 
and told his rings over, the Elves’ king, but one he missed, and he 
thought that Lathgund the young fay, Lodwe’s daughter, must have 
come back. He sat so long that at last he fell asleep; but he awoke 
in helpless plight, he felt the heavy shackles on his hands and the fetters 
clasped about his feet. 

Then spake Weyland, lord of the Elves, ‘Who are the heroes that. 
have “handled my rings” and bound me?’ 

Then shouted Nidad, king of the Niars, ‘ Where didst thou get such 





26. Some lines lost,’ 38. hatt brann hrisi hall-purr ? 42. Hladgudr] 
emend, ; hafdi, R. 43. veri hon, R, : 








Re) Vege eee ee 





; 
Seas, oat eee eee ee 


§ 2.] THE LAY OF WEYLAND. 171 


Hvar gaztu, Valundr, visi Alfa, 

orof aura { Ulfdalom? 

Goll vas par eigi 4 Gnita-heidi ; 

fiarri hugda-ek vdrt land fiallom Rinar. 55 


[P4 kvad pat Vaolundr visi Alfa]... . 
Man-ek at ver meiri meti dttom, 
es ver heil hii heima va4rom: 
Hladguér ok Hervar borin vas Hladve, 
kunn vas Olrim Kiars déttir 60 


[Uti stendr ‘kunnig’ kvin Nidadar]; 
hon inn um gekk endlangan sal, 
st6d 4 golfi, stillti. raddo: 
Esa s4 nu hyrr es or holti ferr. 


Amon ero augo ormi beim enom frdna. 65 
Tenn hdnom teygjask, es hinom es tcé6. sverd, 

ok hann Badvildar baug um pekkir. 
Snidit ér han sina magni, ; 

ok setid hann sidan { Szevar-stad ! 


[P4 kvad pat Veaolundr visi Alfa] :— 70 
Skinn Nidadi sverd 4. linda, 
pat-es ek hvessta sem ek hagast kunnak ; 
ok ek herdak sem mer heégst pétti; 
si eromk frann meekir_2 fiarri borinn ; 





treasures untold in Wolf-dale, O Weyland, lord of the Elves? There 
was no gold in Glisten-heath, and I thought our land was far from the 
hills of Rhine.’ 

Then spake Weyland, lord of the Elves: ‘Far more good things had 
we, I remember, when it was well with us all at home: Lathgund and 
Herwor, Lodwe’s daughters; dear was Allrune, Cear’s daughter, to us.... 
(Several lines are missing here.) 

They bring Weyland to Nidad’s palace and the Queen [Cynwig?| is 
standing outside: she mocks the prisoner and advises Nidad to hamstring 
him and set him on an island to work jewels and treasures for him. 

Cynwig the queen of Nidad was standing without, she went in up the 
hall, she stood on the floor and raised her voice: ‘He does not look 
blithe that is coming out of the wood. His eyes are like to the eyes of 
the flashing snake. He will open his lips and smile, when the sword 
is shown to him, and he perceives Bodwild’s ring .... Sever the 
might of his sinews [hamstring him] and set him down in Sea-stead... .’ 

Then spake Weyland, lord of the Elves: ‘ Nidad’s sword glitters on 
his girdle, the sword I whetted with all my skill, and tempered with 





53. orof] emend.; vara, R, 54. Gnita-heidi] Grana leido, see Lay of Atli. 
59. borin vas} read bornar ? 61. kunnig] heretand below; a pr. name, Kyn- 
veig? 66. tep, R. 74. er mer, R, 


172 THE BALLAD POET. —_—_—[x. nt. 


sékka-ek pann Vzaolundi til smidjo borinn. 75 
Nu berr Badvildr bridar minnar— 

bidka-ek bess b6t—bauga rauda. 

Sat hann, ne hann svat avalt, ok hann sl6 hamri: 
vél goerdi hann heldr hvatt Nidadi. 


Drifo ungir tveir at Ulf-sid, 80 
synir Nidadar, i Seevar-stad. 
K6émo peir til kisto, kraféo lukla, 
opin vas ilid es peir { sa. 
Fiald vas par menja, es peim magom syndisk 
at veri goll rautt ok oneer 85 


"TBA kvad pat ‘Vaolundr visi Alfa]: 
Komié einir tveir, komid annars dags! 
ykr let-ek pat coll um gefit verda. 
Segita meyjom ne sal-piddom, 
manni angom, at id mik fyndit. 90 


Snemma kalladi seggr annan 
brééir 4 bréddur: Gangom baug sid! 
Kémo til kisto, krafdo lukla, 
opin vas illid es peir f lito. 
Sneid af hafud hina bpeirra, 95 
ok und ‘fen fioturs’ foétr um lagdi: 
Enn per skalar es und skarom véro 
sveip hann titan silfri, seldi Nidadi: 


¢ 





all my cunning. That keen blade is now gone from me for ever. 
I shall not see it carried to Weyland’s smithy. Bodwild is wearing my 
bride’s red ring. I shall never be recompensed . : 

He sat down, nor slept at all, but smote with his hammer; he 
speedily fashioned a snare for Nidad. 

The two young boys, the sons of Nidad, rushed to Wolfmere in 
Seastead. They came to the chest, called for the keys; their greediness 
was clear when they looked in. There was abundance of treasure; it 
seemed to them full of red gold and jewels. 

Then spake Weyland, lord of the Elves: ‘Come alone, ye two, 
come to-morrow. I shall make this gold yours. Tell it not to the 
maidens nor to the hall-servants, nor to any man that ye are coming 
to me.’ 

Early on the morrow the one called to the other, brother to brother, 
‘Let us go see the rings.’ —They went to the chest, called for the keys; 
their greediness was clear as they looked therein. He cut off the 
heads of those urchins, and laid their feet underneath the bellows’ pit. 
But the scull-pans that lay under their scalps he bound round with 
silver and gave to Nidad. Out of their eyeballs he made gems, which 





80. at Ulf-sié] emend. (according to the prose); a dyr sia, R. 














§ 2.] THE LAY OF WEYLAND. 173 


Enn or augom iarkna-steina 

sendi hann ‘kunnigri’ kvn Nidadar: 100 

Enn or tannom tveggja peirra 

sl6 hann bridst-kringlor, sendi Badvildi. 
b4 nam Badvildr baugi at hrésa, 

RPS Tas es brotid hafdi: 

Poriga-ek segja nema per einom. 105 
[P4 kvad pat Vaolundr visi Alfa]: 

Ek bcéti sv4 brest 4 golli, 

at fedr pinom fegri pikkir, 

ok mcéér pinni miklo betri, 


ok sialfri per at sama héfi. 110 
Bar hann hana biéri ‘pvi-at hann betr kunni’ 
sva-at hon { sessi um sofnadi.... 


P4 kvad pat Veaolundr visi Alfa]: 
Nu hefi-ek hefnt harma minna 
allra nema einna {vid-giarnra. 115 


Vel ek! kvad Veaolundr, verda ek 4 fitjom 
peim es mik Nidadar némo rekkar. 
Hlejandi Valundr héfsk at lopti: 
Gratandi Badvildr gekk or eyjo, 
tregdi for fridils ok fadur reidi. 120 
Uti stendr ‘kunnig’ kvan Nidadar; 
ok hon inn um gekk endlangan sal. 
Enn hann 4 sal-garé settisk at hvilask: 
‘Vakir pu, Nidudr Niara drdéttinn?’ 
[P4 kvad pat Nidudr-Niara dréttinn| :— 125 





he sent to Cynwig, Nidad’s queen. But out of the teeth of the twain 
he wrought two breast-brooches and sent them to Bodwild.... Then 
Bodwild began to praise the ring... . she had broken; ‘I dare not tell 
any one save thee alone.’ Then spake Weyland, lord of the Elves: 
‘1 will mend the crack in the gold, so that thy father shall think it 
fairer, and thy mother much better, and thyself likewise.’ 

He gave her the beer-cup, for he was more guileful than she, so that 
she fell asleep on the settle. 

When he had wrought his will, then said Weyland, lord of the Elves, 
‘Now I have avenged my cruel losses, all save one.’ Then be made him 
avings to serve in the place of feet that he might escape from Nidad. 

‘Well is me,’ said Weyland, ‘I have now got back my feet, which 
Nidad’s men bereft me of.’ Laughing Weyland rose into the air, but 
Bodwild weeping left the island, in bitter grief for her lover’s departure 
and her father’s wrath. 

Cynwig, Nidad’s queen, was standing without ; she went in up the 
hall. But he alighted down to rest on the wall of the hall. ‘Art thou 





waking, Nidad, king of the Niars?? Then spake Nidad, king of the 


: > 
100. kono, R, 111. Maimed text, 


5 THE BALLAD POET. [BK. HI, 


Vaki ek avalt ‘vilja ec lauss 
sofna ec minnzt sizt’ mina sono dauda; 
Kell mik { hafud; ‘kald ero mer rod pin; 
vilnomk-ek pess nu, at ek vid Vealund doma. 
Seg-pii mér pat, Valundr visi Alfa, 130 
af heilom hvat varé hinom mfnom! 
[b4 kvad pat Veolundr visi Alfa] :— 
Eida skaltu mer 46r alla vinna ~ 
at skips bordi, ok at skialdar rend, 
at mars beégi, ok at mekiss egg: 135 
at pu kveljat kvan Veolundar, 
ne bridi mfnni at bana verdir; 
pétt ver kvn eigim pa-es ér ‘kunnid; 
eda i66 eigim innan hallar. 
Gakk put til smidjo, peirrar es pu geerdir, 140 
par fidr pu belgi bl6éi stokna, 
Sneid-ek af hafud hina pinna, 
ok und ‘fen fiaturs foetr’ um lagdak: 
Enn per skalar, es und skerom véro, 
sveip-ek Utan silfri selda-ek Nidaéi: 145 
Enn or augom iarkna-steina | 
senda-ek ‘kunnigri’ kvan Nidadar: 
Enn or tannom tveggja peirra 
sl6-ek bridst-kringlor, senda-ek Badvildi. 
Nu gener Badvildr barni aukin 150 
einga déttir ykkor beggja. 
[ba kvad pat Nidudr Niara dréttinn] :— 
Meltira pi pat mal es mik meirr tregi, 
ne ek pik vilja, Vaolundr, ‘verr nita.’ 





Niars: ‘I am ever waking. I cannot sleep for sorrow ever since my 
son’s death. Thy head is a-chill, thy devices have been cold to me. But 
now I would fain reason with Weyland. Tell me this, Weyland, lord 
of the Elves, what became of my brave boys.’ Then spake Weyland, 
lord of the Elves: ‘Thou shalt swear full oath to me before I speak, 
upon the ship’s bulwark, and upon the shield’s rim, upon the horse’s 
shoulder, and upon the brand’s edge, that thou wilt not put my wife to 
death, nor be the slayer of my bride, even though I have a wife known 
to thee, or we have a child within thy house. Go to the smithy thou 
didst set up, thou shalt find the .bellows stained with blood. I cut-off 
the heads of thy boys and laid their bodies under the bellows’ pit. But 
their scull-pans that were under their scalps I bound with ‘silver and 
gave to Nidad, and I made gems out of ‘their eyeballs and‘sent them to 
Cynwig, Nidad’s queen, and out of the teeth of the twain I wrought 
two breast-brooches and sent them to Bodwild. Bodwild goes great 
with child, the only daughter of you both.’ 

Then spake Nidad,’king of ‘the Niars: ‘Thou never spakest word 





“126-7. Maimed text. 131. huinom] sonom, R, “138. ér] per, R. 
154. Read vita? ; ; 








eS | eee 





OB St At RE 





§ 2.] PRYMS-KVIDA. | 175 


Esa sv4 mar har at pik ‘af hesti taki, 155 
ne sv4 aflugr at pik nedan skidti, 
par-es pu skollir vid sky uppi! 
Hlejandi Valundr héfsk at lopti; 
enn 6k4tr Nidudr sat p4 eptir. . 
[P4 kvad pat Nidudr Niara dréttinn] :-— 160 
Upp ristu, bakkr46r preell mfnn inn bazti; 
bid pi Badvildi, mey ina bré-hvito, 
ganga fagr-varid vid fadur rcéda. 
_ [P4 kvad pat Nidudr Niara drdttinn] :— 
Es pat satt, Badvildr, es sagdo mer, 165 
sotod ié Valundr saman { hélmi? 
[bi kvad pat Badvildr.... J 
Satt es pat, Nidadr, es sagdi per: 
soto vid Valundr saman { hélmi, 
eina agur-stund; zva skyldi! 170 
Ek vetr hanom vinna kunnak; 
ek vetr hanom vinna miattak! 


PRYMS-KVIDA; or, THE LAY OF THRYM. 


THE text of this Lay rests only on R, leaf'17; nowhere else is even 
its story quoted or hinted at. Snorri himself, who took such pleasure 
in Thor’s adventures, does not know-this one. The first time that any 
notice of it occurs is in a Ballad of the sixteenth century Danish 
Collections (Svaning’s and Wedel’s), called Tord af Havsgaard. It 
is probably derived from our vellum, for the theory that it could have 
been handed down uncorrupt by Danish tradition from the heathen days 
is certainly untenable; the very names Havsgaard and Locke point 
unmistakably to Icelandic sixteenth century pronunciation. The easy 
style, the humorous subject, and markedly ballad-like form of this 





which grieved me more, nor that I could blame thee more for, Wey- 
land! There is no man here that can reach thee from horseback, nor 
so strong that he could shoot thee from below when thou soarest up 
there against the clouds.’ 

Laughing Weyland rose into the air, but Nidad sat behind in sorrow- 
ful mood. Then spake Nidad, lord ofthe Niars: ‘ Rise up, Thankred, 
thou best of my thralls, bid Bodwild, the white-browed fair-clad maiden, 
to come and speak to her father.’ Then said Nidad, lord of the Niars: 
‘Is it true, Bodwild, that which is told me, did ye sit together, thou 
and Weyland, in the island?’ Then said Bodwild: ‘ That which is told 
thee, Nidad, is true; 1 sat with Weyland in the island a little hour; 


would I never had. I could not prevail-against him, I might not prevail 
against him.’ 





162. meyna,R, ™ 


176 THE BALLAD POET. [BK. II, 


Lay are such as to render it a fit subject for a Renaissance ballad. 
The story tells itself. The title is from R, The text is as well pre- 
served as any old poem we know. 


EIDR vas p4 Ving-Pérr, es hann vaknadi 
ok sins hamars um saknadi: 
Skegg nam at hrista, skar nam at dyja; 
ré6 Iardéar burr um at preifask; 


ok hann pat orda allz fyrst um kvad :— 5 


Heyréu nu, Loki, hvat ek nu meeli, 
es eingi veit iardar hvergi 
né upp-himins. Ass es stolinn hamri. 


Gengo pbeir fagra Freyjo tina; 
ok hann pat orda allz fyrst um kvad: 10 
Muntu mer, Freyja, fiadr-hams 1i4, 
at ek minn hamar meettak hitta? 
Pd moenda-ek gefa per, pdtt or golli veri, 
ok p6 selja at veeri or silfri. 


FI6 pa Loki, fiadr-hamr dundi, 15 
unz fyr titan kom Asa garda, 
ok fyr innan kom Iatna-heima. 
Prymr sat 4 haugi bursa dréttinn ; 
greyjom sfnom goll-baond snceri, 
ok marom sinom mn iafnadi; 20 
[ok hann pat orda allz fyrst um kvad]: 
Hvat es med Asom? Hvat es‘med Alfom? 
Hvi ertu einn kominn { Iatun-heima? 
[ba kvad pat Loki Laufeyjar son]: 
Illt es med Asom. IIlt es med Alfom. 25 





WROTH waxed Wing-Thor when he awoke and missed his Hammer; 
he shook his beard and tossed his locks, the Son of Earth groped about 
him with his hands, and this was the first word that he spoke: 
‘Hearken now, O Loki, to what I am telling thee, a thing unheard 
of either on earth or in the heavens above. Thor has been robbed 
of his Hammer!’ 

They went to the fair Freya’s bower, and this was the first word that 
he spoke: ‘ Wilt thou lend me thy feather-fell, Freya, that I may be 


able to find my Hammer ?’—Quoth Freya: ‘Yea, 1 would give it thee — 


though it were of gold, and grant it thee even though it were of silver.’ 

Then away flew Loki, the feather-fell rattled, till he won out of 
Ansgard and won into Giant-land. Thrym, the Giants’ lord, was sit- 
ting on a howe plaiting golden leashes for his grey-hounds, and trimming 
the manes of his horses; and this was the first word that he spoke: 
‘How goes it with the Anses? How goes it with the Elves? Why 
hast thou come alone into Giant-land ??—Quoth Loki, Laufey’s son: ‘It 
goes ill with the Anses! It goes ill with the Elves! Hast thou hidden 





7. eingi] eigi, R. 


a 





§ 2.] PRYMS-KVIDA. 174 


Hefir pi Hlorrida hamar um folginn? 
[PA kvad pat Prymr bursa dréttinn| :— 
Ek hefi Hlorrida hamar um folginn 
Atta rastom fyr iard nedan. 
Hann engi madr aptr um heimtir, 30 
nema foéri mer Freyjo at kvan. 


FI6 pa Loki, fiadr-hamr dundi, 
unz fyr titan kom Iatna-heima, 
ok fyr innan kom Asa-garda. 
Mcétti hann Pér midra garda; © 35 
ok hann pat orda allz fyrst um kvad:— 
Hefir pi cerendi sem erfidi? 
Segdu 4 lopti lang tidendi! 
Opt sitjanda sagor um fallask, 
ok liggjandi lygi um bellir. 
[P4 kvad pat Loki Laufeyjar son] :— 
Hefi-ek erfidi ok cerindi: 
Prymr hefir pfnn hamar Pursa dréttinn. 
Hann engi madr aptr um hejmtir, © 
nema hdnom fcéri Freyjo at kvan. 45 
Ganga peir fagra Freyjo ttina, 
ok hann pat orda allz fyrst um kvad: 
Bittu pik, Freyja, brédar-lini ; 
vid skolom aka tvau f Iatun-heima. 
Reid vard pa Freyja ok fnasadi; 50 
allr Asa salr undir bifdisk ; 
steekk pat id mikla men Brisinga; 
[ok hon pat orda allz fyrst um kvad]:— 


40 





the Thunderer’s hammer ?’—Quoth Thrym, lord of Giants: ‘ Yea, I 
have hidden the Thunderer’s hammer eight miles deep under the 
earth. No man shall ever bring it back, save he bring me Freya to wife.’ 

Then away flew Loki—the feather-fell rattled—till he won out of 
Giant-land, and won into Ansgard. Thor met him in the gate, and 
this was the first word that he spake: ‘Hast thou good news for thy 
toil? Tell me all thy tidings from the sky, for he that speaks sitting 
- down often stumbles in his speech, and he that speaks lying down is 
often guilty of a lie.—Quoth Loki, Laufey’s son: ‘1 have good news 
for my toil. Thrym, the Giant lord, has thy Hammer, No man 
shall ever bring it back, save he bring him Freya to wife.’ 

They went to the fair Freya’s bower, and this was the first word 
that he [Thor] spake: ‘Take thy bride’s veil, Freya, we two must 
drive to Giant-land.’ | 

Wroth waxed Freya, and snorted with rage; the hall of the Anses 
shook all over, the great Brising necklace snapped, and this was the 





* 
46. Emend,; Freyjo at hitta, R. 
N 


178 THE BALLAD POET. . [ BK. II. 


Mik veiztu varda ver-giarnasta, 
ef ek-ek med per { Iatun-heima. 55 


Senn véro Aisir allir 4 pingi 
ok Asynjor allar 4 méli; 
ok um pat rédo rfkir tivar, 
hve peir Hlorrida hamar um scétti. 
P4 kvad pat Heimdallr hvitastr Asa— 60 
vissi hann vel fram sem Vanir adrir :— 
Bindo ver Pér pa bridar-lini; 
hafi hann id mikla men Brfsinga. 
Laétom umb hanom hrynja lukla, 
ok kvenn-vaéir um kné falla; 65 
enn 4 bridsti breida steina, 
ok hagliga um hafud typpom. 
P4 kvad pat Pérr pridigr Ass :— 
Mik muno Aisir argan kalla, 
ef ek bindask let bridar-lfni. 70 
P4 kvad pat Loki Laufeyjar son :— 
Pegi-pu, Pérr, peirra orda! 
pegar muno Iatnar Asgard bua, 
nema pu pfnn hamar per um heimtir. 


Bundo peir Pér pa bridar-lini 75 
ok eno mikla meni Brfsinga; 
léto umb hanom hrynja lukla 
ok kvenn-v4éir um kné falla ; 
enn 4 bridésti breida steina, 
ok hagliga um hafud typdo. 80 





first word that she spoke: ‘Sure I were proved the man-maddest of 
women, should I drive with thee to Giant-land.’ 

At once the Anses all went into council, and all the goddesses into 
parley; the mighty Gods took counsel together how they might get 
back the Thunderer’s hammer. 

Then Heimdall spake, the whitest of the Anses; he had great fore- 
sight, as all the other Wanes have: ‘ Let us wrap Thor in the bride’s veil, 
let him have the great Brising necklace, let the bunch of keys rattle 
down from his girdle, and a woman’s coats fall about his knees, and 
fasten the broad stones [brooches] on his breast, and wind the hood 
neatly about his head.’ 

Then up spake Thor, that doughty God: ‘Surely-the Anses would 
call me lewd fellow, if I were to let myself be wrapped in a bride’s veil.’ 

Then up spake Loki, Laufey’s son: ‘Speak not so, O Thor, for the 
Giants will soon dwell in Ansgard save thou get back thy Hammer.’ 

Then they wrapped Thor in the bride’s veil, and gave him the great 
Brising necklace, let the keys rattle down from his girdle, and the 
woman’s coats fall about his knees, and fastened the broad stones 
[brooches] at his breast, and wound the hood neatly about his head. 





54. varda] v’pa, R. 64. umb] und, R. 77. umb] und, R. 


§ 2.] ~ PRYMS-KVIDA. 179. 


b4 kvad pat Loki Laufeyjar son :— 
Mun-ek ok med per ambdtt vesa; 
vid skolom aka tver { Iatun-heima. 


Senn véro hafrar heim um reknir, 
skyndir at skaklom, skyldo vel renna: 85 
Biarg brotnodo; brann iard loga; 
6k Odins sonr { Istun-heima. 
P4 kvad pat Prymr Pursa dréttinn :— 
Standit upp, Ietnar, ok straid bekki! 
Nu foérid mer Freyjo at kvan, go 
Niardar déttor or Noa-tinom! 
Ganga her at gardi goll-hyrndar kyr, 
cexn al-svartir, Iatni at gamni. 
Fiald 4-ek meidma; fiald 4-ek menja, 
einnar mer Freyjo 4vant pikkir. 95 


Vas par at kveldi um komid snimma, 
ok fyr latna al fram borit. 
Einn At oxa, Atta laxa, 
krasir allar pzer-es konor skyldo; 
drakk Sifjar verr sald pri miadar. 100 
b4 kvaé pat Prymr bursa dréttinn :— 
Hvar sdttu bridir bita [in] hvassara ! 
Sika-ek bridir bfta [in] breidara, 
mey in meira miad mey um drekka! 
Sat in al-snotra ambatt fyrir 105 
es ord um fann vid iatuns mali:— 
At vetr Freyja Atta ndéttom, 





Then spake Loki, Laufey’s son: ‘I will follow thee as bridesmaid; we 
two will drive to Giant-land.’ 

The goats were fetched out at once, they were harnessed to the car- 
poles, that they might run swiftly. The rocks were rent, the earth 
blazed in flame, as Woden’s son drove into Giant-land. 

Up spake Thrym, the Giant lord: ‘Stand up, my giants all, and 
strew the benches, they are bringing me Freya to wife, the daughter 
of Niord, of Noatown. There are here in the yard gold-horned kine, 
and black unspotted oxen, the delight of the Giant lord. I have trea- 
sures in store, I have jewels in store, I lack nought but Freya.’ 

Early in the evening the guests gathered, and ale was served to the 
Giants. Sif's husband [Thor] ate for his share a whole ox, eight salmon, 
all the dainties cooked for the ladies, and drank three casks of mead. 

Up spake Thrym, the Giant lord: ‘ Was ever a bride so sharply set? 
I have never seen a bride take such big mouthfuls, nor a maid drink so 
deep of mead.’ 

The quick-witted bridesmaid, sitting by, found ready answer to the 
Giant’s speech: ‘Freya has not eaten for eight days, so eager was she 
to be in Giant-land.’ 





7 < > 
83. tvear] Bugge; tvau, R. go. feerid] read foera? 
N 2 


180 THE BALLAD POET. [BK. Ill. 


sva vas hon 6éfts { Iatun-heima. 
Laut und lino, lysti at kyssa; 
enn hann ttan stakk end-langan sal: 110 
Hvi ero andétt augo Freyjo? 
Pikki mer or augom eldr um brenna! 
Sat in al-snotra ambatt fyrir 
es ord um fann vid iatuns mali :— 
Svaf veetr Freyja Atta néttom, 115 
sv4 vas hon 6éfus { Iatun-heima. 


Inn kom in aldna Iatna systir, 
hin es brué-fidr bidja pordi: 
Lattu per af handom hringa rauda 
ef pu cedlask vill Astir mfnar, 120 
stir mfnar, alla hylli! 
ba kvaé pat Prymr Pursa dréttinn :— 
Berid inn hamar brtidi at vigja! 
Leggit Miollni { meyjar kné! 
Vigit okr saman Va4rar hendi! 125 


HI16 Hlorrida hugr { bridsti, 
es hardan handom hamar um pekdi. 
Prym drap hann fyrstan bursa dréttinn, 
ok ett iatuns alla lamdi. 
Drap hann ina aldno Iatna systur, 130 
hin es brié-fidr of bedit hafdi. 
Hon skell um hlaut fyrir skillinga, 
ok hoegg hamars fyr hringa fiald. 


——Své kom Odins sonr endr at hamrt. 





He [Thrym] bent down under the veil, wishing to kiss the bride, 
but he started back the whole length of the hall. ‘Why are Freya’s 
eyes so awful? it seems as if flames were darting from her eyes.’ 

The quick-witted bridesmaid, sitting by, found ready answer to the 
Giant’s speech: ‘ Freya has not slept for eight nights, so eager was she 
to be in Giant-land.’ 

In came the Giants’ aged sister. (mother?) begging boldly for a bridal 
fee: ‘Take the red-rings off thine arm if thou wouldst win my love, 
my love and all my heart besides !’ 

Up spake Thrym, the Giant lord: ‘ Bring in the Hammer to hallow the 
bride, lay the Miollni on the Maid’s lap. Hallow our hands together 
in wedlock !’ 

The heart of the Thunderer laughed in his breast when he felt 
the hard Hammer with his hands. First he slew Thrym, the Giant 
lord, and then smote the whole race of Giants. He slew the Giants’ 
aged sister (mother?) who had begged a bridal-fee of him; she got 
a pound instead of pence, and hammer strokes instead of rings. 

This is how Woden’s son got back his Hammer. (Minstrel’s epilogue.) 





112, eldr um] om. R. 117. aldna] Bugge; arma, R. 127. Emend.; 
es hard-hugaér h. um bp., R, 





§ 2.] BALDER’S DOOM, 181 


BALDER’S DOOM. 


THIS poem, evidently by the author of Thryms-kvida, has come 
down only on one of the remaining six leaves of A. It is never al- 
luded to; Snorri telling the story of Balder according to Hfs-drapa 
(Book vii), and Saxo from a third source. We have not the whole 
poem; the first section being lost, leaves it headless, as if, for instance, 
Thryms-kvida began with 1. 56. 

So marked is this, that between the years 1643 (when R and Flateyar- 
bék were first discovered) and 1670 (the date of our first paper copy) 
some scholar made an introduction to it, which he called Forspialls- 
liod [Preface-song], and Hrefua-galdr [the Carrion-charm], often mis- 
read Hrafna-galdr [the Raven’s-charm]. He also stuffed the poem with 
interpolations. The copy he used was certainly A, as we can show by 
the recurrence of errors of A, common to these interpolated copies. The 
same kind of evidence proves his use of R of Volo-sp4. The word 
‘Ulfrun,’ only known from Hyndlu-liod, suffices to fix a date subse- 
quent to 1643. In his postiche this author, picking up words in a 
most artful way, has used the following works: Volo-spa freely, some 
ten times, even once in Biorn of Skardsa’s copy (heimis); Weyland’s 
Lay, once; Atla-quida, once; Hymis-quida, once; Ynglinga Saga, once 
(diar); Wafthrudnis-mal, once; Hyndlu-liod, once; Gudrun’s Lays, 
once; and either Gagds or Niala, once (bera kvido); Snorri’s Edda 
often, once even in Magnus Olafson’s copy (frum-qucdull), etc. Fur- 
ther a Greek proverb, év vuxri BovAn. Ovid is also used. We should 
guess the poet to be Paul Hallson, the learned translator of Lilia into 
Latin, who died in Denmark, 1662. 

The original tit/e is lost: we prefer Balder’s Doom, or Balder’s Lay, 
to Balder’s Dream, as more exactly giving the intent of the poem. 

The ¢ext is corrupt here and there. Of Il. 41-44 we have a double 
text, one here, one in Volo-spa; its right place is here, and so we have 
made one text of both, printing the double one in the Notes. 


bo noe voro Adsir allir 4 pingi 
ok Asynjor allar 4 mali: 

Ok um pat rédo rikir tivar, 

hvi veeri Baldri ballir draumar. 


Upp reis Odinn aldinn gautr, 5 
ok hann 4 Sleipni sadul um lagdi. 
Reid hann nidr padan Nifl-heljar til; 
meetti hann hvelpi peim-es ér helli kom. 
Sa vas bl6dugr um bridst framan, 





ek AT once the Anses all went into council, and all the god- 
desses to a parley. The mighty gods took counsel together that they 
might find out why dreams of evil haunted Balder..... 

Then Woden arose, the ancient Sire, and laid the saddle upon 
Sleipni’s back. Away he rode down toward Mist-Hell’s abode, and 





5. alda-gautr, A. 8. helli] BuBge; heljo, A, 


182 THE BALLAD POET. [ BK. Tit. 


ok galdrs fador gé um lengi.— 10 
Fram reid Odinn—fold-vegr dundi,— 
hann kom at havo Heljar ranni. 
P4 reid Odinn fyr austan dyrr 
par es hann vissi Voelo leidi: 
Nam hann vittugri val-galdr kveda, 15 
unz naudig reis; nas ord um kvad :— 
Volva Hvat es manna pat mer 6kunnra, 
q. es mer hefir aukit ervitt sinni? 
Vas-ek snivin snidvi, ok slegin regni, 
ok drifin doeggo; daud vas-ek lengi. 20 
Od. Vegtamr ek heiti, sonr em-ek Valtams. 
q. Segdu mer or Heljo; ek man or heimi: 
Hveim ero bekkir brynjom stranir, 
flet fagrlig fodom skialdom? 
Volva Her stendr Baldri of brugginn mizér, 25 
q: skirar veigar; ‘liggr skioldr yfir:’ 
enn Asmegir { of-vzeni.— 
Naudig sagdak. Nu mun-ek pegja! 
Od. Pegjattu, Voelva! Pik viljak fregna, 
q. unz alkunna; viljak enn vita:— 30 
Hverr man Baldri at bana verda, 
ok Oéins son aldri rena? 
Volva Haér berr havan hréér-barm pinig. 
q. Hann mun Baldri at bana verda; 





there met him a whelp (Hell hound) coming out of a cave; there was 
blood on its breast, as it ran by the way baying at the Father of Spells. 
On Woden rode, while the vault rang till he came to the lofty hall of 
Hell. Then Woden rode to its eastern gate, where he knew the 
Sibyl’s barrow stood. He fell to chanting the mighty spells that move 
the Dead, till she rose all unwilling, and her corpse spake :— 

Sibyl. What mortal is it, whom I know not, that hath put me to 
this weary journey? I have been snowed on with the snow, I have been 
beaten with the rain, I have been drenched with the dew, long have 
I been dead. 

Woden. Way-wise is my name, I am the son of War-wise. Tell 
me the tidings of Hell, and I will tell thee tidings of Earth. For 
whom are the benches strewn with ‘mail-coats,’ and the hall so fairly 
hung with painted shields? 

Sibyl. For Balder the mead stands ready brewed, the walls decked 
with shields, while the sons of the Anses are in merry mood. All 
unwilling have I spoken; I will speak no more. 

Woden. Speak on, O Sibyl; I must enquire of thee till I know all. 
Next I must know, Who shall be the death of Balder and take the 
life of Woden’s son? 

Sibyl, Lo, Hod is bearing tall branch of fate. He shall be the death 





10. gé] gol, A. 23. brynjom stranir| thus emend.; baugom sanir, A. 
24. fad0m skidldom] emend.; flop’ golli, A. 30. vil-ek, A, here and below. 





2 





$2] BALDER’S DOOM. 183 


ok Odins son aldri rena.— 35 
Naudig sagdak. Nu mun-ek begja! 
Od. Pegjattu, Voelva! Pik viljak fregna 
q: unz alkunna, viljak enn vita :— 
Hverr man Hedi hefnt of vinna, 
eda Baldrs bana 4 bil vega? 40 
Volva Rindr berr Vala i Vestr-salom, 
q. s4 mun Odins sonr ein-nettr vega: 
hand um pvera, né hafud kembir 
4dr 4 bal um berr Baldrs and-skota.— 


~ Naudig sagdak. Nut mun-ek pegja! 45 
Ou. Pegjattu, Voelva! pik viljak fregna 
q: unz alkunna; viljak enn vita:— 


Hverjar ro per meyjar, es at muni grata, 
ok 4 himin verpa halsa skautom? 


Volva Ertattu Vegtamr, sem ek hugda, 50 
q. heldr ert Odinn aldinn gautr. 

Od. Ertattu Voelva, né vis kona, 

q. heldr ertu priggja bursa mddir. 

Volva Heim rf5-pi, Odinn, ok ves hrédigr! 
q. Sva komit manna meirr aptr 4 vit, 55 


unz lauss Loki liédr ér bandom 
es f ragna-rak ritfendr koma. 





of Balder, and take the life of Woden’s son. All unwilling have I 
spoken; I will speak no more. 

Woden. Speak on, O Sibyl; I must enquire of thee till I know all. 
Next I must know, Who shall wreak vengeance on Hod, and lift the 
slayer of Balder on to the funeral fire? 

Sibyl. In the Halls of the West Wrind shall bear a son, Wali, that 
shall avenge Woden’s son when but one night old. He shall neither 
wash his hands nor comb his hair till he has borne the murderer of 
Balder to the funeral fire. All unwilling have I spoken; I will speak 
no more. 

Woden. Speak on, O Sibyl; I must enquire of thee till I know all. 
Next I must know, Who are the maidens that stand weeping to their 
mind’s liking, casting their neck-veils up towards the heavens? 

' Sibyl. No Way-wise art thou, as I took thee to be, but thou art 
Woden, the ancient Sire. 

Woden. No Sibyl art thou, nor wise woman, but thou art the mother 
of three Monsters. 

Sibyl. Ride homeward, Woden, and glorify thyself, for no other man 
shall behold me again until Loki breaks loose from his bonds, and the 
Destroyers come at the Doom of the Powers. 





39. Emend,; heipt Hedi hefnt, A. 41. Vala] Bugge; om. A. 43- bvera] 
pver, A; po hann eva hendr ne havfod kembii, ddr 4 bal um bar Baldrs andskota, R. 
55. meirr] read mer? 56. unz] emend. ; zr, A. 57. es i] z (i.e. ok), A. 


* 


184 THE BALLAD POET. [BK. IL. 


GROTTA-SONGR; or, THE MILL-SONG. 


ONLY found in Cod. Reg. of Edda (r), though from the four lines 
of introduction at the foot of a stray leaf of Cod. Arna Magn. 1e8 
(Edda) we can tell that it once existed therein also. 

The song itself is never cited, but the story of Frodi is widely 
known. His peace is talked of by the Helgi-Poet, and by Einar Skala- 
glam, c. 985. A more particular allusion to his mi// and its work is 
the Brynhild-poet’s ‘ Menia’s precious flour’ (see Book v. § 2, and Dict. 
s.v. neit). Egill (c. 950) speaks of ‘Frodi’s meal,’ Biarka-mal of 
‘Fenia’s task.’ As late as 1104 Mark Skeggiason calls the Danish king 
‘ruler of Frodi’s throne.’ 

The prose introduction to our poem mixes up the legend of Frodi 
and his Gold Mill with another story of a King Mysing and his Salt Mill, 
which is a variety of the well-known folk-tale ‘ How the sea became 
salt,’ localised fittingly enough in the Pentland firth, where the swelchies 
are ever churning up the white foam. Our poem, which ends with the 
destruction of Frodi’s mill, has no hint of this story. In Rimbegla 
occurs a remarkable passage, derived in all probability from Ari’s lost 
Skioldunga, which throws light upon a dark passage in our poem. It 
tells how, at the end of Frodi’s reign, there arose a terrible tempest, 
mighty thunderings, the earth rocking and casting up huge stones. This 
is the Giant-maidens’ play of Grotta-Song, where they are pictured as 
casting rocks for sport from under the earth, upon which they first 
climb in search of their missing playthings. Their subsequent con- 
version into Walkyries is very curious, as an evidence of how the 
Walkyrie legend gradually grew up. It was while Walkyries that they 
were taken by Frodi, and forced like Samson to grind at the mill of 
the merciless king. After grinding peace and gold, they suddenly grind 
war, the mill breaks, and they disappear. Yrsa’s son, i,e. Rolf Kraki, is 
to be the avenger of Halfdan, the gold-thirsty king’s slain brother. 

There are several hopeless passages; we have made two absolutely 
necessary transpositions, viz. ll, 26-33 are taken ideas after 1. 68, and 
ll. 85, 86 from after 1. 78, 


NY ero komnar til konungs htisa 
fram-visar tver Fenja ok Menja: 
per ro at Frééa Fridleifs sonar 
mattkar meyjar at mani hafdar. 
Per at ludri leiddar varo, 5 
ok gridétz grid gangs of beiddo. 


Hét hann hvérigti hvilS né yndi 





Two seeresses are come to the king’s house, Fenia and Menia; these 
mighty maids are held in bondage at the palace of Frodi, the son of 
Fridleif. They were led to the bin, and set to turn the gritstone 
of the mill.... He [Frodi] bade them take neither rest nor pastime, 
he must always hear the song of the bondmaids........ They [kept 





I. ero] 1eB; eri, r. 4. giorvar, 1eB. 








§ 2.] GROTTA-SONGR. 185 


4dr hann heyrdi hli6m ambitta. 
Peer pyt ‘pulv pagn-horvinnar.’ 


Leggjom lidra, léttom steinom... 10 
Bad hann enn meyjar at ber mala skyldo. 

Sungo ok slungo sntdga-steini, 
sva-at Fréda man flest sofnadi. 

b4 kvad pat Menja,—vas til meldrar komin :— 
Aud malom Fréda! malom alselan! 15 
fiold fidr, 4 fegins-ludri! 
Siti hann 4 audi, sofi hann 4 dtni! 
Vaki hann at vilja! 4 es vel malit. 
Her skyli engi adrom granda, 
til bals bua, né til bana orka; 20 
né heeggva ‘pvi’ hvasso sverdi, 
po-at bana brédéur bundinn finni! 

Enn hann kvaé ekki ord it fyrra:— 
Sofida-id lengr an ‘of sal ’-gaukar, 
eda lengr an sv4 li6d eitt kvedak! 25 


. 


Hendr skolo hvilask! hallr standa mun; 
malit hefig, Frédi, sem at munom 1¢ki. 
Ni mona handom hvilé vel gefa, 
4dr full-malit Frééa pykki. 
Hendr skolo handla hardar tridnor, 30 
vopn val-dreyrog. Vaki pi Frddi! 





up the never-ceasing song to the thud]........ ‘Let us fit the bin, 
let us lighten the stones.’ He [the King] bade the maidens to grind on. 

They sang and they whirled the spinning stones, till Frodi’s house- 
hold all fell asleep. Then quoth Menia, as she stood at the mill, ‘ Let 
us grind Frodi wealth, let us grind him fulfilment of joy, abundance of 
riches on the bin of bliss. May he sit on riches; may he sleep on 
down; may his waking be happy! It were well-ground then. No man 
shall harm his neighbour, devise any evil, or prepare any slaughter, nor 
smite with whetted sword, yea, not though he find his brother’s slayer 
bound before him.’ 

But still his [the King’s] word was never other than ‘Sleep ye no 
longer than the cuckoo song stays, or than I can say asingle stave!’.... 

They fall to grinding again in anger, and this time they mean to grind 
curses on Frodi and his house. When all were asleep, the one says to the 
other, as she lets the handle go for a moment— 

The hand shall have rest, and the stone shall stand still. I have 
ground to my mind’s liking. 

Soon our hands shall take no more rest, till Frodi himself shall say 
that we have ground it out. The hands shall handle the hard shafts, the 





14. meldrs, r, 24. Emend.; sofit eigi pit ne of sal-gaukar, r. 27. Or, 
mun um léki? thus emend., see 1. 90; malit hefi ec firir mic mitt of letti, r. 
30. héndla] hglda, r. . 


186 THE BALLAD POET. [BK. 11. 


Vaki-pi Frééi! Ef pu hlyda vill 
scengom okkrom ok sagom fornom :— 
Vasattu Fr6éi, full-spakr of pik, 
mal-vinr manna, es bu man keyptir: 35 
kauss-pt at afli, ok at Alitom, 
enn at ztterni ekki spurdir. 
Hardr vas Hrungnir, ok hans fadir; 
p6 vas Piazi beim afigari, 
I6i ok Aurnir okkrir nidjar ; 40 
bridir Berg-risa, peim erom bornar. 
Koemia Grotti or gria-fialli, 
ne s4 inn haréi hallr or iardo; 
ne mcli sva mer Berg-risa, ; 
ef vissi ‘vitt’ vzetr til hennar. 45 
Ver vetr nio vérom leikor, 
eofigar alnar fyr iard nedan; 
st6dom meyjar at megin-verkom; 
férdom sialfar set-berg 6r stad. 
Veltom griéti of gard risa, 50 
sva-at fold fyrir fér skialfandi. 
Sv4 slangdom vit snidga-steini, 
at hruto hafgir hallir { tvau, 
Enn vit sféan 4 Svi-piddo 
fram-visar tver { folk stigom ; 55 
‘Beiddom biarno;’ enn brutom skialdo; 
gengom { goegnom grd-serkjat lid; 
steypdom stilli, studdom annan; 
veittom gé6dom Gothormi lid; 





gory weapons of war. Waken, Frodi! waken, Frodi! if thou wilt listen 
to our songs and our stories of old. 

Frodi, thou gossip of men, wert no wise man when thou boughtest 
thy bondmaids. Thou didst choose by strength and appearance, with- 
out asking of their race. Hrungni and his father were sturdy, yet 
Thiazi was mightier still, and Idi and Aurnir, our ancestors, from whom 
we brides of Mountain-giants are sprung. Never had this mill come 
out of the grit mount, nor the massy millstone out of the earth, nor 
were the Mountain-giants’ maids thus grinding here, if...... ; 

We two playmates were brought up under the earth for nine winters, 
We busied ourselves with mighty feats; we hurled the cleft rocks out 
of their places, we rolled the boulders over the giants’ court, so that 
the earth shook withal. We hurled the stones so fast that the massy 
rocks were split in twain. Afterwards we two seeresses stepped into 
the array of battle in Sweden, we rent the mailcoats, we hewed the 
shields, we drove through the gray-clad ranks. We pulled down one 
king, we set up another; we gave help to the good Gothworm, we 





32. The alliteration at fault here. 41. bruidir] emend.; broedr, r (see L. 89). 
43. halr,r. - 45. vitt] read visir? 53. Emend.; hofga halli at halir toco, r. 
56. Read, bendom brynjor ? . 




















my e —; ~ 
POs, Pe eR ar 


§ 2.] GROTTA-SONGR. 187 


vasa kyrr-seta 46r Knui félli. 69 
Fram héldom pvi pau misseri, 
at vid at kappom kenndar vérom: 
bar skordo vit skwrpom geirom 
b163 é6r benjom, ok brand rudom. 
Nu erom komnar til konungs-htsa 65 
miskunn-lausar ok at mani hafdar. 
Aurr etr iljar, enn ofan kuldi. 
Dragom dolgs siotul. Daprt es at Fréda! 
Eld sé-ek brenna fyr austan borg ; 
vig-spiall vaka; ero vitar kyndir: 70 
Mun herr koma hinig at bragdi, 
ok brenna beé fyr budlungi. 
Munat-pt' halda Hleidrar-stéli, 
raudom hringom, ne regin-griéti. 


Takom 4 mandli mer skarpara, 75 
eroma ‘val,mar’ f val-dreyra. 


M61 mins foSur mer ramliga, 
pvi-at hon feigd fira fial-margra sa: 


Malom enn framarr! Mon Yrso burr 
vig Halfdanar hefna Frdéa: 80 
S4 mun hennar heitinn verda 
burr ok brédir. Vitom badar bat. 





never rested till Knui fell. We held-this life for a season; we were dear 
to champions; we gashed the blood out of the wounds with our sharp 
spears and reddened swords. 

But now we are come to the king’s hall, unmercifully treated and 
held in bondage, the mud eating our feet and the chill our heads. We 
are grinding the Quern of Peace. It is dismal here at Frodi’s! 

[Then prophesying the evils to come.| 

‘I behold fire burning from the east of the stronghold, the tokens of 
war are waking, the beacons are kindled. On a sudden a host shall 
come hither, and burn the hall over the king’s head. Thou shalt 
not hold the Throne of Lethra, the red rings, or the Holy Stones 
faltars]..... 

‘Let us grasp the handles harder still, we are..... with gore. My 
father’s maiden [my mother] ground amain because she beheld the 
doom of a multitude of men..... 

‘Let us grind on! Yrsa’s child [Rolf Kraki] shall avenge Halfdan’s 
death on Frodi. He [Rolf] shall be called her son and her brother. 
Both of us know that this shall be.’ 





62. voro, r. 66, miskun lausar, r. 70. ero vitar kyndir] emend. ; 
pat mun viti kalladr, r. 76. ervma val,mar, r. 79. molom enn framar, 
repeated, r. 80, vig] emend.; vid, r. ™ 


188 THE BALLAD POET. | [ BK. III. 


Mélo meyjar, megins kostodo; 
véro ungar f iatun-méddi.... 


Stukko stérar stedr fra lidri, 85 
Faarnar Gare ga ies we os 

Skulfo skap-tré; skautz lidr ofan; 

hraut inn hefgi hallr sundr { tvau. 


Enn Berg-risa bridr ord um kvad:— 
Malit hafom, Frédi, sem at munom |éki. go 
Hafa fuil-stadit fli6d at meldri! 


BIARKA-MAL IN FORNU; or, 
THE OLD LAY OF BIARKI. 


OF this poem we have the beginning in S. Olaf’s Saga, the second 
passage on gold in Snorri’s Edda-Sk. (W), the other two fragments are 
preserved in Magnus Olafsson’s copy of the lost leaves of Codex 
Wormianus of Edda. Saxo has given what seems to have been a 
paraphrase of the whole poem (printed in Notes), derived, we believe, 
from Icelandic sources, at the end of his Second Book. There is also, 
in the last chapters of Hrolf Kraki’s Saga, a poor paraphrase of Biarka- 
mal. But it is of little help to us, for this Saga is a sixteenth century 
compilation, built up with windy phrases upon a foundation we take it 
of some stray leaves of Skioldunga. ‘The Saga paraphrase reverses the 
roles of Biarki and Hialti; the name of the song shows that Saxo 
is right. 

The story is, that king Rolf is overtaken by his enemies in the dawn. 
His two warders, Biarki and Hialti, rouse his merry men to the fray, 
just as a farmer calls up his labourers to their daily work. Ruta the 
Walkyrie bids Biarki look through her left arm akimbo, whereby he is 
able to see Woden. The death of Rolf and all his champions ends the 
poem. 

On the morning of Sticklestead fight, an Icelander sang this song to 
S. Olaf’s followers, and the king was pleased, and said that it was a true 
‘ Haskarla hvavt’ or Workmen’s call. 


:. AS eared es upp kominn! Dynja hana fiadrar! 
mal es vil-magom at vinna erfidi: 
Vaki ok « vaki vina-hafud, 
allir enir cezto Adils of sinnar. 





The maids ground on, putting forth all their strength, the young 
maids were in giant-fury. The huge props flew off the bin [the iron 


rivets} civic The shaft-tree shivered, the bin shot down, the massy. 


mill-stone rent in twain. 
But the Mountain-giants’ bride spake this word: We have ground, 
O Frodi, to our mind’s liking. We have stood full long at the mill. - 





83. kavstvpv,r. 86. Read, iardar fiarri? 90. Emend.; sem mynvm hatta, r. 




















E 
© 
5 
Wn 
5 
he 
i 
ie 
i 
Mi 
H 
i 


2.] BIARKA-MAL. 189 


Harr enn haré-greipi, Hrdélfr skidtandi, 5 
eettom-gd6dir menn peir-es ekki fly¥ja: 

Vekka-ek ydr at vini, né at vifs rinom; 

heldr vek-ek ydr at hardom Hildar leiki! 


2. Gramr enn giaflazti gcéddi hird sina: 
Fenjo for-verki, Fafniss mid-gardi, 10 
Glasiss glé-barri, Grana fagr-byrdi, 
Draupniss dyr-sveita, duni Graf-vitniss : 
Ytti arr hilmir—aldir vid t6ko— 
Sifjar svard-festom, svelli dal-naudar, 
trezgom Otrs-gialdom, tarom Mardallar, 13 
eldi Oranar, Idja glys-maélom: 
Gladdi gunn-veiti—gengom fagr-binir— 
Piaza ping-skilom—piddir her-margar,— 
Rinar raud-malmi, régi Hniflunga,— 
Visi inn vig-diarfi—vakéi hann ‘ Baldr pzeygi!’ 20 


3. Sva skal-ek hann kyrkja sem inn kam-leita 
véli vid-biarnar veggja aldinna. 


4. Hniginn es f hadd iardar Hrélfr inn stérlati. 





Rolf, the king of Lethra, is asleep in his hall after the feast, when bis 
enemies come. Biarki his warder rouses his comrades, saying :— 

1. THE day is up, the cock’s feathers are flapping, it is time for the 
sons of toil to get to their work. Wake and awake, comrades mine, all 
the noblest henchmen of Adils. Hoar with the hard grip, Rolf the 
good archer, well-born men that never flee. Not to wine do I wake 
you, nor to woman’s spell, but I wake you to the stern play of the 
war-goddess. 

2. The open-handed prince endowed his henchmen with the toil of 

Fenia, the lair of Fafni, the glistening needles of Glassy [the Tree], the 
fair burden of Grani, the precious sweat of Dropper [Magic Ring], the 
down of Gravewolf [the Dragon]. 
_ The free-hearted king gave away, and the people received—Sib’s 
snood, the ice of bow-compeller [the hand], the unwilling weregild of 
Otter, the tears of Mardall [Freya], the flame of Oran [British River], 
the glossing speech of Idia. 

The hero gladdened many a warrior—we walked in fair array—with 
the pleadings of Thiazi, the red ore of Rhine, the feud-maker of the 
Niflungs. Awake, awake, O king! 

Biarki in his despair, when he sees Woden who had been before invisible 
to him, burst into blasphemy, crying,— 

3. I will throttle him like a grey mouse [lit. destroyer of the hall’s 
old walls]. 

Biarki said, when he heard of bis leader’s fall,— 

4e As the proud-hearted hath stooped to the locks of Earth [the 
grass |. 





18, -skilom] r; skaalom, W. 20. wakdi] thus W, 





E90 THE BALLAD POET. [BK. II. 


FRAGMENTS OF A LOST LAY OF ROLF KRAKI. 


THE story of this lost Lay is told in Edda (Sk.) Rolf and his merry 
men go to visit Eadgils (Adils), king at Upsala. Having heard their 
boast that they would never turn from foe or fire, Eadgils tries them 
by sitting inside a ring of fires in his hall. They escape, as is told 
in our fragments, and are pursued by Eadgils. But Rolf escapes by the 
stratagem of casting gold behind him, the picking up of which delayed 
his pursuers. This famous ‘ sowing of Rolf’ is mentioned in several 
places, and the ‘seed of Fyris-valla’ is named by Eywind Poet-spoiler 
in his Lament for Hakon. 


 Abils q. ROM enn elda at Adils hisom! 


Hrolfr q. Flyra s& elda es yfir hleypr. 


FRAGMENT OF HILDIBRAND’S LOST LAY. 


FOUND embedded in the Saga of Asmund the Champion-slayer, extant 
in one vellum, Stockholm 7, 4to. Paraphrased by Saxo in his Seventh 
Book. The name Asmund takes the place of Hadubrand in our frag- 
ment. The whole Lay would have been interesting, as a branch of 
that cycle of which we have the well-known early German fragment 
Hildebrand and Hadubrand’s Lay. 

Saxo appears to have had our text in two sections as now. The 
story, the conflict of two kinsmen (here brothers) with two twin swords 
(like the rings of Nathan the Wise), peerless each, but charmed that 
when borne by two brothers against one another the false shall fail. 
The twin swords, and the battle of the brothers Balin and Balan in the 
Arthur cycle, seem like echoes of this early tradition, The translation 
will explain itself. 


I, 


Fitldtér. Fs Bese es vand-geett hverr verda skal 
q: of borinn brééir at bana-ordi: 
Mik Drétt of bar af Danmorko, 
enn pik sialfan af Svfpiddo. 





Adils heaping fresh fuel on the hall fires, which he has lit about Rolf, to 
try whether he would stand to his boast of never flying before fire, cries,— 

LET us heap the fire higher in Adils’ hall. 

Rolf answers, dashing his shield on the flame and leaping over it out of 
the blazing ring,— 

He flies not the fire that dares to leap through it. 





Hildibrand, as he lies dying on the field of battle, slain by one of the pair 
of charmed swords, his own broken, speaks to his brother who slew him :— 
IT is hard when a man is tated to slay his own brother. Drott bore 
me in Denmark and thee in Sweden. There were two charmed swords, 





I. hverr] emend.; hve, Cd. -2. brdédir] emend.; odrom, Cd. 


~~ 


a 


oe ee 





a ee eee oe eS oe ae ee nr ee ers ee i ee 


eC 


$2] HILDIBRAND’S LAY. 191 


Tveir véro peir ‘tyrvir giarnir.’ 
Budla nautar; nu es brotinn annarr; 
svi hafdo dvergar daudir sm{dat, 
sem engi mun 4dr né s{dan. 

Stendr mér at hafdi hlif in brotna: 
ero par taldir tigir ins Atta 10 
manna peirra es ek at mordi vard. 

Liggr par inn sv4si sonr ‘at hafdi’ 

cefstr, erfingi, es ek eiga gat, 

éviljandi aldrs synjadak. 

Bid-ek pik, brédir, boénar einnar; 15 
einnar beénar, eigi pu synja: 
mik skalti verja vodom pinom, 
sem fiars bani far annars mun. 

Nu verd-ek liggja lifs andvani 
meki undadr ‘banns magna sr.’ 20 


wm 


Il. 


Asmundr Litt vardi mik laga peirra 
[ Hodbrandr] ‘at mik mannz einskis ofyr kvadi’ 
q. p4-es mik til kappa kuro Htn-megir 

Atta sinnom fyr iafurs rfki. _ 
Bardomk einn vid einn, ok endr vid tv4, 25 
fimm ok fiéra ‘ flet-megninga,’ 
sex ok vid siau, senn 4 velli, 
einn ek vid Atta. 6 ek enn lifi. 
Pa hvarfladi hugr { bridsti, 
es menn ellifo ofr-kapp budo: 30 





that once were Budli’s—now one of them is broken,—the dead dwarves 
smithied them so as never was before nor ever shall be again. 

My broken buckler lies at my head, there are counted thereon four- 
score men whom I have slain. My sweet son lies there, the last ‘ of the 
reckoning,’ my heir after me that I begat, I have slain him unwittingly. 

I beg one boon of thee, brother, one boon, deny it me not—to wrap 
me in thine own raiment as no other slayer will do for him he has 
slain. 

Now I am lying, reft of my life, wounded by the sword in (some name 
of place here). 


The slayer of Hildibrand says: I little thought this fate [would have 
come upon me to do such a monstrous deed] .... when the Huns 
chose me as their champion, eight times, for the king’s realm. 

I fought man against man, then one man against two, against four, 
and against five heroes, then against six, and against seven in the 
field, one man against eight. Yet I am still alive. But my heart 
shook in my breast when eleven men challenged me at odds, till the 





_§. Read, Tyrfingar .. .? 13. cefstr] eptir, Cd. 20. Some name of 
lace hidden here, 22. Certainly mangled text. 


192 THE SIBYL’S POET. [ BK. IIL. 


4dr mer { svefni sagdo disir 

at ek hizr-leik bann heyja skyldak. 

P4 kom enn hfri Hildibrandr 

Huna-kappi, hann vard mér é6makr: 

ok ek markada medan 4 hénom 35 
her-kumbl hardlig fyr hialm nedan. 








§3. THE. SIBYES- POET. 


VOLO-SPA—THE SIBYL’S PROPHECY. 


Tus Lay, the highest spiritual effort of the heathen poetry of the 
North, is found in three texts. The first two leaves of R contain one; 
a stray leaf of Hauks-bék, c. 1310 (H), a second. This latter copy 
would almost appear to be the work of one who had learnt the poem 
from a sister-text to R, and written it down when it had a little faded 
from his memory, as he omits important passages such as that relating to 
Balder, ll. 87-93, 98-107, 211-212, inserts a few lines which are clearly 
mere stopgaps, being totally out of keeping with the rest, and adopts a 
confused arrangement. But we have a third text (incomplete it is true, 
but presenting both a better wording and a better order than either of 
the other two) in Snorri’s Edda, which gives quotations as well as para- 
phrase for ll. 9-12, 19-21, 35-40, 49-52, 70-77, 85-89, I10-117, 130— 
134, 137-140, 143-158, 161-178, 199-202, 207-210, 213-217, some go 
lines out of 220, and paraphrases of ll. 24-34, 41-48, 181-195, 199-206, 
some 30 lines more. 

The transpositions here made in the text are the following :— 

ll, 20-21, 144-155, placed as in Snorri’s text. 

ll. 203-217 removed from after 1. 109, according to the context and 
Snorri’s paraphrase. Further— 

ll, 83-86, 87-93, 94-97 have been interchanged. 

ll. 143-146 from their former position after l. 154. 

The Mnemonic Verses (p. 79), relating to the names of the Dwarves, 
Fates and Walkyries, have been removed as most certainly extraneous, 
though they had crept even into Snorri’s text. 

Four lines after 1. 103, taken from the Doom of Balder (ll. 41-44), of 
which they give a duplicate text, have been restored to their proper place 
in that poem, (see p. 183, 1. 41 sqq.) 

1. 187 in H is genuine, as proved by Snorri’s text. 


In the Notes the central part of both texts, R and H, is given for 


the sake of reference, 





fairies told me in my sleep that I should fight that sword-play out. 
Then came the hoary Hildibrand, the champion of the Huns; he was 
no fair match for me [because of our kinship], yet 1 marked on him 
hard war-tokens beneath his helmet..... 





§ 3.] ~. VOLO-SPA. 3 193 


The readings of the Wormianus MS, of Edda (W) have proved of 
the greatest weight in the determination of the words of the text. 

The title of the poem comes from Edda. Neither R nor H has any 
legible superscription. 

The earliest quotation of the poem is I. 175, cited by Arnor the Earl’s 
poet, c. 1064, in his dirge on Earl Thorfinn, Gunnlaug the monk (1140- 
1219) in his prophecy of Merlin (a paraphrase of Geoffrey’s famous 
prediction) imitates and uses phrases and words of Volospa; see, for 
instance, Il. 131, 134,176,177. Ari, in Yngl.S., ch. 4, treats of or even 
paraphrases ll. 64-69 of our poem; 1. 65 may be hence restored. 

Volospa falls into two great divisions, the first part relating to the 
past (unfortunately fragmentary in many places), giving the Genesis, and 
the second which deals with the future, setting forth the Eschatology 
of the author. The scene in each case is different; in the first the 
Wola or Sibyl is giving answers from her Sibyl’s seat in the midst of the 
assembly of the Gods; in the second she is ‘sitting out’ performing her 
enchantments and answering the anxious consultation of Woden. 

The structure of the latter part is strophical, with recurring burdens 
of couplets put in at regular intervals in a way which greatly heightens 
the effect of the words. 


i, 


Py Lions bid-ek allar Helgar kindir, 

meiri ok minni Mago Heimdallar. 

Vildo at ek, Valfadr, vel fyr telja 

forn-spiall fira, pau-es ek fremst um mank: 

ek man Iatna 4r um borna 5 
p4-es fordom mik foédda hafdo ; 

nio man ek heima, nio {vidjor ; 

Miatud meran fyr mold nedan. 


Ar vas alda pat-es ekki vas; 
vasa sandr né ser né svalar unnir, 10 
iard fansk zva né upp-himinn ; 
Gap vas Ginnunga, enn gras ekki, 
4dr Bars synir biddom um ypdo 
peir-es midgard meran sképo. 








For a hearing I pray all Holy Beings [Gods], and the sons of Heimdall 
high and low [all men]. Thou O Wal-Father [Woden] wouldst have me 
set forth in order the histories of men as far back as | remember. I re- 
member the Giants born of yore, who bred me up long ago. I remem- 
ber nine Worlds, nine Sibyls, a glorious Judge beneath the earth. 

In the beginning, when naught was, there was neither sand nor sea 
nor the cold waves, nor was earth to be seen nor heaven above. There 
was a Yawning Chasm [chaos], but grass nowhere, ere that the sons'of 
Bor, who made the blessed earth, raised the flat ground. Then the, 





1. Helgar] add. H; om. R. 3. viltu at ek vafodrs vel fram t., H.- 


4. ek] add. H. 7. ividjor] H; ividi, R. 8. miotvid, H; miotuip, Ry. 
g. W; par es Ymir bygdi, R, H. 12. ekki] H,@WV; hvergi, R. pivgeth OG; 


10) 


194 THE SIBYL’S POET. [ BK. m1. 


S6l skein sunnan 4 salar-steina ; 15 
pa vas grund groin grcénom lauki. 

S6l varp sunnan sinni mana 

hendi inni hégri um himin-iodur. 

S6l pat ne vissi hvar hon sali Atti, 

mani pat ne vissi hvat hann megins Atti, 20 
stiarnor pat ne visso hvar per stadi #tto. 


bé gengo Regin oll a rok-st6la, 
ginn-heilig Gob, ok um pat gettosk: 
Natt ok nidjom nafn um gdfo, 
morgin héto ok midjan dag, 25 
undorn ok aptan, arom at telja. 
Hittosk sir 4 Ida-velli, 
peir-es harg ok hof h4-timbrodo ; 
afla lagdo, aud sm{dodo; 
tangir sképo ok tél gcerdo. 30 
Tefldo { ttini, teitir varo; 
vas beim vettugis vant or golli: 
Unz priar kv6mo Pursa meyjar 
amatkar miak or Iatun-heimom. 


bé gengo Regin oll a rok-stéla, 35 
ginn-heilig God, ok um pat gettosk: 
Hverr skyldi Dverga drétt of skepia 
or brimi bl6égo ok or Blains leggjom. 
Par man-lfkon marg um goerdosk 





Sun shone forth from the south on the dwelling-stones, and the fields 
were mantled with green herbs. The Sun from the south, with the 
moon her fellow, cast her right hand on the edge of Heaven [entered 
the gates of the horizon]. The Sun knew not her inn, nor the Moon 
his dominion, nor the Stars their place. 

Then all the Powers, the most high Gods, assembled to their judg- 
ment-seats and took counsel together, giving names to Night and the 
New Moons [phases of Moons]: they called Morningtide and Midday, 
Afternoon and Eventide by their names, for the counting of seasons. 

The Anses met on Ida-plain, and raised high places and temples, 
setting forges, and fashioning treasures, shaping tongs and making 
tools. They played at tables in the court and were happy, they 
lacked not gold till there came three most loathsome Titan maids from 
Giant-land. 

* * * * % * * 

Then all the Powers, the most high Gods, assembled to their judg- 

ment-seats and took counsel together, who should create’ Dwarf-kind 


os 





18. iodur, H; iodyr, R. z0. W; R transposes Il. 20 and 21. See, 
afis kostodo allz freistodo, H, which om. 1. 28. 32. vettugis] H; vettergis, R. 
37. W; hverir—dvergar drottir, R and H. 38. W and H; or brimiss bl6di. 


ok or blam 1, R. 39. par—goerdosk] W ; peir—geerdo, R, H. 








es 





§ 3.] VOLO-SPA. 195 


dvergar { iardo, sem Durinn sagdi. 40 


Unz prir kvomo or pvf lidi 
afigir ok Astkir Alsir at hisi: 
Fundo 4 landi, lftt-megandi, 
Ask ok Emblo arlag-lausa. 
Ond pan ne #tto; 65 pau ne hafdo; 45 
14 né leti, né lito gdda. 
Ond gaf Odinn; 66 gaf Heenir; 
14 gaf Lééurr ok lito géda. 


Ask veit ek ausinn, heitir Yggdrasill, 
h4r badmr heilagr, hvfta auri: 50 
Padan koma dcoeggvar peers f dala falla; 
stendr x yfir groenn Uréar-brunni. 
Padan koma meyjar margs vitandi 
pridr or peim sal es und bpolli stendr: 
per lag lagdo, peer Iff kuro, 55 
alda barnom cerlag at segja. 


Pat man-ek ‘ folk-vig’ fyrst { heimi, 
es Gollveig geirom studdo, 
ok { hall Hars hana brendo; 
prysvar brendo, prysvar borna, 60 
opt désialdan. 6 hon enn lifir. 


bé gengo Regin ill a rok-stéla, 





from the bloody surf and the Giants’ black bones; they fashioned out 
of earth, in the image of man, many Dwarves as Durinn commanded. 
* * * * * * * 

Till out of this host there came to the house three Anses, mighty 
and blessed. They found Ask and Embla helpless and futureless on 
the ground. The breath of life was not in them, they had neither 
feeling nor motion, nor utterance, nor comely hues. Woden gave 
the breath of life, Hoenir feeling, Lodur utterance and comely hues. 

I know an Ash, a high-towering Holy Tree, called Ygg-drasil 
[Woden’s steed, gallows], besprinkled with white loam; whence come 
the dews that fall in the dales. It spreads ever green over the 
Weird’s burn; whence come the Three Virgins of manifold wisdom, 
from the Well beneath the tree. They have laid down the fate, and 
chosen the life and spoken the destinies of the children of men. 

The first war in the world that I [the Sibyl] remember was when they 
speared Gold-weig [Gold-draught], and burnt her in the High One’s 
Hall; thrice was she burnt, and thrice reborn, though still she lives. 


*% * * * * * * 
Then all the Powers, the most high Gods, assembled tostheir judg- 





41. priar, R. 42. H; dstgir, R; husi, R, H; sevar strondo, Edda. 43- 
aa landi, H. 46. la né leti] thus R and H; read, lat ne Jeti? 49. ausinn 
—heilagr] W; standa—ausinn, R, H. 54. sal] Edda and H; se, R. 56. 
W, H; orlog seggia, R. 57. man-ek] man hon, RH. 


02 


196 THE SIBYL’S POET. [BK. mI. 


ginn-heilig God, oh um pat gaitosk: 
' Hvart skyldo sir afrad gialda, 
gislar seljask, edr gildi eiga. 65 
Fleygdi Odinn ok f folk um skaut; 
Pat vas enn folk-vig fyrst { heimi. 
Brotinn vas bord-veggr borgar Asa, 
knatto Vanir vig-sp4 vallo sporna. 


Bé gengo Regin oll a rok-stéla, 3 70 
ginn-heilig God, ok um pat gettosk : 
Hverr hef6i lopt allt levi blandit, 
eda ztt iatuns Ods mey gefna. 

Pérr einn par va prunginn méddi, 
hann sialdan sitr es hann slikt um fregn. 75 
gengosk eidar, ord ok scéri, 
ml all meginlig es 4 medal féro. 


II. 


Het hana héto hvars til hisa kom, 
velo vél-sp4; vitti hon ganda; 
seid hon kunni; seid hon leikin; 80 
ze vas hon angan illrar bridar. 


Valdi henni Herfadr hringa ok men, 
fé-spiall spaklig ok sp4-ganda ; 
s4 hon vitt ok um vitt of verald hverja. 
S4 hon Valkyrjor vitt um komnar, 85 
goervar at rida til God-piddar. 





ment-seats and took counsel together, whether the Anses should pay 
tribute, or were they to exchange hostages and make a league. Woden 
hurled spears and shot into the host. This was the first war in the 
world. The paled-wall of the Burgh of the Anses was broken, the 
Wanes [Gods] marched over the plains that rung with war. 

Then all the Powers, the most high Gods, assembled to their judg- 
ment-seats and took counsel together to 4nzow who had charged the 
air with noisome venom and given the Maid of Od [Freya] to Giant- 
kind. Thor alone was swelling with wrath, he seldom sits still when 
he hears such news. .Then were utterly broken all oaths and plighted 
faith and mighty leagues sworn between them. 


II. Wheresoever she came to a house they called her Haid, the sooth- 
saying Sibyl; she charmed divining rods, she knew witchcraft, she was 
aye the delight of the evil Bride [Hell]. 

The Father of Hosts endowed her with rings and necklaces, with 
cunning treasure-spells and rods of divination. She could see far and 
wide through all the worlds. She could see the Wal-choosers travel- 
ling afar, ready to ride to God-folk. 





65. Emend.; eda skyldi godin oll gildi eiga, R, H, corrupt (see Yngl. S. ch. 4). 
74. bar va] pat va, W; par vas, R. 80. seid hon hvars hon kunni, seid hon 
hugleikin, H. ; 














$3.] . VOLO-SPA. 197 


Ein sat hon Uti, pa-es inn aldni kom 
yggiongr Asa, ok { augo leit: 
Hvers fregnit mik? Hvi freistié min? 
Allt veit-ek, Odinn, hvar pi auga falt 90 
{ enom mera Mimis-brunni. 
Drekkr miad Mimir morgin hverjan 
af vedi Valfaodr.—Vitod &r enn eda hval? 
Veit-ek Heimdalar hlid6d um folgit 
undir heid-vaanom helgom badmi: 98 
A sé-ek ausask aurgom forsi 
af vedi Valfaodrs.—Vitod ér enn eda hvat? 


Ek sé Baldri, bl6dgom tivor, 

Odins barni cerlag folgin: 

st66 um vaxinn vallom heri 100 
miér ok miawk fagr Mistil-teinn. 

Vard af peim meidi, er mer syndisk, 

harm-flaug heettlig—Hadr man ski6ta. 

Enn Frigg um grét { Fen-salom 

vo Valhallar—Vztod ér enn eda hvatP 105 





Oia a , iy 
™ v— 


Hapt sé-ek liggia und Hvera-lundi 
legiarns lfki, Loka 4pekkjan. 
Par sitr Sigyn beygi um sinom 





ver vel glyjod.—Vitod & enn eda hvat? 

We 

e Austr byr in aldna { Iarn-vidi 110 
k 


She was sitting alone without when_the aged Patriarch of the Anses 
[Woden] came and looked into her eyes. What ask ye me? Why 
tempt ye me? I know it all, O Woden, where thou hiddest thine eye 
in the holy Well of Mimi, who quaffs mead every morning from Wal- 
Father’s pledge.—Know ye yet or what? 

I [the Sibyl] know the trumpet-blast of Heimdal, hid beneath the 
wide-shadowing Holy Tree. I see a stream rush in rapids over the 
pledge of Wal-Father.—Know ye yet or what? 

I behold Fate looming for Balder, Woden’s son, the bloody victim. 
There stands the Mistletoe slender and delicate, blooming high above 
the ground. Out of this shoot, so slender to look on, there shall grow 
a harmful fateful shaft. Hod shall shoot it, but Frigga in Fen-hall shall 
weep over the woe of Wal-hall.—Know ye yet or what? 

I behold a captive lying under Cauldron-holt, the bodily semblance of 
Loki the guileful. There Sigyn sits, sad of heart, over her husband.— 
Know ye yet or what? 

Eastward in Ironwood the aged witch is sitting, breeding the brood 


CRATORESEE. 


ae 


Pr RE ESE St te i eT Oe E Celipi 





94, 96. veit-ek, sé-ek] veit hon, ser hon, R. 98. ek sé] ek sd, R. 102. 
R here sticks in four lines from the Doom of Balder, see p. 183, ll. 41-44. 103. 
man] nam, R. 106. sé-ek] s& hon, R. 107. legiarn liki, R; instead of 


verses 106-7 H has—pé kn4 Vala vigbénd snua, heldr voro hardgoér hopt or bormom, 
par s., etc. 110. byr—foedir] W; sat—foeddi, Rem 


198 THE SIBYL’S POET. [BK. Il. 


ok fédir par Fenriss kindir ; 

veror af peim allom einna nokkorr 

tungls titigari { trollz hami. 

Fyllisk fizorvi feigra manna; 

ryér ragna siét raudom dreyra. - 115 
Svart verda sél-skin; né sumor eptir; 

vedr all valynd.—Vitod & enn eda hvat? 





Sat bar 4 haugi ok slé harpo, 

gygjar hirdir glaér Egepér; 

g6l um hanom { gagl-vidi 120 
fagr-rauér hani s4-es Fialarr heitir. 

Gél um Asom Gollin-kambi ; 4 
sa vekr halda at Herja-fadrs ; | 
enn annarr gelr fyr iard hedan 

Sét-raudr hani at swlom Heljar. 125 


Geyr nti Garmr miok fyr Gnipa-hellt, 
Jesir mun slitna, enn Frekt renna. 





Fiald veit-ek froéda; fram sé-ek lengra 
um Ragna-rak ram sig-tiva :— 
Breéér mono berjask, ok at banom verdask; 130 
muno systrungar sifjom spilla. 
Hart es f heimi, hérdémr mikill, 
skeggi-ald, skalm-ald, skildir klofnir, 
vind-ald, varg-ald, 46r verald steypisk. 
Leika Mims synir; enn Miatudédr kyndisk 135 





of Fenri [the Wolf-ogre], from whom there shall spring one amongst 
them all in ogre shape that shall pitch the Moon out of Heaven. He | 


shall feed on the lives of death-doomed mortals, spattering the heavens 4 
with red blood. ‘The sunshine shall wax dark, nor shall any summer . 
follow, and all the winds shall turn to blight.—Know ye yet or what? 4 


On a mound there sat striking a harp the giantesses’ shepherd, Egg- 
theow the Gladsome; in Gaggle-brake, a bright-red chanticleer whose 
name is Fialar was crowing to her. The cock Gold-comb is crowing 
to the Anses, waking the warriors of the Father of Hosts. Another 
cock, Sooty-red, crows under the earth in the halls of Hell.—Fiercely 
Garm [the hell-hound] bays before the cave of the Rock, the chain 
shall snap and the Wolf range free! 

Tales-a-many the Sibyl can tell. I see farther in the future, the 
mighty Doom of the blessed Gods, Brothers shall fight and slay one | 
another, kinsfolk shall break the bonds of kindred. It shall go hard a 
with the world: much of whoredom, an age of axes, an age of swords, 
shields shall be cloven, an age of storm, an age of wolves, ere the world 
falls in ruin. The sons of Mimi are astir, the Judge is moving at the ag 





116. né sumor eptir] emend.; of sumor eptir, R. 128. veit-ek] veit hon, i 
R; fram sé ek lengra fiold kann ek segja, H. 130. verdask] W; verda, R 
132. i heimi] med héldom, W. 133. skeggi-dld] W. _ skildir] W; skildir ro, R. 
134. R adds—mun engi madr 6érom pyrma; H adds—grundir gialla gifr fliugandi, 
m. €, m, 6. p. 








‘ 
= 
f 
i 


ae ands ee 


a eee eee ee 


§3.] VOLO-SPA. 199 


at eno galla Giallar-horni. 

Hatt bless Heimdallr; horn es 4 lopti; 

melir Odinn vid Mims hafud. 

Skelfr Yggdrasils askr standandi, 

Ymr id aldna tré; enn IJatunn losnar. 140 


Geyr ni Garmr miok fyr Gnipa-hellt, 
Sestr mun slitna, enn Freki renna. 


Hvat es med Asom? Hyvat es med Alfom? 
Gnyr allr Iatun-heimr. Atsir ro 4 pingi. 
Stynja Dvergar fyr stein-durom, 145 
' vege-bergs visir.—Vztod ér enn eda hvat? 
Hrymr ekr austan, hefisk lind fyrir; 
snysk I~rmun-gandr { iatun-mddi. 
Ormr knyr unnir; enn ari hlakkar. 
Slitr nai nef-faolr. Naglfar losnar. 150 
Kidll ferr vestan; koma muno Muspellz 
um lag lydir, enn Loki stfrir; 
fara fifl-megir med Freka allir, 
peim es brddir Byleistz { feor. 
Surtr ferr sunnan me sviga levi; 155 
skinn af sverdi s6l val-tiva: 
Gridt-biarg gnata, enn gffr hrata ; 
troda Halir hel-veg, enn himinn klofnar. 


[Geyr né Garmr miok fyr Gnipa-helli, 
Jestr mun shitna, enn Freki renna.| ma | 





blast of the Horn of Roaring. Loud blows Heimdal, the Horn is on 
high, Woden talks with Mimi’s head, the towering Ash Ygg-drasil 
quivers, the aged tree groans, the Giants have broken loose.—Fiercely 
bays Garm, etc. 

How do the Anses fare? How do the Elves fare? All Giant-land is 
rumbling from end to end. The Anses are assembled. The Dwarves 
are moaning before their doors of stone, the inmates of the rocks.— 
Know ye yet or what? 

The Giant Hrym comes driving from the east; high he holds his 


’ linden shield; the Monster Dragon writhes in giant-fury ; the Serpent 


lashes the waves; the Eagle screams; Pale-neb [the vulture] tears the 
corpses; Nail-board [the Ship of Doom] is launched. A bark is speed- 
ing from the west; the sons of Muspell [the World-Destroyers] are 
crossing the sea, with Loki for steersman. All the Demons are marching 
with the Wolf; Byleist’s brother [Loki] is in their ranks. 

From the south comes Giant Swart, fire in hand; the sword of the 
Demon of Death shines like the sun. The granite-rocks are rending, 
the ravines fall in, the Dead are marching up the road of Hell, the 
Heavens are riven.—Fiercely bays Garm, etc. 





136. gamla, H, 140. H here adds—hredaz allir 4 helvegum adr Surtar 
pann sevi of gleypir. 151. vestan] emend.; austan, R, H. 157. hrata] W; 
rata, R, 159-60. R here at the junction of lines jpadvertently omits the burden. 


200 THE SIBYL’S POET. [BK. III. 


b4 koemr Hlinar harmr annarr fram 
es Odinn ferr vid Ulf vega,— 
enn bani Belja biartr at Surti— 
par man Friggjar falla angan. 
b4 koemr inn mikli magr Sigfador 165 
Vidarr vega at val-dyri: 
letr hann megi Hvedrungs mund um standa 
hier til hiarta. 4 es hefnt fador. 
P4 koeemr inn meri magr Hlddynjar, 
Odins sonr, vid Orm vega. 170 
Drepr hann af médi Midgardz veorr; 
gengr fet nio Fiorgynjar burr 
neppr fra Nadri nids ékviédnom. 
Muno Halir allir heim-stad rydja..... 


S61 mun sortna; soekkr fold { mar; 175 
hverfa af himni heidar stiarnor : 
geisar eimi ok aldr-nari; 
leikr har hiti vid himin sialfan. 


Geyr ni Garmr miok fyr Gnipa-hellt, 
Jestr mun slitna, enn Frekt renna. 180 


III. 


Si-rx upp koma aro sinni 
iard or egi idja-grceéna. 





Hlin’s second woe shall now come to pass when Woden goes forth 
to fight with the Wolf, and Beli’s bright slayer [Frey] encounters Swart. 
Frigga’s darling must die there. Then shall Widar, mighty son of the 
Father of Hosts, go forth to fight the Beast. He shall thrust his sword 
down the Monster’s jaws right tothe heart. Then is his father avenged. 

Then shall Hlodyn’s glorious child, Woden’s son [Thor], go forth to 
fight with the Dragon. Earth’s Holy Warder shall slay him in his 
might. Nine paces back from the accursed serpent reels the Son of 
Earth [Thor]. 

The inmates of Hell [the evil dead] shall all sweep over the earth.... 

The sun turns to darkness, Earth sinks into the deep, the bright 
stars vanish from out the heavens, fume and flame rage together, the 
lofty blaze plays against the very heavens.—Fiercely bays Garm, etc. 


III. I behold Earth rise again with its evergreen forests out of the 





164. angan] W, H; Angantyr, R. 165. W reads—Gengr Odins son vid 
Ulf vega | Vidarr of veg at val-dyri. 169. W reads thus—Gengr hinn meri 
mogr Sigfédur | neppr af Nadri nids dkvidnom; | muno halir allir heimstod rydja } 
er af médi drepr midgaréz veorr. 170. gengr Odins sonr, R. Orm] emend.; 
Ulf, R. 171. veor, R. 174. Removed two lines down, 175. 
man—scekkr, W; tér—sigr, R, H. 177. ok aldr-nari] W, H; vid aldrnara, R, 


181. sé-ek] sér hon, R, H. 


+ 
; 
a 
so 
* 
i 
' 
: 
t 
; 





, 
e 
3 





$3.] VOLO-SPA. 201 


Falla forsar ; flygr arn yfir ; 
si es 4 fialli fiska veidir. 


Finnask sir 4 Ida-velli, 185 
ok um mold-binur mattkan doéma ; 
ok minnask par 4 megin-déma, 
ok 4 Fimbul-tyss fornar riunar. 
Par muno eptir undrsamligar 
gollnar taflor { grasi finnask 190 
pers { 4r-daga Attar hafdo. 
Muno 6ésdnir akrar vaxa ; 
bals mun allz batna; Baldr mun koma: 
Bua peir Hadr ok Baldr Hroptz sig-toptir, 
vé val-tiva.—Vztod é& enn eda hvatP 195 


P4 kn4 Heénir hlaut-vid kidésa ; 
ok burir byggja broédra tveggja 
vind-heim vidan.—Vz/0d ér enn eda hvat? 


Sal veit-ek standa sdélo fegra, 
golli pakédan 4 Gimlé: 200 
par skolo dyggvar dréttir byggja, 
ok um aldr-daga yndiss nidta. 
Stendr fyr nordan 4 Nida-fiallom 
salr or golli Sindra eettar, 
enn annarr stendr 4 Okolni | 205 
bidér-salr Iatuns, enn sa Brimir heitir. 


Sal veit-ek standa sdlo fiarri 
N4-strando 4, norér horfa dyrr: 





deep; the waters fall in rapids; above~hovers the eagle, that fisher of 
the falls. The Anses meet on Ida-plain, they talk of the mighty Earth- 
serpent, and remember the great decrees, and the ancient mysteries 
of Fimbul-ty [the unknown God]. There shall be found in the grass 
wonderful golden tables, their own in days of yore. The fields un- 


’ sown shall yield their increase. All sorrows shall be healed. Balder shall 


come back. Balder and Hod shall dwell in Woden’s mansions of Bliss, 
in the holy places of the blessed Gods.—Know ye yet or what? 

Then shall Heeni choose the rods of divination aright, and the sons of 
the Twin-brethren shall inhabit the wide world of the winds.—Know 
ye yet or what? 

I see a hall, brighter than the sun, shingled with gold, standing on 
Gem-lea. The righteous shall dwell therein and live in bliss for ever. 

Northward in the mounts of Darkness [No-Moon] stands a hall of 
gold, hostel of Dwarves. But on Okoln [Uncold] stands another, called 
Surf [Brimi], the Giant’s drinking-hall. 

Far from the sun on Corse-strand I behold a hall, whose doors 





187. Add. H, see Edda paraphrase. 189. pa muno #sir . . . finna, H. 
191. Here a line is missing. 195. vel val tivar, R; vel vell tivar, H ; cp. 
Vpm., Vidarr ok Vali byggja ve goda, 196. hlut-vid, H. 199. veit-ek] 
W ; a ae: R. 203 and 205. stendr] stéd, R. 207. veit-ek] W; 
sa hon, R. 


202 THE CHRISTIAN POET. [ BK. 111. 


falla eitr-dropar inn um lidéra 

s4 es undinn salr orma hryggjom. 210 
A fellr austan um eitr-dala 

soxom ok sverdom, Slidr heitir st: 

Skolo par vada punga strauma 

menn mein-svara ok moré-vargar, 

ok sa annars glepr eyra-rtino: 215° 
par kvelr Nié-hager nai fram-gengna; 
sleit vargr vera.—Vitod ér enn eda hvat? 


Par koemr inn dimmi dreki fliigandi, 
nadr frann, nedan fra Nida-fiallom ; 
berr ser { fiodrom—flfgr vall yfir— 220 
Nidhagegr naii—Nt mun hon scekvask ! 








(4. THE CHRIS TRAN «POR 


SOLAR-LIOD; or, THE SUN-SONG ann 
THE CHRISTIAN’S WISDOM. 


THE following poems, which stand quite alone, are contained only 
in indifferent paper copies of the seventeenth century, without any 
trace of their origin, age, or MSS. We can only be sure that these 
copies are all derived from one single vellum, nay, even from a single 
copy of a single vellum. A guess may be hazarded that the lost original 
may have been the missing leaves of AM. 748. Throughout the whole 
of the Middle Ages there is neither trace nor hint of the existence 
of these poems, which are indeed first mentioned by Biorn of Skardsa, | 
in a MS. Essay (unpublished), now at Stockholm (Royal Libr. No. 38), 
where he speaks of the ‘ Old Solar-liod’ (referring to the words ‘ fadar 





stand northwards, In through its luffer drops of venom are falling, 
its roof is thatched with adders. A river, called Slide, whose waters 
are knives and swords, flows through Venom Dales. There shall the 
murderers and the mansworn wade through heavy streams, while 
Nidhogg [Backbiter] the serpent is sucking the corses of the dead, 
and a Wolf is ravening on men.—Know ye yet or what? 

Hither comes Nidhogg, the dark Dragon, the fiery serpent winging 
his way up from the hills of Darkness, flying over the earth with corses 
on his wings. 

Now must the Siby] sink, 





209. W; fello, R. 213. skolo] W; sa hon par v., R. 215. W omits 
this verse. s&] emend.; pann, R, H. 216. kvelr] W; saug, R. 218. 
H here adds—pa koemr hinn riki at regin-démi | Gflugr ofan s& es dllo rar. 











he in 


Pte: a 


a ae 


fr ap. rine ee ise lites if re, 


§ 4.] SOLAR-LIOD. 203 


feikn-stéfom’ in 1. 112 of the present text). Later in the same century, 
when Szemund’s name had been connected with the ‘ Poetic Edda,’ of 
which he was then popularly supposed to be the author, a myth sprang 
up that this poem was the /ast composed by Semund, and that he 
sung it rising from the bier three days after his death. A perusal 
of the Sun-Song will easily show how this story arose. It has been 
supposed that the story of Swafr and Skarthedinn is that of Gunlaug 
and Raven (Proleg. p. 81), told under feigned names; but it is not 
safe to press the details of Gunlaug and Raven’s Saga, and the incident 
of the mutual slaughter there may just as well be copied from the 
tradition of our poet, as our poet’s tragedy derived from the Saga. 
Nor can anything be gleaned from the supposed derivation of ‘ Drauma- 
quedi,’ the Norwegian ballad, No. 7 of Landstad’s Collection; for be- 
er the coincidence of the words ‘Drauma quedi’ and ‘f draumi 

veOit,’ 1. 182, which could hardly escape occurring in two poems on 
a ‘dream’ or trance, there is absolutely no connection between our 
poems and the ballad. The ballad, indeed, may rather be paralleled by 
some fragments in North-English ballads, such as Clerk Saunders. 

That our poems are old (eleventh century?) there can be no doubt; 
they are in an old metre, and preserve the quantity accurately. It is 
not unlikely that the author, or authors, may have known Volospa. 
The spiritual connection between the two poets, one a heathen with 
glimpses of Christianity, the other a Christian with heathen remem- 
brances, warrants us in placing their works in juxtaposition. The sub- 
ject of the Sun-Song was a favourite one in the tenth and eleventh 
centuries, and we have a number of medizval visions, foregangers of 
the great Comedy which has obscured them all. The Sun-Song poet 
seems to quote from some lost ritualistic poem, such as our Spell-Song 
(Book i. § 3), whence he borrows the mystic phrases which are enigmas 
to us. 

It is a curious fact that these striking poems have left no traces on 
a single Icelandic poet. Probably a pair of half-effaced parchment 
leaves alone preserved them from oblivion through the Middle Ages. 

The best of the paper copies, which are in no very good state, and 
in the second generation from the vellum, is that marked I, in Bugge’s 
edition, No, 166 in 8vo. of the AM. Collection, and our text is chiefly 
derived from it. Its date is c. 1660. 

Both poems are, we doubt not, of Western origin. 

In the MS. the two poems which we have here separated are run 
together without division, the headless Christian’s Wisdom first, and 
then following without break or capital letter the Sun-Song. The 
latter perfectly distinct in subject, regularly divided into three parts, 
Death, Hell, and Heaven, and ending with its rightful epilogue, which 
gives us the title ‘Sun-Song.? The poet must have given it this title 
from the striking words ‘s6l ek sa,’ seven times repeated in the first 
part of this lay. 

_The Sun-SonG is told by a dead father in a vision of the night to 
his son, for his instruction. The father in the frst part tells him, in 
what is the finest passage of the poem, of his death and how he lay, 
with corse-bound soul, a night ere the spirit fled, and then after nine 
days in the Norns’ Chair passed into the world of Hell, In the second 
part he describes how he saw there ten kinds of torments for different 
kinds of sins. In the third part (of which some verses are, we believe, 
lost), the father recounts six of the joys of Heaven. He ends his vision 
with a beautiful Prayer, and a last word to his son. 


204 THE CHRISTIAN POET. [BK. 11. | 


The TEXT is in a tolerably fair state; one or two of the maimed pas- 
sages we have been able to heal, but there are certainly some verses 
lost. The division between the parts is marked by the words ‘ Fra 
pvi es at segja;’ but the verses with these words which began the 
third part ‘ Heaven’ are lost. 


I. 


PRA pvi es at segja, hve sell ek vas 
yndis-heimi {: 
ok eno adro, hve yta synir 
verOa naudgir at nom. 
2. Vil ok dul telir viréda sono, % 
pa-es fikjask 4 fé: 
lidsir aurar verda at langom trega: 
Margan hefir audr apat. 
3. Gladér at margo pdétta-ek gumnom vesa; | 
pvi-at ek vissa fatt fyrir: to 
dvalar-heim hefir Dréttinn skapat 
muna-fullan mizok. 


het 


4. Litr ek sat; lengi ek hallodomk ; 
miak vas ek pa lystr at lifa: 
enn s4 ré6, es rfkri vas: 15 
Frammi ero feigs gator. 
5. Heljar reip kémo hardliga 
sveigd at sfd6om mer: 
slita ek vilda, enn pau sterk vdéro: 
Létt es lauss at fara. 20 
6. inn ek vissa, hverso alla vega 
sullo sutir mer: 





I, DEATH. 


Now I shall begin to tell how happy I was in this World of Delight, 
next how the sons of men go down into the grave against their will. 

Vanity and Pride deceive the children of men who set their heart 
on riches; bright gold turns to long grief. ‘Wealth hath befooled 
many.’ 

Happy in every way was I in men’s eyes, for I could not see far 
before me. Surely the Lord has made this world we live in very full 
of pleasures. 

Bowed down I sat, drooping a long while; great was my desire to 


live, but He, the Stronger, had His will. ‘The doomed men’s race 


is run.2 The cords of Hell were hard-girt round my sides. I tried 
to break them, but they were strong. ‘Lightly he walks whose limbs 
are free.’ None but myself knew how the pains got hold of me on 





2. yndis-heimi] thus I. 4. name (i.e. naam), Cd, 11, dular-heim, I, 
15. rikri] emend. ; rikr, Cd. Ig. sterk] seig, I. 











awe rere 


= 
Ps 
¥ 
. 

f 
Ns 


5 Pa 





§ 4.] SOLAR-LIOD. 205 


Heljar meyjar, es mer 4 hverjo kveldi 
heima hrolla budo. 


7. S6l ek sd, sanna dag-stiarno, 25 
dripa dyn-heimom f: 
enn Hel-grindr heyrdag annan veg 
pidta pungliga. 
8. Sé6l ek sd, setta dreyr-stafom ; 
miak vas-ek b4 or heimi hallr ; 30 
mattug hon leizk 4 marga vega 
fra pvi es fyrri vas. 
g. S6l ek s4; svd pdtti mer 
sem ek seja gafgan God: 
Henni ek laut hinzta sinni 35 
alda-heimi f. 
10. Sdél ek s4; sv4 hon geisladi, 
at ek pbéttomk veetki vita: 
En Gylfar-straumar grenjodo annan veg 
| blandnir miak vid bI1d6é. 40 
11. S6l ek sd, 4 siénom skialfandi, 
hreezlo-fullr ok hnipinn : 
pvi-at hiarta mftt vas hardla miak 
runnit sundr: { sega. 
12. Sd6l ek s4, sialdan hrygegvari ; 45 
miak vas-ek ba or heimi hallr: 
tunga min vas til trés metin, 
ok kolnud at fyr utan. 
13. S06] ek s4, sfdan aldregi 
eptir penna dapra dag: 50 





every side. The Maids [messengers] of Hell called me home to them 
every evening. ; 

I saw the Sun, right Star of Day, sink in a World of Storm, while 
on the other side I heard the gates of Hell clang heavily. 

I saw the Sun go down, with characters of blood thereon, well- 


-nigh gone was I out of this world; more glorious did he then appear 


than ever he had done before. 

I saw the Sun, I felt as if I were looking on the glory of God. 
I bowed to him [the Sun] for the last time in this world of mortals. 

I saw the Sun, so bright he beamed, that I fell in a swoon; while 
on the other side roared boiling streams, deep-dyed with blood. 

I saw the Sun, with trembling eyes, shrinking and full of dread, for 
my heart was utterly melted away into clots. 

I saw the Sun, never was I more sorrowful, well-nigh gone was I out 
of this world; my tongue was become dry as it were wood, and all 
without was stiff with cold, 

I saw the Sun never more after that dreary day, for the mountain 





23-24. Emend., by transposing the words; er mer hrolla budo heim 4 hverjo kveldi, 
Cd, (false quantity, - u). 39. Gylvar, I (not Giallarjm 48. kolnud) add. I. 


206 THE CHRISTIAN POET. [BK. m1. 


pvi-at fialla-vatn lukdosk fyr mer saman; 
enn ek hvarf kallaér fra kvalom. 
14.  VaAnar-stiarna flaug,—p4 vas-ek hreeddr— 
brot fra bridstom mer; 
hatt at hon f16; hvergi settisk, 55 
sva-at hon metti hvil6 hafa. 
15. Ollom lengri vas sid in eina nétt, 
es ek 14 stirdér 4 strom: 
Pat merkir es melti God: 
Madr es moldo iamn. 60 
16.  Virdi pat ok viti inn virki God, 
sa-es sk6p haudr ok himin: 
hve munadar-lausir margir fara, 
‘pé6 vid skylda skili.’ 
17. Sinna verka nytr seggja hver: 65 
sell es sd-es gdétt goerir. 
Audi fra es mer etlud vas 
sandi orpin seeing. 
18. Hearundar hungr telir halda opt; 
hann hefir margr til mikinn..... 40 
Lauga vatn, es mer leidast vas 
eitt allra hluta. 


19. A Norna stéli sat-ek nio daga; 
padan vas-ek 4 hest hafidr: 
gygjar sdlir skino grimmliga 75 
: or Sky-dripniss skidm! 
20. Utan ok innan péttomk ek alla fara 
sigr-himna siau: 





waters closed over my head, and I departed being called out of my 
torment. 

The star of Hope flew up from my breast (sore afraid was I then). 
High she soared, nor once alighted that she might take her rest. 
Longer than the rest was that one night when I lay stark on straw; 
then was fulfilled the word of God, ‘Man is but as dust.’ Consider 
and take heed, O great God, that made earth and heaven, how woe- 
begone many fare..... Every man reaps the fruit of his own works; 
blessed is he that doeth good. For a// my riches a bed of sand was 
made ready for me. The Lust of the Flesh oftentimes deceives men, 
many a man has too much thereof..... The water of cleansing was 
to me of all things most loathsome. 

Nine days I sat in the seat of the Norns, whence I was lifted on a 
horse; mock suns shone grim out of the windows of a cloud-charged 
heaven. Within and without, through all the Seven blessed Heavens, 





53. hreddr] emend. ; feddr, Cd. 57. vas] er, I. 59. mezlti God] 
Gud malti, Cd. 60. moldo iamn] emend.; moldu sami, I. 63. hve} 
for hversu, I. 68. se#'ng] (uu) a vowel before a vowel. 70. Something 
missing here ? 73. stol, I. 74. hafinn, Cd, 76. skiém] thus mended ; 


skyom for skijom, Cd. (not skyjom), 78. himna] AM. 738; heima, Cd. 





§ 4.] SOLAR-LIOD. 207 
upp ok. nidr leitada-ek dra vegar, 
hvar mer veri greidastar gator. 80 
II. 


21. Fra pvf es at segja, hvat ek fyrst um sé, 
pa ek vas { kval-heima kominn: 
Svidnir foglar, es salir véro, 
flugo margir sem my. 
22. Vestan sd-ek fliiga Vanar-Dreka, 85 
ok fella glevalldz gato: 
vengi peir skéko, sv4-at vida mer pétti 
springa haudr ok himinn. 
23.  Sdélar-hiart leit-ek sunnan fara; 
hann teymdo tveir ‘saman :’ go 
feétr hans st6do foldo 4; 
enn téko horn til himins. 
24. Nordan sd4-ek rida Nidja sono; 
ok véro siau saman ; 
hornom fullom drukko peir inn hreina miad 95 
or brunni Baug-reeriss. 


25.  Vindr pagnadi; vatn stadvadi. 
b4 heyrda-ek grimmligan gn¥: 
Sinom mzannom svip-visar konor 
mélo mold til matar. 100 
26. Dreyrga steina, per inar doekko konor, 
drégo daprliga: 





methought I passed; high and low I sought a path, wherein my way 
might lie straight. 


II. HELL. 


Now I shall begin to tell what I saw first when I went into the 
Place of Torment :— 

Scorched birds that were souls were fluttering about as thick as flies. 

From the West I saw the Dragons of Despair fly, leaving behind 
them wakes of fire; they shook their wings as if, methought, heaven 
and earth would fall asunder. 

I saw the Sun’s Hart wend from the South, and there were two 
that led him ‘ between them ;’ his feet stood on the earth, but his horns 
reached to heaven. 

From the North I beheld the sons of the Dark Moon, riding; they 
were seven together; from brimming horns they drank the clear mead 
from the brook of Mammon [Baug-rori, Ring-rearer]. 

The wind lulled, the waters stilled, then I heard an awful clash. 
Traitorous women were grinding dust into meal for their paramours. 





85. Read vanar? 86. fiell a, I. go. ‘saman’ cannot be right. 96. 
Emend, ; cp. 60-rerir ; bang-reirz, I (not regins). 100. mélo} molodu (the 


mod, form), Cd. - 


208 THE CHRISTIAN POET. [ BK. I. 


bl6do0g hiarto héngo peim fyr bridst titan, 
mcedd med miklom trega. 
24. Margan mann s4-ek meiddan fara 105 
4 beim gléddo gatom: 
andlit beirra sfYndosk mer all vesa 
rygjar bl6éi rodin. 
28. Marga menn sa-ek moldar gengna, 
peir-es hafdot pidnosto begit: 110 
heidnar stiarnor st6do yfir hafdi beim 
fadar feikn-stafom. 
29. Menn s4-ek pa, es miak ala 
afund um annars hagi: 
bl6égar rinar véro 4 briésti peim 115 
-merkdar meinliga. 
30. Menn sa-ek bar marga 6fegna, 
peir véro villir vega: 
pat kaupir s4, es at bessa heims : 
6heillom apask. 120 
31. Menn sa-ek b4, es margom hlutom 
vilto um annars eign: 
Flokkom peir féro til Fégiarns borgar, 
ok hafdo byrdar af blyi. 
32. Menn sd-ek pd, es marga hafdo 125 
fé ok fiaorvi reent: 
briést { goegnom rendo bragnom beim 
eflgir eitr-drekar. 
33- Menn sa-ek pa, es minzt vildo 
halda helga daga: . 130 





Bloody stones were these dark women piteously whirling; gory hearts 


hung out of their bosoms, heavy with many sorrows. 

I saw many maimed men walking on those glowing paths: their faces 
were smeared all over, methought, with witches’ blood. 

I saw many of the dead, who had not received the /ast holy office. 
Heathen stars, painted with characters of dread, stood over their heads. 

I saw men that dearly cherish envy of others’: goodhap: bloody signs 
were painfully engraven on their breasts. 

I saw many sore distressed, bewildered and astray; this is their 
reward that ape the follies of this world. 

I saw men, who in divers ways defrauded others of their own: in 
crowds they were journeying to the City of Greed, bearing burdens 
of lead. 

I saw men, that had robbed many of life and goods: strong venomous 
dragons kept shooting through their breasts. 


I saw men, that would in no wise keep holy-days: their hands were 


painfully nailed to hot stones. 





- I10. Emend.; pa er eigi mattu pionustu na, Cd. 11g. Emend.; sa €s p. h. 
apast at dheillom (—¥u), Cd. 122. villtu, not valto, I (or read vélto ?). 124. 
blyi (uu). 





ee a 


a Ny 


nm 


Siglo a ae 


§ 4.] SOLAR-LIOD. 209 


hendr peirra véro 4 heitom steinom 
negléar naudliga. 
34. Menn sd-ek pa, es af mikilleti 
vedask vaonom framarr: 
Klzéi peirra véro ‘kynliga’ 135 
eldi um slegin. 
35. Menn sd-ek pd, es mart hafa 
ord 4 annan logit: 
Heljar hramnar or hafédi beim 
hardliga sidnir slito. 140 


36. Allar égnir feer-pu eigi vitad 
per es Hel-gengnir hafa : 
Scétar syndir verda at sdrom bétom: 
i koma mein eptir munod. 


it. 
Boe cere PVE C8 Ot SORit 25: io cas ie] 145 


38. Menn sd-ek pd, es mart hafdo 
gefit at Gods lagom: 
hreinir kyndlar véro yfir hafdéi peim 
brendir biartliga. 
39. Menn sa-ek pa, es af miklom hug 150 
veitto fatceekom frama : 
Laso Englar helgar boékr ok himna skript, 
[slfkt es cezta-unad]. 
40. Menn sd-ek pd, es miak hafdo 
hungri farit harund: 155° 





I saw men, that through pride had dressed too sumptuously: their 
clothes were wondrously wrapped in fire. 

I saw men that had borne false witness against their neighbour: the 
Ravens of Hell were pitilessly tearing the eyes out of their heads. 

Never canst thou know all the torments which the damned endure. 
Sweet sins are turned to sore penance. Pain ever follows after 
pleasure. 

III. HEAVEN. 

Now I shall begin to tell..... 

I saw men that had given away much according to the Law of God: 
Pure candles were brightly lit above their heads. 

I saw men that with all their hearts had succoured the poor: Angels 
were reading holy books and heavenly writings to them: this is the 
highest bliss. 

{ saw men that had chastened their flesh by much fasting: Angels of 
God bowed down to them: this is the highest bliss. 





134. vedask] emend.; virdaz, I. 135. kymiliga, Cd, * One verse 
or more here missing. 149. breiddir, I. 153. Thus from the following 
verse ; yfir hofdi peim, Cd. ™ 


P 


~ 


210 THE CHRISTIAN POET. [PK. Iu. 


Englar Guds luto allom beim; 
slikt es cézta unad. 
41. Menn sd-ek p4, es mééur hafdo 
l4tid mat f munn: 
hvflor peirra véro 4 himin-geislom 160 
hafdar hagliga, 
42. Helgar meyjar hafdo hreinliga 
sol af syndom pvegit, 
manna peirra, es 4 margom degi 
pina sialfa sik. 165 
43. Havar reidir s4-ek med himnom fara ; 
per eiga gator til Gods: 
menn peim styra, es myrdir ro 
allz fyr coengar sakar. 


IV, 


44. Inn mAttki Fadir! mzzti Sonr! | 170 
Heilagr Andi himins! 
pik bid-ek skilja, es skapat hefir, 
oss alla eyméom fra! 


45. Kvedi petta, es ek per kennt hefi, 
skaltu fyr kvikom kveda, 175 
S6LAR-LI6D, es synask muno 
minnzt at margo login. 
46. Her vid skiljomk, ok hittask munom 
4 Fegins-degi fira: 
Dréttinn minn gefi daudom ré; 180 
hinom likn es lifa! 


47.  Désamligt froedi vas per { draumi kvedit; 
enn pt satt id sama: 





I saw men that had put meat into their mother’s mouth: their beds 
were softly made on the beams of heaven. 

Holy Virgins had washed clean of sin the souls of those that had 
on many a day chastised themselves. 

I saw troops riding along the sky high aloft, they are on their way to 
God, their leaders are men murdered without cause. 


IV. PRAYER. 


Father Almighty, most glorious Son, Holy Ghost of Heaven, I pray 
Thee, Who hast made us, to deliver us from evil. 

This Song which I have taught thee, thou shalt recite before the 
Living, the SuN’s SONG in which no lie shall be found. 

Here we part, but we shall meet again in the Great Day of Gladness, 
O my Lord, give rest to the Dead and mercy to the Living. 

A wondrous tale was chanted to thee in thy dream, and thou didst 





170. mestr, Cd, 183. sama] emend.; sanna (—y), Cd. 


GPSS aE ERs CALA S pot S23 es 


n Na pare 


$4] THE CHRISTIAN’S WISDOM. 211 


Fyréa engi vas sv4 frédr um skapaér, 
es 4dr heyrdi Sdérar-L16ps sago. 185 


THE CHRISTIAN’S WISDOM. 


THIS poem, of which the beginning is lost, consists of a series of 
parables told by a teacher to his disciple, ending with seven short 
counsels, by way of epilogue, in the spirit of the old poems of our 
first Book. The five perfect parables we have (how many more there 
were it is impossible to tell), deal with the Repentance of a Sinner, 
the Deceitfulness of Riches, the Perils of Love, the Fall of Pride, 
and the Discovery of Treachery. The names of the characters in 
the parables may be feigned, but they are all possible. The spirit of 
the poem, which may be by a different author from that of the Sun- 
Song, is sweet and gentle, but never rises very far from earth, and 
is more coloured by the wisdom of old days. 

Between verses 44 and 45 of the Sun-Song is a fragment dealing 
with mystic figures. The transcriber of the lost vellum must have 
thrust them in here; they stand by themselves, and have no evident 
connection with the rest of either of the poems as we have them. They 
are here put into the Appendix. 

There are three fragments (vv. 34-36) from the ‘ H4vamAl Collection,’ 
which would seem to be part of our poem, and are therefore added 
here. The key words ‘ek sa’ would lead us to separate them from their 
place, and refer them to some such poem as the Christian’s Wisdom. 


5, 


I. HVE bragdi peir bellt hafa 
Svaforr ok Svafrlogi : 
b166 peir vakdo, ok benjar sugo, 
Wie ae ss Te yvana.’ 


2. Fé ok fiarvi rendi fyrda kind 5 
s4 inn grimmi greppr; 
yfir p4 vega es hann vardadi 
matti engi kvikr komask. 
3. Einn hann 4t opt hardla; 
aldri baud hann manni til matar: 10 





see the same. Never was mortal man so wise as to have heard ere 
now the Tale of the SonG OF THE SUN. 





a paces wickedness they wrought, Swafor and Swaferlow ; they shed 
0Oo Oo. 8 2G: 6 
* *% * x * * & 
The fierce [highway]man took the life and goods of wayfarers; no 
man could pass with his life upon the road he watched. Day by day 
he ate alone and never bade any man to sit at meat with him, till 





I, bragdi] om. Cd. 7. vega] gite, Cd. 
P2 


212 THE CHRISTIAN POET. [ BK. IIL. 


4dr an méér ok megin-litill 
gestr af gato kom. 
4.  Drykks of purfi lézk inn desti maGr, 
ok van-mettr vesa ; 
hreddo hiarta hann létzk trua 15 
peim-es 46r hafdi valyndr vesit. 
5. Mat ok drykk veitti hann peim-es mddr vas, 
allt af heilom hug: 
Gods hann gidi, g6d0 hénom beindi, 
pvi hann hugd@isk veelligr vesa. 20 
6. Upp hinn sté66; fllt hann hugdi; 
eigi vas parfsamliga pegit ; 
synd hans svall, sofanda myréi 
fr6dan_fial-varan. 
7. Himna-God bad hann hialpa ser, 25 
p4-es hann veginn vaknadi: 
enn s4 gat vid syndom taka, 
es hann hafdi saklausan svikit.: 
8. Helgir Englar kémo 6r himni ofan, 
ok t6ko sal hans til sin: 30 
{ hreino lifi hon skal lifa 
ze med almatkom Godi. 


Il. 
g. Audi né heilso redr engi madr 
pdétt hann gangi greitt: 
margan pat scekir es minzt of varir: 35 
engi redr sa&ttom sialfr. 


1o. Ekki peir hugdo Unarr ok Szvaldi, 
at beim mcendi heill hrapa: 





a weary and fainting guest happened to come by the way. Wet and 
- cold the stranger told him that be was hungry and athirst, feigning 
to trust with a trembling heart this man that had always been so cruel 
aforetime. He [the robber] set meat and drink before the weary 
one, all with an upright heart; he was mindful of God, and gave 
him good cheer, for he bethought him of his wickedness, But the 
other rose up with an evil heart, requiting good with evil; his sin waxed 
great within him, he murdered his watchful host [the robber] in his sleep. 
He cried unto the God of Heaven for help when he was wakened by 
the death-blow; and lo, his sins passed from him unto the man that 
had slain him treacherously without a cause. The holy Angels came 
down from Heaven and bore his soul back with them, and he shall 
live a pure life for ever with Almighty God. 


II. Wealth and health no man can rule, be he ever so happy. What 


is least expected often happens, no man of himself can make sure of 
peace ;—Unnar and Sewaldi little thought that their luck would fall 





12. Emend.; gestr gangandi, Cd. 15. hann] hinn, Cd. 16. vezllin- 
dur, I. 20, velligur, I, 31. lifa 2] @ lifa, Cd. 


AA ne wrt > 


yee) 


§ 4.] THE CHRISTIAN’S WISDOM. 213 
’ Nakdir peir urdo ok nemédir hvivetna; 
ok runno sem vargar til vidar. 40 
Ill. 


11. Munadar-riki hefir margan tregat: 
Opt verdr kvalreedi af konom : 
Meingar per urd0; pd inn mattki God 
skapéi skifrliga. 


12. SAttir peir véro Svafodr ok Skart-hedinn, 45 
hvargi matti annars 4n vesa: 
fyrr an peir céddosk fyr einni kono; 
sti vas peim til lyta lagid. | 
13. Hv4rskiss peir gédo fyr pa hvito mey 
leiks né lidssa daga: 50 
engi hlut matto peir annan muna, . 
an pat id lidsa Ifk. 
14. Daprar peim urdo inar dimmo netr; 
cengan madtto peir scétan sofa: 
Enn’ af beim harmi rann heipt saman 55 
millom virktar-vina. 
_15.' Fadémi verda { flestom stadom 
goldin grimmliga: 
A holm peir gengo fyr id horska vif, 
ok fengo badir bana. 60 


TMi % 
16. Of-meinad dr¥gja skyli engi madr ; 
pat hefig sannliga sét: 


pvi at peir hverfa, es hénom fylgja 
flestir Godi fra. 





to pieces; they were stripped naked and outlawed, and fled like wolves 
to the wood. 


III. The Might of Love hath brought sorrow on many a man. Much 
misery comes of women, they have become drossy; God Almighty 
created them pure:—Swafod and Skarthedin were at one, neither 
could live without the other, till they grew mad because of a woman ; 
she was the cause of strife between them. For this fair maiden’s sake 
they took no pleasure in any sport nor in the light of day, they could 
think of nothing else but her white body; the dark nights became 
dreary to them, they could get no sweet sleep; till out of this misery 
deadly feud sprung up between two bosom friends. For the most 
part, fatal passions meet with fearful retribution. These two fought 
a wager of battle for that proud lady, and slew one another. 


IV. No man should fall into Pride; this have I seen to be true: for 
all they that follow after it fall away from God:—Radny and Webow 





48. lagin, Cd. 51. engi] ongvan,Cd. 53. peim)*per,I. 56. virta-, I. 


214 THE CHRISTIAN POET. [ BK. 11. 


17. Rik pau v4ro, R4ény ok Vébogi, 65 
ok hugédosk gétt eitt geta: 
Nu bau sitja ok s@rom snua 
ymsom elda til. 
18. A sik pau trido, ok hugdosk ein vesa 
allri pidé yfir: 70 
Enn pé leizk peirra hagr 
annan veg Almatkom Godi. 
19. Munad pau drygdo 4 marga vega, 
ok hafdo goll fyr gaman: 
Nu es peim goldit, es pau ganga skolo 75 
milli frostz ok funa. 


V. 


20. Ovinom pinom tri-pti aldrigi, 
pétt fagrt meeli fyrir ; 
golli pé heiti. Gétt es annars 
viti hafa at varnadi. 80 


21. Svda hanom gafsk Sarla inom Gdérdda, 
p4-es hann lagdi 4 vald hans Vigulfs, 
tregliga hann tridi—enn hénom at tdlom vard6— 
sfnom brédor-bana. 
22. Grid hann peim seldi af gddom hug; 85 
enn peir héto honom golli { gegn: 
Sattir létosk, medan saman drukko; 
p6 kémo flerdir fram. 
23. Enn pé eptir 4 wdrom degi,_ 
es beir hafdo { Rygjardal ridit: go 





were mighty, and thought the world their own: now they sit turning 
their mangled bodies first to the fire, then to the frost. They trusted 
in themselves and thought themselves above the rest of mankind, but 
their behaviour seemed in no way so pleasing to God Almighty. They 
fell into Lust in divers ways, and took delight in gold: and now they 
are repaid by being doomed to walk between frost and fire. 


V. Put not thy trust in thine enemies, yea, though they speak thee 
fair, though they promise thee weregild; good it is to take warn- 
ing by the mishap of others :—Sorli the Single came to know this when 
he put himself in Wigwulf’s power. He trusted his brother’s slayer 
freely, but it turned out badly for him. He [Sorli] gave them safe 
conduct out of the simplicity of his heart, but they promised him 
gold [weregild] in return. All was peaceful while they sat and drank 
together, nevertheless treachery sprang out of it. For afterwards on 
the next day, when they had ridden into Ryedale, they hacked the 





66. geta] gera, Cd. 68. eldi, Cd, 79. golli pd heiti] emend.; gédo 
pu heit, Cd. 82. Wrong quantity. 83. tregliga] thus I. hénom] 
emend.; hinn, Cd, (h’m=hin). go. ryardal, Cd. 


§ 4.] THE CHRISTIAN’S WISDOM. 215 


sverdom peir meiddo, pann-es saklauss vas; 
ok léto hans fiaorvi farit. 
24. Lfk hans peir drégo 4 leyni-gato, 
ok brytjodo { brunn nidr; 
dylja peir vildo; enn Dréttinn s4 95 
Heilagr himni af. 
25. Sal hans bad inn sanni’ God 
{ sinn fagnod fara: 
Enn sako-dolgar hygg-ek sidla muno 
kalladir fra kvalom. 100 


VI. 


26. Dfsir bid-pui pér ‘Drédttins mala’ 
vesa hollar { hugom: 
‘viko eptir’ mun per vilja pins 
allt at é6skom haga. 


27.  Reidi-verk, es pu vunnit hefir 105 
beéta-pu illo yfir: 
greettan gla skaltu med gédom hlutom ; 
pat kveda sadlo sama. 


28. A God skaltu heita til gddra hluta, 
pann-es hefir skatna skapad: 110 
miak fyrir verér manna hverr 
‘es ser fiona fador.’ 


29.  Austa dugir einkom vandliga 
bess es pykkir vant vesa, 
allz ‘4 vel’ verdr s4-es einskis bidr: 115 
Far hyggr pbegjanda baorf. 





innocent man with their swords, and took his life. His body they 
dragged along a hidden path and dropped it into a well. They wished 
to hide it, but the Blessed Lord beheld it from heaven. The one 
true God called his soul to dwell in bliss with Him, but I think the 
murderers will not so soon be called out of their torments. 


VI. 1. Call upon the Virgins . . . of the Lord to be propitious to thee : 
. . . afterward all shall go according to thy wishes. 

2. The Deeds of Wrath that thou hast done, see that thou add 
no offence thereto; yea, thou shalt cheer them that thou hast made 
to weep with good things, it shall do thy soul good. 

3. Thou shalt call upon God, Who made all men, for all good 
things. Every man..... 

4. A man must pray earnestly for that which he thinketh he 
needeth. He that asketh nothing shall always ‘be in want.’ Who 
can guess the needs of him that is silent? 





104. haga] ga or ganga (-—u), Cdd. 106. beet pu eigi, Cd. 107. gela} 
emend. ; gala, Cd. 113. dugir] Bugge; pikkir, Cd. 116. pegiandi, Cd, 


216 THE CHRISTIAN POET. [ BK. III. 


30. Sfdla ek kom, snemma ek kalladi, 
til démvaldz dura ; 
pangat ek ‘ztlomk,’ pvi mer heitid vas: 
S4 hefir kras es krefr. 120 


31.  Syndir pvi valda at ver sitkir foorom 
cegis-heimi ér: 
Engi dttask, nema filt goeri: 
Gétt es vammalausom vesa. 


32. Ulfom glikir pykkja allir peir, 125 
es eiga hverfan hug: 
sva mun gefask, peim-es ganga skal 
peer inar gleddo gator. 


33. Vinsamlig rod, ok viti bundin, 
: kenni-ek per siau saman: 130 
goerla bau mun, ok glata aldregi: 
all ero pau nyt at nema. 


VII. 


34. Fullar grindir ek sa fyr Fitiungs sonom, 
ni bera peir vanar-val : 
Sv4 es audr sem auga-bragé ; 135 
hann es valtastr vina. 


35. Elid sh-ek upp brenna audgom manni fyr; 
enn Uti 14 daudr fyr durom. 


36. Ofarla bita ek sa ‘einom hal 
ord fllrar kono: 140 





5. 1 appeared too late, though I was summoned in good time to 
the judge’s door, and so I ‘lost the suit’ that was given in my favour. 
‘ He that cries out gets the dish.’ 

6. It is because of our sins that we go sick out of this world of 
terror. No man is in fear save he has done ill; it is good to be with- 
out spot. : 

7. Like unto wolves are they that have a deceitful heart. It shall 
be so with them that they shall walk in the paths of fire. 

Seven friendly counsels that pertain unto wisdom, I give thee here 
together. Thou shalt remember them well and never forsake them, 
they are all of them worth learning. 


VII. I saw the well-stocked garners of the sons of Fitiung, now they 
bear the beggar’s staff. Riches are, as it were, the twinkling of an 
eye, the most unstable of friends. 

I saw the fire consume the rich man’s house, and himself lying dead 
before the door..... 

I saw the words of an evil woman sting a man so that he smarted. 





121. siukir] conn} hryggvir, Cd, 


§ 4.] THE CHRISTIAN’S WISDOM. 217 


fl4-r46 tunga vard honom at- fiar-lagi, 
ok peygi of sanna sak. 


APPENDIX. 


‘Bingvor’ ok ‘Listvor’ sitja { ‘herdis durom’ 
dgiarns stdli 4: 

norna-dreyri fellr 6r nasom peim, 
s4 vekr fién med firom. 

Odins kv4n rer 4 Jardar skipi 5 
‘médug’ 4 munad ; 

seglom hennar verdr s{fd hladit 
peim es 4 pra reipom pruma. 


Arfi! fadir einn ek rddit hefi, 

ok peir Sdélkzotlo synir, 10 
hiartar horn pat-es er haugi bar 

inn vitri Vigdvalinn. 


Her ro rtinar peer es ristit hafa 
Niardar dcetr nio, 

‘Badveing’ in ellzta ok Kreppvar in yngsta 15 
ok peirra systr siau. 





The Slanderer’s tongue was the death of him, and yet he was falsely 
accused. 





....and.... are sitting at the door of .... on the stool of 
the Greedy, witches’ blood: falls from their nostrils which wakens 
hatred among men. 

Woden’s wife is rowing on the Earth’s ship,.... her sails that hang 
[defiantly] on the haulyards are never furled. 


I, the father, and the sons of Solkettle have read to thee, my son, 
[the signs on] the hart’s horn that the wise War-dwarf bore out of the 
grave-mound, 


Here are the runes that Niord’s nine daughters have graven, Bad- 
veing the eldest, and Kreppwor the youngest, and their seven sisters. 





2. agiarns] Bugge; organs, Cd. 3. Bugge; iarna dreyri (sic), Cd.; cp. 
Sun Song, I. 108. 4. fyrdum, I. 6. i modugum, I. 8. pumor, I. 
g. Read arfa? 


BOOK IV. 


EARLY HISTORIC POEMS. 


THE poems in this Book are (with one exception in the last section) 
‘the work of a group of tenth-century poets running from c, 900 to 
c. 985. The school to which the poems belong is influenced on one 
side by the great Western Epics of the Third Book, on the other by 
the oldest Epics of the First Book. The link which binds them to- 
gether is a common historical interest. 


SECTION 1 contains one poem, which, though akin to its neighbours 
in metre and spirit, is not on an historical subject, but relates one of 
Thor’s adventures. 


In SECTION 2 we have gathered together the genealogical poems, the 
first two Western and of Pindaric character, the third more Hesiodic 
in tone and by a Norwegian. Along with this latter we have given 
an imitation by a Northern court-poet, the latest poem of these four 
sections, dating not before 985. 


SECTION 3 comprises the earliest Excomia on kings by their poets, 
Hornklofi’s Praise of Harold Fairhair, an unknown Western poet’s 
Dirge on his eldest son Eric Bloodax, and Eywind’s imitation of it 
in a Dirge on his youngest son Hakon Athelstan’s foster-son. 


SECTION 4 contains three original and powerful contemporary poems, 
Head Ransom, Arinbiorn’s Lay, and the Sons’ Wreck, the work of our 
first Iceland-born poet Egil. 


SECTION 5. Latest of all in this book comes the Dart Lay, com- 
posed after 1014 by some unknown Western poet, probably in honour 
of Sigtrygg Silkbeard, king of Dublin. 








§x1. THE HYMI POET. 


HYMIS-KVIDA. 


Tuis clever poem, which stands in a class by itself, is found both in 
R, leaves 13, 14, and in A. These two copies differ very little. 

The subject is twofold: a double adventure of Thor’s, the hooking of 
the Sea-Serpent and the carrying off the Cauldron. The former is 
well known from Edda; though Snorri relates it, not from our poem, 
but from Hus-drapa and similar poems; see Book vii. Among other 
things he calls the Giant Ymi (all three vellums of Edda, W, r, U), so 
our poem he cannot have known. The second adventure is utterly 
unknown to the Edda. The only references we have, which seem to 
refer to our poem or at all events to its story, are Thorodd’s ‘ heyrdi 
til héddo er Pérr bar hverinn,’ c. 1130, and Harold Sigurdson’s verse 
‘haddan skall,’ which looks like an echo from our |. 133, ‘enn 4 helom 
bringar skullo.’ Peculiar to our poet is the word ‘Veorr,’ the giant- 
birth of Tew, and the occasion of Thor’s getting his servants Thialfi 
and Réskvi, Snorri making him gain his servant on the road to Utgard 
Loki’s. 

The short, crisp, regular metre is of the model followed by Egil and 
Thiodolf. ‘Kennings’ begin to appear. The epithets, a distinct feature 
in its style, are very well chosen and striking. The parallelism, as in 
lines 87-92, is noticeable throughout. 

The story tells of the Gods’ frst feast at Eager’s hall, the ’Qxeavoto 
Sdépor, and of Thor’s quest of a cauldron big enough for brewing the 
ale for them all. The giant Hymi, in the far north, is reported to own 
such a vessel, and Thor accordingly repairs to him. He is received 
contemptuously at first, but proves his might in three tasks. First, he 
goes fishing with the Giant, who pulls up whales, while Thor hooks 
the Earth-serpent; for the second, Thor shatters the giant’s cups 
upon his head; for the last, Thor walks off with the huge ale- 
copper on his head like a hat, the rings and pot-hooks of it clanking 
about his heels as he goes. The giants pursue him, but he betakes 
himself to his Hammer and slays them all, coming back triumphantly 
with his prize. All this is racily and humourously told. Line 93 is 
sublime, like Milton’s ‘ Earth felt the shock.’ It is evidently a poem to 
be recited at feasts and merrymakings, as the Epilogue shows. 

The ¢ext is fair, merely a word here and there corrupt. 

The #it/e is warranted by the superscription in A. There are several 
foreign words in this poem, ‘kalkr’ for instances 


220 THE HYMI POET. [BK. Iv. 


AS valtivar veigar ndmo: 

ok sumbl-samir, 46r sadir yrdi, 
hristo teina, ok 4 hlaut sa; 
fundo peir at Agiss cer-kost hverja. 


Sat berg-bui barn-teitr fyr 5 
miak glikr megi Miskor-blinda. 
Leit { augo Yggs barn f pra :— 
Pi skalt Asom opt sumbl gcera! 
Onn fekk iatni ord-beginn halr ; 
hugéi at hefndom hann nest vid god: 10 
bad hann Sifjar ver ser foéra hver,— 
Pannz ek allom al ydr of heita. 

Né pat matto meerir tivar 
ok ginn-regin of geta hvergi: 
unz af trygdom Tyr Hlorrida 15 
Ast-r46 mikit einom sagdi:— 
Byr fyr austan Eli-vaga 
hund-viss Hymir at himins enda: 
4 minn fadir mddugr ketil, 
rim-brugdinn hver, rastar ditipan. 20 

Pérr q.| Veiztu, ef piggjom pann lag-velli? 
Tyr q.| Ef, vinr, vélar ver goervom til. 

_ Féro dritigom dag pann fram 
Asgaréi fra unz til Egils kvémo. 
Hiréi hann hafra horn-gafgasta ; 25 
hurfo at hallo es Hymir Atti; 





The Gods are feasting at Eager’s. The unwilling host at parting sends 
Thor on a forlorn errand for a cauldron for future entertainments. 

In days of old the blessed Gods drank together, and gathered at the 
feast: ere they had their fill, they cast the divining rods, and inspected 
the blood, finding at Eager’s all good cheer. 

The simple giant [Eager], like the Mud-monster’s son, was sitting; 
Woden’s son [Thor] looked him defiantly in the face, saying, 
‘Thou shalt often make a feast for the Anses!’ The taunting wight 
[Thor] gave the giant trouble; he [Eager] thought to pay out the 
Gods in his turn. He bade Sif’s Husband bring him the cauldron 
‘wherein I may brew the ale for all of you.’ None of blessed Gods, 
nor of the Powers above, could anywhere get such a cauldron, until 
Tew secretly gave the Thunderer the best of counsel :—‘ There lives 
east of the Sleet-bays, at the ends of heaven, a hundred-wise giant, 
called Hymi. My grim father owns a mighty cauldron a mile deep.’ 
—Thor. ‘Thinkest thou we can get this lee-vat.’—Tew. ‘ Yes, friend, 
if we contrive a plot for it.’ 

Now they made speed all day long, till they came to Egil’s [Tew’s 
uncle]. He stalled the proud-horned goats. Then they wended to the 
hall that Hymi owned. The grandson [Tew] found his granddam, 





I. veigar] emend.; veidar, R, A. 4. hverja] A; hvera, R. 6. miscor-, 
R; miskor-, A. 17. glivaga, R. 20. -brygdan, A. 24. Egils] Agis, A. 


§1.] HYMIS-KVIDA. 221 


maegr fann ammo miak leida at sid; 

hafdi hafda hundrod nio: 

Enn annor gekk al-gollin fram 

brin-hvit bera biédr-veig syni:— 30 
Att-nidr jatna! ek viljak ykkr 

hug-fulla tv und hvera setja. 

Es mfnn fr{f margo sinni 

gleger vid gesti, goerr fllz hugar. 
Enn va-skapadér vard s{d-buinn 35 

hard-r45r Hymir heim af veidom. 

Gekk inn f sal, glumdo iaklar ; 

vas karls es kom kinn-skdégr froerinn. 

[Frilla g.| Ves-pu heill, Hymir, { hugom gédom! 

nies sonr kominn til sala pinna 40 

s4-es vid vettom af vegi langom: 

fylgir h4nom hrdérs-and-skoti, 

vinr ver-lida, Veorr heitir sA. 

Se-bii hvar sitja und salar gafli !— 

sv4 fordéa ser—stendr stil fyrir. 45 
Sundr stoekk stila fyr si6én iaotuns ; 

enn 4ér f tvau dss brotnadi: 

stukko Atta, enn einn af beim 

hverr hard-sleginn heill, af polli. 

Fram gengo peir; enn forn iatunn 50 

si6nom leiddi sinn and-skota. 

Sagdit hanom hugr vel pa 


, 


es hann sé gygjar-greti 4 golf kominn. 





loathsome to look on, having nine hundred heads. But another came 
forth, bright as gold, fair-browed, bearing a beer-cup to her son, saying, 
‘Thou child of Giants! I will hide you stout-hearted twain under- 
neath the cauldron. My husband is oftentimes sharp and savage to 
his guests.’ ) 

But now that woe-maker, the sturdy Hymi, came late home from 
hunting; he walked into the hall; the icicles clattered; the churl’s 
chin-thicket [beard] was frozen. Giant-wife says; ‘Hail, Hymi! be 
not angry! thy son is come to thy hall, whom we have been looking 
for, off a long journey. With him comes the Giant-killer, the friend of 
man, whose name is Weor [Thor]. Look where they sit under the 
gable, keeping at safe distance, behind the pillar !’ 

The giant turns his face towards them. The pillar flew asunder at 
the look of the giant, and the [cross] beam [on which the cauldrons lay] 
broke in twain. Down came from the shelf eight cauldrons; but one, 
a hard-wrought one, remained unbroken. Now the two came out, and 
the old giant fixed his eye on his foeman. It could bode him no good 
to see him, who makes widows of giantesses, standing on his floor. 





27. at sia] emend,; ser, R. 33. fri] R; fadir, A. 43. Veorr, R. 
46. sul, R; sol, A. 53- geti, A (badly). . 


222 THE HYMI POET. [BK. Iv. 


Par véro piérar prir of teknir; 
bad senn iatunn sidda ganga. 55 
Hvern léto peir haféi skemra, 
ok 4 seydi sidan baro: 
at Sifjar verr 46r sofa gengi 
einn med allo, cexn tv4 Hymiss. 
Pétti harom Hrungniss spialla 60 
verér Hlorrida vel full-mikill: 
Munom at apni adrom verda 
vid veidi-mat ver prfr lifa. 
Veorr kvazk vilja 4 vag roa, 
ef ballr iatunn beitor gefi. 65 
Fym.q. Hverf pu til hiardar ef pi hug truir, 
briétr Berg-Dana, beitor scékja! 
Pess veenti ek, at ber mynit 
eogn af oxa aud-feng vesa. 


Sveinn sysliga sveif til skégar IO 


par-es oxi st66 al-svartr fyr. 
Braut af piéri burs r46-bani 
ha-ttin ofan horna tveggja. 


Hym.q.  Verk pikkja pin verri miklo, 

kidla valdi, an pt: kyrr sitir. "5 
Bad hlunn-gota hafra dréttinn 

Att-runn apa Uttar fcéra: 

Enn. s4 iatunn sina taldi 

litla fysi at roa lengra. 
Dré merr Hymir mdédugr hvala 80 

einn 4 angli upp senn tvé: 3 

Enn aptr { skut Odni sifjadr 





Now three steers were taken out, and the giant bade set them to 
boil. One by one they made them shorter by the head, and set them on 
the fire. Sif’s Husband alone ate, before he slept, three of Hymi’s oxen 
- whole. The hoary giant deemed Thor’s dinner rather large, and said : 
‘We three shall have to provide some other venison for our supper.’ 

Next morning Weor [Thor] said he should like to row out fishing, 
if the bold giant would give bait. Giant said: ‘Go to the herd, thou 
Giant-slayer, and get thy bait thyself! I think thou shalt easily find 
bait from the oxen.’ Then the lad [Thor] turned quickly to the wood, 
where a coal-black ox stood. The Giant-killer wrung the head off 
the bullock. .. . Giant said: ‘ Thou boatman! thy works are worse than 
thy sitting still.’ 

Now they go out fishing. 

The Lord of the Goats [Thor] bade the giant pull his boat out 
further; but the giant said he had no mind to row any longer. The 
sturdy Hymi kept pulling up whales, two at once, on his hook; while 





62. i.e. aptni. 66. A; hverfo, R. 77. att renn, A. 80. meirr, A. 
hvala] hvali, R, A. 81. upp senn eda tva, A. 


~ 


aa 


§1.] HYMIS-KVIDA. 223 


Veorr vid vélar vad goerdi ser. 
Egndi 4 angul, sa-es aldom bergr, 
Orms ein-bani, oxa hafdi: 85 
gein vid agni, su-es god fid, 
um-giord nedan allra landa. 
Dré diarfliga d46-rakkr Pérr 
Orm eitr-fA4n upp at bordi: 
hamri kn{di hé-fiall skarar 90 
of-liétt ofan Ulfs hnit-brdédur. 
Hrein-galkn hluméi, enn halkn puto ; 
fér in forna fold all saman. 
Scekdisk sfdan ‘s4 fiskr’ f mar. 


Oteitr iatunn, es peir aptr roero, 95 

sv4 at 4r Hymir ekki melti; 

veifdi hann roédi vedrs annars til. 

Hym.q. Mundo um vinna verk halft vid mik! 

At pti heim hvali haf til beéjar 

eda flot-brisa festir okkarn! 100 
Gekk Hlorridi, greip 4 stafni; 

vatt med austri upp lag-faki, 

einn med #rom ok med aust-skoto; 

bar hann til bcéjar brim-svin iatuns, 

ok holt-rida hver { goegnom. 105 
Ok enn iatunn um afrendi, 

pra-girni vanr, vid Pér sennti: 

kvadat mann ramman, pdtt roa kynni 

krapturligan, nema k4lk bryti. 





Weor, Woden’s kinsman, aft in the boat, was cunningly getting his line 
ready. He, the Helper of men, the Serpent-slayer, baited his hook with 
the ox’s head. He, the God-abhorred one, that girds all lands round 
from beneath [the Serpent], gulped down the bait. The doughty Thor 
pulled amain the venom-streaked Serpent up to the gunwale, and 
battered with the Hammer the hideous head of the Wolf’s twin-brother. 
The Dragon howled, and the wilderness rang; even the old Earth 
shuddered all through. Back sank the sea-monster into the deep. 

Moody was the giant as they rowed back, so that he never spoke a 
word; he steered round with his oar on the other tack, 

Ashore the Giant says; ‘1 pray thee, share half the work with me! 
Either. carry the whales up to the court, or house our ship.’ The 
Thunderer stepped forward, caught hold of the bow, swung the wave- 
steed [ship] up single-handed, with all the bilge, the oars, and the bilge- 
scoop inher. He carried the giant’s craft up to the court, all along 
through the rock-cauldrons [caves]. 

Still the stubborn giant challenged Thor’s strength, saying, ‘ Though 


a man might pull a good oar, he did not call him strong except he could 
break his cup.’ 





92. hlumdi] emend,; hlumdo, R; hruto, A. 94. sa fiskr] thus R, A. 
95. réro, R. 96. ar] thus R, A. 106. um] gead inn? 


224 THE HYMI POET. [BK. Iv. 


Enn Hlorridi, es at handom kom, 10 
bratt lét bresta bratt-stein { tv4; 
sl6 hann sitjandi silor { goegnom; 
baro bd heilan fyr Hymi sidan. 
Unz pat in frida frilla kenndi 
Ast-ra6 mikit eitt es vissi: 115 
Drep vid haus Hymiss, hann es hardari, 
kost-mdd6s iatuns kalki hveriom! 
HarGr reis 4 kné hafra dréttinn, 
férdisk allra { As-megin: 
heill vas karli hialm-stofn ofan ; 120 
enn vin-ferill valr rifnadi. 
Lym. q. Marg veit ek mezti mer gengin frd, 
es ek kalki sé or kniam hrundit 
—Karl ord um kvad—knékat-ek segja _ 
aptr evagi, pu ert aldr of heitt! 125 
Pat es til kostar, ef koma meettid 
ut or 6ro al-kiél hofi. 
Tyr leitadi tysvar hroéra ; 
st66 at hvaro hverr kyrr fyrir. 
Fadir Mééa fekk 4 premi, 130 
ok { goegnom steig golf nidr f sal: 
hdf ser 4 hafud upp hver Sifjar verr ; 
enn 4 helom hringar skullo. 


Féro6d lengi 4dr lita nam ; 
aptr Odins sonr eino sinni. 135 





Hymi gives him the cup. When the Thunderer grasped the [giant’s] 
beaker [and cast it], he soon burst the tall shaft [pillar] in twain. From 
where he sat he dashed it through the pillars; but they bore it back 
whole to Hymi again, till the giant’s fair leman gave him good 
counsel, which none but she knew: ‘Dash it down on Hymi’s skull; 
that sturdy giant’s pate is harder than any cup.’ Then the hardy Lord 
of the Goats [Thor] sprang to his feet, putting forth his whole godly 
strength; the old churl’s skull was unbroken, but the wine-vat was 
cracked all across. 

-The giant cries, whimpering : ‘Many good things have now departed 
from me, now I see my cup broken at my feet. Now,’ the old fellow 
said, ‘I can no more say, “ Ale, thou art brewed.”’ , 

The giant tells Thor: ‘The last Task is, if thou canst carry my ale- 
cauldron out of my hall.’ Tew tried twice to lift it, but each time the 
cauldron stood still [4e could not stir it], Then the Father of Modi 
[Thor] caught hold of the brim, and his feet sank down through the 
floor of the hall. Sif’s Husband [Thor] clapped the cauldron upon his 
head [/ike a hat], and the [ pot-hooks| chains rattled about his heels. 

They had not passed far upon their path, when Woden’s son [Thor] 





III. i tvd] gleri, A (sic). 11g. allra] thus R and A. 121. Read vin- 
berill ? 134. Férod] emend.; foro, R, A. 


§ 2.] HYNDLO-LIOD. 225 


S4 hann or hreysom med Hymi austan 

folk-drétt fara fial-hafdada. 

H6f hann ser af herdom hver standanda; 

veifOi hann Miollni moré-giarnom fram; 

ok hraun-hvala hann alla drap. 140 
Férod lengi 4ér liggja nam 

hafr Hlorrida half-daudr fyr: 

vas skirr skakuls skakkr 4 beini; 

enn pvif inn loevisi Loki um olli. 


Enn ér heyrt hafié:—hverr kann um bat 145 
god-mdlogra gcerr at skilja— 
hver af hraun-bua hann laun um fekk, 
es hann bedi gallt barn sfn fyrir. 


Prétt-aflogr kom 4 ping goda, 
ok hafdi hver pannz Hymir Atti. 150 


Enn Veorr hverjan vel skyli drekka 
oldér at Aigiss eitt harmeitid! 








§2, GENEALOGICAL LAYS. 


HYNDLO-LIOD; or, VOLO-SPA IN SKAMMA. 


In Flatey-book only, under the title Hyndlo-liod, this poem is found. 
The copyists of that huge vellum lit upon it among other odds and 





looked once back; he.saw a many-headed throng come from the East, 
following Hymi from their dens. He [Thor], as he stood, cast the 
cauldron down from his shoulders, and swung the murderous Miollni 
before him, and smote all the whales [monsters] of the wilderness. 

They had not passed long on their way, when the Thunderer’s goat 
fell down half-dead ; the shaker of the car-pole [the goat] was lame on 
one leg; it was the guileful Loki’s doing. 

[The Poet’s epilogue|: Now ye have heard—every mythologist can tell 
all about it—what pledge he [Thor] exacted from the Giant [Egil], 
who had to pay him both his children as ransom. So the Mighty One 
[Thor] came to the assembly of the Gods, bringing the cauldron that 
Hymi had owned. 

[The Gleeman’s epilogue]: Now Weor [Thor] shall surely drink ale at 
Eager’s, once every harvest-time [/ike a harvest-kern]. 





140, -hvala] -vala, R; -hvali, A. 143. skirr] R, A,=sker? & beini] 
emend.; a bani, R, A, 151. Veorr—skyli] emend,; vear—skolo, R, A. 152. 
hormeit’, A ; havrmeitip, R. > 


Q 


226 GENEALOGICAL LAYS. [BK. Iv. 


ends, when they had finished the greater part of their task, and to find 
room for this matter, prefixed two vellum leaves to the whole volume, 
on column 5 of which they wrote this Lay (Fb. vol. i, pp. 11-16). 

Snorri (Edda Gg) quotes Il. 133-6 under the title Volo-spa in Skamma. 
The compiler of the Genealogies which follow it in Flatey-book (who 
was not the Flatey-book scribe) knew it in a more complete state, and 
the compiler of Orvar Odd-Saga knew at least a few lines. 

More than 25 years ago in Tima-tal the Editor suggested that it was 
written for some member of the famous Horda-Kari family, which 
numbered among its members S. Magnus of Orkney, Thorleif the 
Wise, the lawgiver, and other distinguished persons in the West. 
The names Ketil, Klyp, Olmod, often met with in that family’s genea- 
logy, and occurring here, seem to warrant this conclusion. 

The framework of the poem is ingenious; Ozhere (Othere the Simple 
the Giantess calls him), a great worshipper of Freya, begs her help to 
get him an inheritance which is at dispute between him and his rival 
Angantheow, and will fall to him that shows the best ancestry. Freya 
turns her favourite into the shape of the boar Goldbristle (her well- 
known steed), mounts on his back, and goes to seek a Giantess 
[Houndling or Gothic Hunilo= Hyndla for H¥nla?] in her cave, whom 
she asks to saddle her wolf (the steed of witches) and ride with her in 
the gloaming to Walhall, promising her safe-conduct at Thor the 
Thunderer’s hand. As they ride together, the Goddess draws from the 
Giantess the generations of the Heroes. She runs over these one by 
one, adding after each tree, ‘All thy ancestry, Othere the Simple!’ 
This fills the first part of the poem. Then she turns to the generations 
of the Gods, and of the Destroyers of the World; and finally foretells 
the Doom of the World. This section no doubt gave it the title of the 
Shorter Sibyl’s Lay. When she has told all, Freya asks her to hand a 
cup of remembrance to her Boar; the Giantess recognises the humanity 
of the disguised Othere and reviles Freya. Yet the poem ends with a 
blessing on Othere. 

The poem was composed in the dim light between heathendom and 
Christianity, and the passage relating to the High One (no interpola- 
tion) points to a hearsay knowledge of the New Faith at least. 

The text is, like that of all Fb. verse, very sadly mangled. Bugge’s 
acute conjectures have been of great help, and we have been able to 
make the plot clear by what we take to be a few certain emendations. 

The genealogy of the sons of Arngrim has been put right by the 
help of the echo of the lost original verse in Orvar Odd-Saga. The 
genealogies in Fb. i. 24, 25 may be of a little further use, but the 
poem is completely hopeless in parts. 

We have transposed Il. 133-140 from after 1. 158. 


[ Freyja| haa mer meyja! vaki mfn vina! 
q: Hyndla systir es { helli byr! 
Na es roekkr roekkra; rfda vid skolom 
til Valhallar ok til véss heilags. 





Freya at the cave of Houndling, the Giant-witch, when she cries,— 

WAKEN, maid of maids, waken, my friend, my sister Houndling, that 
dwellest in the cave! It is now the gloam of gloaming, let us ride 
together to Wal-hall, to the holy city. Let us pray the Father of the 


1 
ee 
ae” ——— me 








§ 2.] HYNDLO-LIOD. 224 


Bidjom Herja-fodur { hugom sitja ; 5 
hann geldr ok gefr goll verdungo: 
gaf hann Hermdéi hialm ok brynjo, 
enn Sigmundi sverd at piggja: 
gefr hann sigr sonom, enn sinnom aura, 
mzlsko magom, en man-vit firom; 10 
byri gefr hann bragnom ; enn brag skaldom ; 
gefr hann mansemi margom rekki. 
Pér mun-ek bléta; pess mun-ek bidja, 
at hann ez vid pik einart lati; 
pé6 es hénom étitt vid Iatuns bridir. 15 
Nu takti ulf pfnn ein af stalli; 
l4t hann renna med rina mfnom; 
‘seinn es’ galtr minn Godveg troda ; 
vil-ek 4 mar mfnn metan hlcéda. 
[Hyndia| Fla ertu, Freyja, es pu freistar m{n,— 20 
q. visar bi augom 4 oss pbannig :— 
es pt hefir ver pfnn { val-svini 
Ottar inn unga Innsteins bur. 
[Freya]  Dulid ertu, Hyndla, draums etlig per, 
g. es pa kvedr ver minn f{ val-svini, 25 
par es galtr gloar Gollin-bursti, 
Hildi-svini, es mér hagir gcerdo 
dvergar tveir, Dainn ok Nabbi. 
Sennom vid or sadlom! sitja vid skolom, 
ok um iafra ettir déma: 30 
gumna peirra es fra godom kvémo. 





Hosts to be gracious to us, for he grantSand gives gold to his servants ; 
he gave Hermod a helmet and mail-coat, and Sigmund a sword. He 
gives victory to his sons, and wealth.to his followers, ready speech to 
his children, and wisdom to his offspring. He gives fair wind to cap- 
tains, and song to poets, and luck in love to many a hero. I will 
worship Thor, and pray him that he be at peace with thee, though he 
is no friend to the giant-brides. But take thy wolf now from the stall, 
and let him run beside my boar. My boar shall forthwith speed to the 
land of the Gods; I will saddle [mount ?] my steed of price. 

Quoth Houndling : Thou art false, Freya, tempting me so—thou fixest 
thine eyes on me—thou that hast thy lover with thee in boar-shape, 
Othere the young, the son of Innstone. 

Quoth Freya : Thou art deceived, Houndling, thou art surely entranced, 
to say that I have my lover here in boar-shape, where the swine Golden- 
bristle glows, the Boar.of War, which the skilful dwarves, Dain and 
Nabbi, wrought for me. Let us talk from our saddles, let us sit and weigh 
the Races of Kings, of all men that sprung from the Gods. For they have 





5. herians f., F. 6. verdugum, F. g. sinnom] suinnum, F, 10. 
mégom | morgum, F, 13. mun-ek | emend.; mun hon, F, 18. seinn 
es] read, senn man? minn] emend.; pinn, F. (The words are Freyja’s.) | God- 
vegr here = Godheimr. 19. vil-ek &] emend.; vil-ek ei, F. _hléeda hleda, F. 
22. val-svini] emend.; valsinni, F, here and 1. 25. ay. dulin, F. 


Q2 


228 GENEALOGICAL LAYS. [BK. Iv. 


Peir hafa vedjat Vala-malmi 
ttarr inn ungi ok Angantyr. 
Skyllt es at veita, sva-at skati enn ungi, 
fodur-leifS hafi eptir freendr sfna: 35 
Hearg hann mer gcerdi hladinn steinom ; 
nui es gridt pat at gleri ordit; 
raud hann { nyjo nauta-bl6di; 
e tridi Ottarr 4 Asynjor. 
Nd lattu forna nidja talda, 40 
ok upp bornar eettir manna :— 
Hvat es Skialdunga? MHvat es Skilfinga? 
Kay es Odlinga]? Hvat es Yifinga? 
vat es hald-borit? Hvat es hers-borit— 
mest manna-val und Midgardi? 45 


[Hyndia| bu ert, Ottarr, borinn Innsteini; 
g.  Enn Innsteinn vas Alfi ‘nom gamla; 
Alfr vas Ulfi; Ulfr Szefara; 
enn Sefari Svan enom rauda. 
Mé6ur Atti fadir pinn menjom gafga ; 50 
hygg-ek at hon héti Hlédis gydja: 
Frééi vas fadir peirrar, enn ‘ Friaut’ md6ir; 
Oll pétti ett si med yfir-mannom. 
Ali vas 46r aflgastr manna, 

Halfdan fyrri hestr Skialdunga. 55 
Freg véro folk-vig pau-es framir goerdo; 
hvarfla pdétto hans verk med himin-skautom. 
Efidisk hann vid Eymund, céztan manna; 





laid a wager of Welsh-ore [gold], Othere the young and Angantheow. I 
am bound to help the former, that the young prince may have his father’s 
heritage after his kinsmen. He made me an altar built of stones, the 
grit thereof is changed to glass, he has reddened it with the fresh blood 
of oxen. Othere hath ever trusted in the Ansesses. Now do thou tell 
over the men of old and say forth in order the races of men. Who of 
the Shieldings? who of the Shelfings? who of the Ethelings? who of the 
Wolfings ? who of the Free-born? who of the Gentle-born are the most 
chosen of kindred of all upon earth? (Here Houndling’s lesson begins.) 


THE GENERATIONS OF HEROES. I. 

Quoth Houndling : Thou, Othere, art sprung from Instone, but Instone 
was from Alf the Old, Alf from Wolf, Wolf from Sea-farer, and Sea- 
farer from Swan the Red. Thy father had a mother, rich with necklaces; 
I think that her name was Hledis the priestess. Frodi was her father 
and F... her mother—all that race is ranked with those of high 
degree. Anila was of old the mightiest of men, and Halfdan in former 
days the highest of the Shieldings. Famous are the wars which that 
king waged, his deeds have gone forth to the skirts of heaven. He 
strengthened himself in marriage with [the daughter of | Eymund the 





33. inn ungi] iungi, F, 43. Thus from 1, 63; om. F, 











§ 2.] HYNDLO-LIOD. 229 


enn hann Sigtrygg [v4] med svalom eggjom. 

Eiga gekk Almveigo, cezta kvinna ; 60 
élo pau ok #tto 4tiaén sono: 

Padan ero Skiawldungar; padan ero Skilfingar ; 
padan [ero] Odlingar; padan [ero] Ylfingar ; 
padan hald-borid; padan hers-borid— 

mest manna-val und Midgardi.— 65 
Allt es pat ett pin, Ottarr heimski ! 

Vas Hildigunn ‘hennar’ mddir 

Svafo barn ok Sekonungs. 

Alli es pat ett pin, Ottarr heimski !— 

Voromk at vittr sud! Vilté enn lengra? 70 


Dagr Atti béro Drengja-mdédor : 
dlosk { ett par céztir kappar: 
Fradmarr ok Gyrér, ok Frekar bddir, 
Amr ok Jofur-marr, Alfr enn gamli.— 
Voromk at vitir svad! Vilté enn lengraP v5 


Ketill hét vinr peirra Klypps arf-begi ; 
vas hann mddor-fadir mdédor pfnnar. 
‘Par vas Frédi fyrr an Kari,’ 
inn ellri vas Alfr um getinn. 


Nanna vas nest par Noekkva doéttir ; 80 
vas magr hennar m4gr pins fadur. 
Fyrnd es si megdé.—Fram sé-ek lengra. 


Kunna-ek bééa Brodd ok Haurfii— 
Alli es pat att pin, Ottarr heimski ! 





highest of men, who slew Sigtryg with the cold blade. He [Halfdan| 
wedded Almweig the highest of ladies; they bred up and had eighteen 
sons. Thence come the Shieldings! Thence come the Shelfings! 
Thence the Ethelings! Thence the Wolfings, etc.—All this race is 
thine, Othere the Simple. 

Hildigund was .... mother, the child of Swafa and Seaking. All this 
race is thine, Othere the Simple! 1 doubt if any know so much. Wilt 
thou have me tell more? 

Day wedded Thora Mother-of-heroes; of their race are bred the 
highest champions—Fradmar and Gurth, and both the Frekis, Am and 
lofur-mar, Alf the Old.—I doubt, etc. 

Their friend was named Ketil, the heir of Klyp, he was the father of 
thy mother’s mother. Frodi came before Kari, but Alf was born.... 

Nanna came next, Nokkvi’s daughter ; her child was thy father’s kins- 
man by law. This affinity is of old days, but I can see farther forward. 

I know both Brord and Haurfi.—All this race is thine, Othere the 
Simple! 





59. va] om, F, 60. quinnu, F. 63. Ylfingar] Ynglingar, F, 70. 
Voromk at vitir svi] emend.; see Alvis-mal, p. 83; vardi at viti sva, F. 74. 
iosurmar, F (cp, O. H, G. Epar-mar), - 


230 GENEALOGICAL LAYS. [ BK. Iv. 


Isélfr ok Asolfr Olméds synir, 85 
ok Sktrhildar Skekkils déttur. 
Skaltt til telja skatna margra.— 
Allt es pat ett pin, Ottarr heimski ! 


Gunnarr balkr, Grimr aré-skafi, 
idrn-skialdr Périr, Ulfr ginandi. go 


Hervarér, Hiarvarér, Hrani, Angantyr, 
Bui ok Brami, Barri ok Reifnir, 
Tindr ok Tyrfingr, tveir Haddingjar : 
Arngrimi é6ro bornir 
arfar tolf ok Eyfuro: 95 
broedér berserkja { Bolmi austr, 
um land ok um lag sem logi foéro.— 
Allt es pat att pin, Ottarr heimski ! 


véro peir f hiré Hrolfs ens gamla; 

allir bornir fra Isrmunreki, 100 
Siguréar magi,—Hlyd-pu sago minni,— 

folkom grimms, pess-es Fafni va. 

S4 var visir fra Valsungom ; 

enn Hiardis fra Hrauéungom ; 

enn Eylimi fra Odlingom.— 105 
Alt es pat att fin, Ottarr heimski ! 


Iswolf and Answolf, Olmod’s sons, and Skurhild, Shackle’s daughter. 
Thou canst tell thy race up to many heroes.—All this, ete. . 

Gunnar Balk, Grim the Ploughshare, Thori Iron-shield, Wolf the 
Gaper ... .—All this, etc. 

Herward, Hiorward, Rani, Angantheow, Bui, Brami, Barri, Reifnir, 
Tind and Tyrfing and twins Hardings, these twelve sons, they. were 
born of Arngrim and Eyfura in Bolm-in-the-East: Bearsark-brothers, 
who raged like wild-fire over land and sea.—All this, etc. 

They were among the henchmen of Hrolf the Old; all sprung from 
Eormunrek, the kinsman by law to Sigurd—listen thou to my story— 
the fierce king that slew Fafni. That prince was of the Wolsings, but 
Hiordis [Ais mother] of the Redings, and Eylimi [his mother’s father] of 
the Ethelings.—All this, etc. 








gi-98. Thus partly mended and transposed. F runs on from verse 90.—UlIfr 
ginandi bui ok brami barri ok reifnir tindr ok tyrfingr, ok tveir haddingjar. Allt 
er pat. Ani omi voru bornir arngrims synir ok eyfuru braukun berserkia bauls 
margs konar um laund ok um laug sem logi feri. Allt er pat. Kunna ek bada 
brodd ok haurfi (repeated from 1. 83). 

Orvar Odd-Saga gives the following verse :—Hervarér, ok Hiorvarér, Hrani 
Angantyr | Bildr ok Bagi, Barri ok Toki | Tindr ok Tyrfingr, tveir Haddingjar | 
peir i Bolm austr bornir véro | Arngrims synir ok Eyfuro | ba fra ek manna mein- 
udgasta | ok dégiarnasta gott at vinna | peir ero berserkir béls of fyldir | tvau skip 
hrudo tryggra manna.—This and the mangled remains of F are our materials for 
restoring the text, 103-104. Vélsungom .., Hraudungom] Volsungi, Hraudungi, F. 











§ 2.] - HYNDLO-LIOD. 231 


Gunnarr ok Hagni Gitka arfar, 
ok id sama Gudrtn systir peirra; 
eigi vas Guthormr Gitka ettar ; 
pé vas hann brdédéir beggja peirra.— 110 
Allt es pat eit pin, Otlarr heimski ! 


Haraldr Hildi-tann, borinn Hreoereki 
Sloengvan-bauga, sonr vas hann Audar; 
Audr Ditip-audga [vars déttir ; 
enn Radbardr vas Randvess fadir: 115 
Peir véro gumnar godom signadir.— 
Alit es pat ett pin, Ottarr heimski ! 


II. 


Véro ellifo sir taldir 
Baldr es hné vid bana-pbifo. 
bess létzk Vali verdr at hefna; 120 
sins um brdéur sl6 hann hand-bana.— 
Alit es pat ett pin, Ottarr heimski! 
Vas Baldrs fadir Bors arf-pegi. 
Freyr Atti Gerdi; hon vas Gymiss doéttir, 
Iatna ettar ok Aurbodo. 125 
P6 vas Piazi peirra freendi, 
skot-giarn iatunn; hans vas Skaéi déttir. 
Mart segjom per, ok munom fletra.— 
Voromk at vitir své! Viltté enn lengra?P 


Hati vaS Hvedro ‘héti baztr’ sona; 130 
enn Hata vas Hrod-vitnir fadir: 
Heidr ok Hross-piéfr Hrimniss kindar. 





Gunnar and Hogni the heirs of Giuki, and Gudrun their sister like- 
wise, but Guthorm was not of Giuki’s race, though he was the brother 
of both of them.—All this, etc. 

Harald War-tusk was sprung from Roderik Ring-slinger; he was the 
son of Aud, but Aud of-deep-wealth was the daughter of Ivar, and 
Radbeard was Randwer’s father. They were men marked with a sign 
to the Gods.—All this, etc: 


THE GENERATIONS OF THE GODS AND THE DESTROYERS. II. 


There were eleven Anses all told, when Balder went down into the 
hillock of death. Wali was his avenger; he slew the very slayer of 
his brother. Balder’s father [Woden] was the heir of Bor. Frey 
wedded Gerd; she was Gymi’s and Aurbode’s daughter of giant-race; so 
Thiazi became their kinsman, the hunter-giant ; his daughter was Skadi. 
I tell thee much, but I know more.—I doubt, etc. 

Hate [the Sun-devouring Wolf] was the .... of Hwedra’s sons, but 
Hate’s father was the Great Beast. Haid and Horse-thief were of 





112. -taunn, F, 127. skaut-giarn, F. 130-131. Emend.; Haki var 
Hvednu h, beztr sona enn Hvedno var Hiorvardr fadir, F.~-See Thulor and Gm. p. 74. 


232 GENEALOGICAL LAYS. [BK. Iv. 


Ol Ulf Loki vid Angrbodo; 

enn Sleipni gat vid Svadilfcera ; 

eitt pdétti skars allra feiknast 135 
pat vas brééor fra Byleistz komit. 

‘Loki af hiarta lindi brendo 

fann hann half-svidinn hug-stein koma ;’ 

varO Loptr kvidugr at kono illri. 

badan es 4 foldo flagd hvert komit. 140 


Ero Vcelor allar fra Vidolfi: 
Vitkar allir fra Vilmeidi: 
Seid-berendr fra Svart-hafda : 
Iatnar allir fra Ymi komnir. 
Mart segjom per, ok munom fletra.— 145 
Voromk at vitir svad! Vilté enn lengra?P 


Varé einn borinn { 4rdaga, 
ramm-aukinn miok Ragna kindar: 
Nio baéro pann nadd-gafgan mann 
Iatna meyjar vid iardar pram: 150 
Hann Gialp um bar, hann Greip um bar, 
hann bar Eistla, ok Eyrgiafa, 
hann bar Ulfrin, ok Angeyja, 
Imér, ok Atla, ok Iarn-saxa: 
Sa4 vas aukinn lardar megni, 155 
sval-kaldom sz ok sdénar-dreyra. 
Mart |segjom per, ok munom fletra.— 
Voromk at vitir sud! Viti enn lengra ?| 


III. 
Haf gengr hridom vid himin sialfan; 





Hrimni’s kindred [giant-brood]. Loki bred the Wolf with Angrbode, 
and begat Sleipni with Swadilfarer. One monster there was, of all the 
most terrible [the Serpent], sprung from Byleist’s brother .. . (tavo lines 
corrupt)... Loft [Loki] grew heavy with a female child, an evil woman 
[Hell]. Thence are sprung every kind of Ogresses. 

All Sibyls are from Wood-wolf, all Warlocks from Wilmeid, all 
Sorcerers from Swart-head, all the Giants from Ymi. I tell thee much, 
but I know more.—I doubt, etc. 

There was one born in the beginning of days [Heimdall], endowed 
with mighty strength, of the kindred of the Powers. Nine giant- 
maidens bare this. stud-endowed man, on the outskirts of the earth. 
Yelp bare him, Grip bare him, Eistla and Eyrgive bare him, Wolfrun 
and Angey bare him, Imd and Atla and Iron-saxa. He was endowed 
with the strength of Earth. I have told thee much, etc.—I doubt, etc. 


THE Last Doom. III. 
The Deep shall rage in tempest against the very heavens, pouring 





134. -fara, F. 135. read, eitt pd vas? 139. at] emend. ; af, F. 
141. vaulfur, F. 143. Seid-b.] Edda; Skilberendr, F, 149. nad baufgan, 
Fis 150. F here inserts—Mart segjom per ok munom fleira (wrongly). 








} 
ees I eee ee ee of. 


7, ae 
| yet: 


§2.] HYNDLO-LIOD. 233 


lfdr land yfir; enn lopt bilar: 160 
Padan koma sniévar ok snarir vindar. 
P4 es ‘{ rAdi’ at Regin um pridti. 


Vard einn borinn allom meiri; 
s4 vas aukinn Iardar megni: 
pann’ kveda stilli stér-Gdgastan 165 
‘Sif sifjadan’ sidtom goervallom. 
b4 koemr annarr enn matkari. 
pé6 poriga pann at nefna: 
Fair sid nui fram um lengra 


an Odinn man Ulfi mecéta. 170 
IV. 
[Freya| Ber pu minnis-al minom gelti, 
q. sva-at hann all muni ord at tina 


pessar roedo 4 pridja morni 
pa-es peir Angantyr ettir rekja. 
[Hyndla| Snidu braut hedan! sofa lystir mik ; 175 
q: feer pu fatt af mer frfdra kosta.— 
Hleypr pi, Ods-vina, uti 4 nédttom 
sem med hafrom Heidriin fari! 
Rannt at Odi ey preyjandi; 
skutosk per fleiri und fyrir-skyrto.— 180 
Hleypr pi Ods-vina uti 4 ndéttom 
sem med hafrom Heidrin fari! 





over the land. The firmament shall fall. Thence shall come snows 

eh rushing winds. Then the Doom of the Powers shall be nigh at 
and, 

- There was one born mightier than any [Thor]. He was endowed 
with the strength of Earth. He is held the most strong of lords, Sib’s 

gossip, among all races. 

Then there shall come ANOTHER mightier still, but I dare not name 
him. None can see farther forward than the day when Woden shall 
meet the Wolf. 

EPILOGUE. IV. 


Quoth Freya; Bear a cup of remembrance to my boar, so that he 
may remember all the words of this speech, to repeat them on the 
third morning from now, when he and_Angantheow shall reckon up 
races, 

Quoth Houndling :; Get thee gone hence, I would fain sleep, thou shalt 
get little good from me. Thou runnest out, thou friend of Od [Freya’s 
lover], by night, as the she-goat Heathrun does among the he-goats. 

Thou hast run after Od ever pining, and many have stolen under thy 
skirt. Thou runnest out, etc. 





162. regin] regn, F. 165. -audgaztan, F. 168. porig eigi, F. 171. 
gelti] thus F. 173. pessa, F. 174. reikna, F, 177. Ods-vina] 
Bugge; edlvina, F, 179. Odi] Bugge; xdi, F.  & 


234 GENEALOGICAL LAYS. [BK. Lv. 
[Freya] Ek sle eldi of fvidjo 


q. sv4 at pi... 4 braut hedan. 
[Ayndia} Haf sé-ek brenna; enn haudr loga: 185 
q: verda flestir fizor-lausn pola: 


Ber pu Ottari biér at hendi, 
eitri blandinn miak fllo heilli. 
[Freya]  Oré-heill pin skal engo rdéa, 
q. pétta, bridr Iatuns, beaolvi heitir. 190 
Hann skal drekka dyrar veigar, 
Bid-ek Ottari all god duga! 


RIGS-PULA; or, THE LAY OF RIGH, 


THIS poem only occurs on one of the stray leaves at the end of 
Codex Wormianus. It begins with a few words of prose and a big 
initial letter at the top of the page, and fills both sides ; but the following 
leaf is lost, and the end of the poem with it. The second leaf was 
missing in 1609, when Magnus Olafsson had the vellum; but a few years 
earlier, 1596, when Arngrim wrote his Supplement to the Kings’ Lives, 
it seems to have been in existence, for he gives information which could 
only be derived from it, as to Dan, Danp, etc. See Notes. 

The only reference to it is by Ari, who in Ynglinga, c. 20, says: 
‘Dyggvi’s mother was Drott, daughter of King Danp, the son of Rig, 
who was the first called King in the Danish tongue.’ The myth of 
Heimdal being, like Brahma, the father of men, is known to the author 
of Volo-spa, whose invocation begins, ‘Sons of Heimdal high and low.’ 

The story deals with the origin of the three orders of men—Thralls, 
Yeomen, and Gentlemen. Heimdal the White God, the old Anse, 
assuming the name of Righ the Wanderer, walks thrice over the Earth, 
From his first visit spring the Thralls, from the second the Churls, from 
the third the Earls. Now follows the birth of Kon the young (= Konung, 
King), the youngest son of Ear/. The final lines, which, we take it, con- 
tained the particular application to some king of the author’s day, 
for this belongs to the class of Pindaric genealogical poems, are lost. 

From the plan of the poem, the first three strophes are full of parallels ; 
and hence, as abbreviations could be used by the copyist, omissions were 
likely to occur and are actually found. Bugge noticed that the fare of 
the Yeoman household was missing. Bergmann acutely observed that 
the latter lines of the Thrall’s fare in our vellum were too good, and 





Quoth Freya: I will cast fire about [thee] the evil Sibyl, so that thou 
shalt not be able to get hence. 

Quoth Houndling : 1 see the Deep on fire and Earth ablaze: few there 
be that shall not suffer death. Here she hands the cup to Freya. Bear 
the ale to Othere’s hand, mixed with venom and omen of ill. 

Quoth Freya, taking the cup: Thine omen shall be of no avail, though 
thou threatenest with curses, thou giant’s bride. He [Othere] shall 
drink draughts of blessing. I pray all the gods prosper Othere! . 





183. of] af, F. 184. . . .] eigi kemk, F (a verb negative on 6 is required), 
185. Haf] emend.; hyr, F. 








§ 2.] THE LAY OF RIGH. 235 


must have been transposed from the Yeoman-strophe. The names 
of the Daughters of Earl are also missing. Further, the names given of 
the Yeoman’s daughters are those of gentle ladies, and must be out of 
place. So here we are in a double plight. But chance has helped us: 
the Thulor gives us twenty names of women, evidently taken from our 
poem. From them we can pick out ten names of ladies and ten names 
of Yeoman’s daughters, and thus put the Yeoman’s daughters aright, and 
at the same time fill the second lacuna. But we still lack half the fare of 
the Thralls, the way the Yeoman’s table was dressed, and a line or two 
more about the food at the Earl’s table. For this there is no help, 
unless a new text should turn up. The second line, either overlooked 
by or illegible to the copyist, containing Heimdal’s name, had dropped 
out. We have restored this, a necessary clause, from the Prose 
Preface. 

The writer of the Codex Wormiatius had the poem before him in a 
prototype of not later date than 1200, to judge from the spelling of 
certain words, e.g. 1. 179. 

The metre is something between the short and long epic measures, 
and is not very flowing or finished. The poet’s attention was con- 
centrated on the concise and orderly setting forth of his subject, which 
makes his work so interesting and renders almost every word worthy 
of study. The vocabulary is, as one would expect from a poem dealing 
with economic and political life, rich and varied. 


I. 


a en kvédo ganga groénnar brautar 
[hvitan ok h... Heimdall. . .]; 

afigan ok alldinn As kunnigan; 
ramman ok raskvan Rie Stiganda. 


Gekk hann meirr at pat midrar brautar: 5 
Kom hann at husi; hurd-vas 4 getti. 
Inn nam at ganga; eldr vas 4 golfi: 
Hitin séto par har of 4rni, 
Ar ok Eppa alldin-fallda. 
Rigr kunni peim ra6 at segja: 10 
Meirr settisk hann midéra fletja; 
enn 4 hlid hvd4ra hién sal-kynna. 
PA t6k Edda cekvinn hleif, 





In the olden time they say there went along the green paths the 
white and ... Heimdal, the mighty and ancient Anse, the strong and 
brisk RiGH the Walker. 


He went on upon his way along the middle of the path and came 
to a house, where the door was ajar, and made bold to walk in. There 
was a fire on the floor, and over the hearth there sat the hoary good-folk 
of the house, Al, and EDDA with her old-fashioned hood. Righ knew 
how to make himself at home; he sat him down in the middle seat, with 
the good-folk of the house on either side. —Then Edda took an unkneaded 





1. ar] at, W. groennar brautar] emend.; groenar brautir, W;; ep. Il, 20, 51, etc. 
8, hitin] hion, W, here and below. of} af, W.  aarniy W. 


236 GENEALOGICAL LAYS. [BK. IV. 
pungan ok piokkan, brunginn sHdom. 


Rigr kunni beim r46 at segja: 15 
reis hann upp padan; rézk at sofna: 
meirr lagdisk hann midrar rekkjo; 
enn 4 hlid hvdra hitin sal-kynna. 
Par vas hann at pat pridr netr saman: 
gekk hann meirr at pat midrar brautar. 20 
Lido meirr at pat manoédr nio: 
i66 6] Edda, idso vatni, 
heorvi svartan, héto Prat. 
Hann nam at vaxa, ok vel dafna: 
vas par 4 handom hrokkit skinn, 25 
kropnir knuar . . . . 
fingr digrir, fulligt andilit, 
lotr hryggr, langir heelar. 
Nam hann meirr at pat magns at kosta, 
bast at binda, byrdar goerva ; 30 
bar hann heim at pat hris gerstan dag. 
Par kom at gardi Gengil-beina ; 
grr vas 4 iljom, armr sdél-brunninn, 
nidr-biugt vas nef; nefndisk Pir: 
midra fletja meirr settisk hon; | 35 
sat hid henni sonr hitina. 
Reéddo ok ryndo, rekkjo goerdo 
Pray ok Pir prungin deégr. 
Barn d6lo pau, bioggo ok undo: 
hygg-ek at heiti:—Hreimr ok Fidsnir, 40 





loaf, heavy and thick, and mixed with bran....... He rose up 
thence and went to bed. Righ knew how to make himself at home; he 
lay down in the middle of the bed, with the good-folk of the house on 
either side. Here he stayed three nights together, and then went on 
upon his way. 

Nine months more went by, Edda brought forth a man-child and 
sprinkled it with water,... . . of swarthy skin, they called it Thrall. 
He grew apace and throve finely, ..... 5 the skin of his hands was 
wrinkled, his knuckles bent, his fingers thick, his face ugly, his back 
broad, his heels long. He began to put forth his strength, binding bast, 
making loads, and bearing home faggots the weary long day. There 
came to the house Toddle-shankie, with scars on her feet, sunburnt 
arms, and a broken nose; her name was Theoqw. She went to the 
middle seat, the good-folk’s son sat down beside her; the weariful 
day they gossiped and whispered, and made ready one bed for them, 
Thrall and Theow. They had children, and dwelt together and were 
happy. Their sons’ names I ween were Sooty and Cowherd, Clumsy 





15, ll. 15 and 16 interchanged in W. 34. vas] er, W. pir, W; read 
pyr? 36. hitina] emend,; huts, W. 








§2.] THE LAY OF RIGH, 237 


Klirr,ok Kleggi, Kefsir, Fulnir, 

Drumbr, Digraldi, Drattr ok Hasvir, 

Litr ok Leggjaldi: lagdo garéa, 

akra taddo, unno at svinom; 

geita getto; grdéfo torf. 45 
Deettr véro beirra: Drumba ok Kumba, 

CEkkvin-kalfa, ok Arin-nefja, 

Ysja ok Ambétt, Eikin-tiasna, 

Tatrug-hypja ok Trano-beina,— 

Padan ero komnar PRA&LA-£TTIR. 50 


II, 


Gekk Rigr at pat réttrar brautar : 
kom hann at hallo; hurd vas 4 sk{di: 
inn nam at ganga; eldr vas 4 golfi. 
Hitin sto par, héldo 4 syslo; 
maor telgdi par meié til rifjar: 85 
vas skegg skapat; skar vas fyr enni; 
skyrto proengva; skokkr vas 4 golfi. 
Sat bar kona, sveigdi rokk, 
breiddi fadm; bid til vadéar: 
sveigr vas 4 hafdi; smokkr vas 4 bringo; 60 
dukr vas 4 halsi; dvergar 4 oxlom.— 
Art ok Amma 2tto his. ' 
Rigr kunni peim r46 at segja: 
[Meirr settisk hann midra fletja; 
enn 4 hliéd hv4ra hitin sal-kynna. 65 
b4 t6hk Amma .... . 





and Clod, Bastard, Mud, Log, Thickard, Laggard, Grey-coat, Lout, and 
Stumpy. They busied themselves with building fences, dunging plow- 
land, and tending swine, herding goats, and digging peat. Their 
Daughters were Loggie, Cloggie, Lumpy-leggie, Snub-nosie, Cinders, 
Bondmaid, Woody-peggie, Tatter-coatie, Crane-shankie, Thence are 
come the generations of THRALLS, 


II. Then Righ went on his right way. He came to a hall; the door 
was on the latch. He went boldly in; there was a fire on the floor. The 
good-folk were sitting there, busy at their work. The good-man was 
cutting a log into a loom-beam; his beard was trimmed, his hair was 
cut across his forehead, his shirt was tied; a chest was on the floor. 
kia whe The good-wife sat there twirling her distaff, stretching out her 
arms, working the clothes; she had a hooked cap on her head, a smock 
on her breast, a kerchief on her neck, pin-brooches on the shoulders, 
GAFFER and GAMMER owned the house. Righ knew how to make 
himself at home; he sat down on the middle seat, with the good-folk 
of the house on either side. Then Gammer took ...., these she put 





51. rettar brautir, W. = 


238 GENEALOGICAL LAYS. [BK. Iv. 


Bar hon meirr at pat midra skutla; 

sod vas { bolla; setti 4 bidd; 

vas kalfr sodinn krdsa baztr. 

[Rigr kunni beim r46 at segja]: 70 
reis fra bor6i; rézk at sofna: 

meirr lagdisk hann midrar rekkjo; 

enn 4 hlid hv4ra hién sal-kynna. 

Par vas hann at pat pridr netr saman: 

[gekk hann meirr at pat midrar brautar]. Bs 

Lido meirr at pat manodr nio. 
i6d 61 Amma, idso vatni ; 
kallodo Kart; kona sveip ripti, 
raudan ok riddan; ridodo augo. 

Hann nam at vaxa, ok vel dafna: 80 
cexn nam at temja, ardr at goerva, 

hus at timbra, hlador [at] smfda, 

karta at goerva, ok keyra plég. 

Heim 6ko pa Hangin-luklu, 

Geita-kyrtlo, gipto Karli: 85 
Snor heitir su; settisk und ripti: 

Bioggo hién, bauga deildo; 

breiddo bléjor, ok bi geerdo, 

Barn dlo pau, bioggo ok undo; | 
hét: Halr ok Drengr, Halér, begn ok Smidér, 90 
Breidr, Béndi, Bundin-skeggi, 

Bui ok Boddi, Breid-skeggr ok Seggr. 

Enn héto dcéttr adrom nafnom: 
Rygr, Vif, ok Drés, Ristill, Seeta, 





on the middle of the dish, broth was in the bowl which she set on the 
table, and boiled veal the best of dainties. Righ knew how to make 
himself at home; he got up from the table and went to bed. He lay 
down in the middle of the bed, with the good-folk of the house on 
either side. Here he stayed three nights together, then he went on 
upon his way. 

Nine months more went by. Gammer brought forth a man-child, they 
sprinkled it with water and called it Carle; the good-wife swaddled him 
in linen; he was red and ruddy, with rolling eyes. He grew apace and 
throve finely. He took to breaking oxen, and building plows, timber- 
ing houses, smithying barns, making carts, and driving the plow [cart]. 
They carried home a wife for Carle. Keys 0’ beltie, Goat-skin-coatie, 
Daughter-in-law was her name; she sat under the linen [veil]. The 
good-folk kept house together, and spent their rings [money], they 
spread the sheets, and farmed their land. They had children, and dwelt 
together and were happy. Their sons’ names were Child, Lad, Yeoman, 
Thane, Smith, Burly, Farmer, Sheafbeard, Neighbour and Bodger, 
Broad-beard and Gossip. But their Daughters had other names: 





- 71. rézk] 1é8, W. 82. ok hlodor, W. 92. Breid-skeggr} emend. ; 
Bratt-skeggr, W. 93. deettr] emend,; sva, W, see 1. 46, 














§ 2] THE LAY OF RIGH. 239 


Man, Svarkr ok Hell, Mer, ok Kerling.— 95 
badan ero komnar Karia-@TTIR. 


‘Tl. 


Gekk Rigr paéan réttrar brautar : 
Kom hann at sal; sudr horfdo dyrr; 
vas hurd hnigin; hringr vas { getti. 
Gekk hann inn at pat: Golf vas str46; 100 
soto hién, sask f augo, 
Fapir ok Mop, fingrom at leika. 
Sat hus-gumi, ok snoeri streng ; 
alm of bendi, arvar skepti: 
Enn hts-kona hugdéi at ‘grmom,’ 105 
strauk of ripti, sterti ermar. 
Keistr vas faldr, kinga vas 4 bringo, 
sidar slédor, serkr bl4-fann: 
brin biartari, bridést lidsara, 
hals hvitari hreinni miaollo. I10 
Rigr kunni peim r46 at segja. 
Meirr settisk hann midra fletja ; 
enn 4 hlid hvdra hitn sal-kynna. 

b4 tok M6déir merkdan dtk, 
hvitan af harvi, [ok] huldi bidé. 115 
Hon t6k at pat hleifa punna, 
hvita af hveiti, ok huldéi dik. 
Fram setti hon skutla fulla... 
silfri vardan bi66 ........ 
forn fleski ok fogla steikda; 120 





Mistress, Wife, Lassie, Buxom, Spinster, Maid, Bouncing-girl, Widow, 
Maiden and Carline. Thence are come the generations of CHURLS. 


III. Then Righ went on his right way. He came to a hall with the 
doors turned to the south; the door was down, there was a ring on the 
lintel. He went boldly in; the floor was strewn, the good-folk sat there 
looking one another in the eyes, and playing on their fingers, FATHER 
and MorHEer. The Master of the house sat twisting [bow] strings, 
bending the elm [for his bow], shafting arrows; and the Lady of the 
house was looking on her arms, smoothing her linen, and pleating her 
sleeves. Her head-gear stood out from her head, she wore a brooch on 
her breast, long trailing sashes, and a blue-dyed sark. Her brow was 
brighter, her breast lighter, her neck whiter than the driven snow. Righ 
knew how to make himself at home; he sat him down in the middle 
seat, with the good-folk of the house on either side. Then Mother 
took a broidered cloth of bleached flax and covered the table. Then 
she took thin loaves of white wheat and covered the cloth. She set forth 
silver-mounted dishes full of ...... old [well-cured] ham, and roasted 





97. tettar braut’, W. 107. Emend.; keisti fald, W. 308. Emend. ; serk 
blafaan, W. 118-120, Thus emendated ; fram setti hon skutla fulla silfri varda 
a biod faan® fleski, W. e 


240 GENEALOGICAL LAYS. [ BK. Iv. 


vin vas { kanno, varéir kAlkar. 

Drukko ok déméo, dagr vas 4 sinnom, 

Rigr kunni beim r46 at segja : 

reis hann at pat; rekkjo gcoerdi: 

[meirr lagdisk hann midrar rekkjo 125 
enn 4 hlid hydra hitin sal-kynna]: 

Par vas hann at pat pridr netr saman: 

gekk hann meirr at pat midrar brautar, 

Lido meirr at pat m&nodr nio; 
svein 61 Mddir, silki vaféi, 130 
idso vatni, Iart léto heita: 

Bleikt vas har, biartir vangar; 
etul varo augo sem yrmlingi. 

Upp 6x bar Iarl 4 fletjom: | 
lind nam at skelfa, leggja strengi, 135 
alm at beygja, arvar skepta, 
flein at fleygja, frakkor dyja, 
hestom rida, htinom verpa, 
sverdom bregda, sund at fremja. 

Kom par or runni Rigr Gangandi, 140 
Rigr Gangandi rinar kenndi; 
sftt gaf heiti, son kvazk eiga; 
pann bad hann eignask ddéal-vallo, 
6dal-vallo, aldnar bygéir. 

Reid hann meirr padan Myrkvan vid, 145 
heilog fiall, unz at hallo kom. 

Skapt nam at dyja, skelféi lind, 
hesti hleypdi, ok hiarvi br4; 
vig nam at vekja, vall nam at ridéda, 





birds. There was wine in a can, and mounted beakers. They drank 
and talked while the day passed by. Righ knew how to make himself at 
home ; he rose after this, and made his bed; he laid him down in the 
middle of the bed, with the good-folk of the house on either side. He 
stayed here three nights together, then he went on upon his way. 

Nine months more passed on, Mother brought forth a boy, she 
swaddled him in silk, sprinkled him with water, and called him Earl. 
His hair was yellow, his cheeks were rosy, his eyes were keen as a 
young serpent’s. Earl grew up in the house, he took to shaping the 
linden-shield, fixing the string [for the bow], bending the bow, shafting 
arrows, hurling the javelin, shaking the lance, riding horses and throw- 
ing dice, fencing with the sword and practising swimming. 

Out of the copse came Righ the Walker. Righ the Walker taught 
him Spells, gave him his own name, and acknowledged him as his son ; 
he bade him have and hold the Udal-fields, the Udal-fields dwelt on from 
the days of old. He [Earl] rode on thence through Mirkwood and the 
Holy Hills till he came to a hall. He began to brandish the shaft, to 
shake the linden [shield], to gallop his horse, and fence with the sword. 





138. huinom] emend.; hundum, W. 146. helug, W. 








$2] THE LAY OF RIGH. 241 


val nam at fella; va til landa. 150 
Ré} hann einn at pat 4tj4n biom. 
Aud nam at skipta, aldom veita 
meidmar ok masma, mara svang-rifja ; 
hringom hreytti, hié sundr baug. 
ko erir urgar brautir ; 155 

kvémo at hallo par-es Hersir bid. 
Mey Atti hann mi6é-fingrada, 
hvita ok horska. Hét si Erna. 

Bxdo hennar ok heim 6ko; 
gipto Iarli, gekk hon und lini. 160 
Saman bioggo pau, ok ser undo; 
zettir idko, ok. aldrs nuto: 
Burr vas inn ellzti, enn Barn annat, 
I66 ok Adal, Arfi, Maogr, 
Nidér ok Nidiungr—namo leika,— 165 
Sonr ok Sveinn,—sund ok tafl,— 
Kundr hét einn. Konr vas inn yngsti. 

Enn véro dcéttr adrom nafnom: 
Snét, Bridr, Svanni, Svarri, Sprakki, 
Fli65, Sprund, Kona, Feima, Ekkja. 170 


Upp 6xo bar Iarli bornir: 
Hesta tamdo, hliffar bendo, 
skeyti skéfo, skelf6o aska. 
Enn Kownr-uner kunni runar, 
eevin-rinar, ok aldr-rinar: 175 





He began to waken war, he began to redden the field, he began to fell 
the doomed. He won lands, he ruled alone over eighteen townships; 
he began to deal out wealth, and endow his people with treasures and 
costly things, with fine-ribbed steeds; he scattered rings, and hewed 
great rings asunder [among them]. 

The messengers drove over the dew-wet paths, they came to the hall 
where Lord dwelt; he had a daughter, slender-fingered, white and 
gentle. Her name was Er/a. They asked her father for her hand, 
and drove her home; they married her to Earl. She walked under the 
veil of fine-linen ; they dwelt together, were happy, they increased their 
race, and led a joyful life, First-born was their eldest son, the second 
was Bairn, Baby, and Etheling, Heir, Kinsman, Cousin, and Friend, 
Son, and Swain. They learned swimming and tables. One of them 
was called Gentle, but the youngest was named KIN. But the daughters 
had names of their own: Grace, Bride, Swan, Haughty, Spark, Fleda, 
Spouse, Lady, Virgin, Girl. 

Earl’s sons grew up; they busied themselves with breaking horses, 
rimming shields, smoothing shafts, and planing ash-spears. But Kin-the- 
young knew hidden things, everlasting mysteries, mysteries of life; he 





152. ollom, W. 155. Oko erir] Bugge; oki zrir, W. 157. Bugge; 
meziti hann miofingardi . . . hetu, W. 158."Erla] emend.; erna, W. 
168-170. See Introduction, 


R 


242 GENEALOGICAL LAYS. [BK. rv. 


meirr kunni hann mannom biarga, 
eggjar deyfa, cgi legja: 
klak nam fogla, kyrra elda, 
ser at svefja, sorgir legja; 
afl ok elion atta manna. 180 
Hann vid Rig Jarl rinar deildi, 
bragdom beitti, ok betr kunni: 
P4 cedladisk ok p4 eiga gat 
Rigr at heita rinum-kunni. 
Reid Konr ungr kiarr ok skéga, 185 
kolfi fleygdi, kyrdi fogla. 
Pa kvad pat kraka,—sat [4] kvisti ein: — 
Hvat skaltu, Konr ungr, a fogla? 
heldr meetti 
hestom rida ok her fella. 190 
A Danr ok Danpr dyrar hallir, 
cedra 6dal an ér hafid. 
peir kunno vel kiél at rfda, 
egg at kenna, undir ritfa. 


YNGLINGA-TAL; on, 
THE GENERATIONS OF THE YNGLINGS. 


In the Prologue to the Lives of the Earlier Kings it is written: 
‘Thiodwolf of Hwin was Harold Fair-hair’s poet; he made for King 
Reginwald heidum hera, the poem which is called the Genealogy of the 
Ynglings. (Reginwald was the son of Anlaf Gerstada-alf, and brother 
of Halfdan the Black.) In that poem are named thirty of his fore- 
fathers, and the death and burial-place of each is told.’ Ynglinga 
Saga, which is undoubtedly Ari’s work, is founded on this poem, and 





knew too how to save men’s lives, how to blunt the edges [of the sword], 
and how to still the sea; he learnt the language of birds, how to quench 
fire, to stay wounds’ bleeding, to allay sorrows; he had the strength and ~ 
pith of eight men. 

- Earl capped spells with Righ, he overcame him by cunning, and 
outdid him. Then he came into his heritage and got the surname 
of Righ the Spell-wise. 

Kin-the-young rode through shrub and shaw, flinging the bird-club, 
and stunning the birds. Up spake a crow, as she sat on a bough. Why 
art thou killing birds, Kin-the-young? Thou shouldst rather be riding 
thy steed and felling armies. Dan and Danp have costly halls, a 
higher heritage than you have. They are well skilled in riding the 
keel, in wielding the sword, and ripping wounds, (Rest of lay missing, 
bow ‘Kin became Bing. ) . 





179. sar at] emend.; seva z svefia, W. 184. Emend.; ruinar kunna, W. 


192. érj per, W 








§2.] YNGLINGA-TAL. 243 


in our vellums of this Saga we luckily find the poem itself inserted 
piecemeal by some editor. But of the thirty names we have only 
twenty-seven; three have therefore dropped out, whether at the be- 
ginning or end we cannot tell, yet we should suspect that the latter 
verses (between stanzas 26 and 27) have suffered, which may have led to 
the false views of the poem’s age. 

Thiodwolf, who is named by Ari as Harold’s poet, has left other 
poems, one Haust-long (see Book vii), in honour of the well-known 
Lawgiver, Thorleif the Wise, the founder of Gula-Things-Law, who 
was the friend and adviser of Hakon Athelstan’s foster-son, who ruled 
in the middle (950-970) part of the tenth century. He also wrote 
a poem, now lost, on Earl Strut-Harold (see Skalda-tal in Kringla), 
father of Sigwald, who commanded the Iom Wickings c. 980, fought 
at Swold in rooo, and is believed to have perished in the massacre of 
St. Brice, in England, rooz. Thirdly, a poem on Earl Hakon I, King 
Harold’s contemporary. These data would fix our poem to the first 
part of the tenth century. Its short epic metre, with kennings and 
courtly phrases, well fits that date, and would be impossible a hundred 
years earlier. + 

In the beginning of the tenth century, Norway was, for the first 
time, under the rule of ove king, who, starting from small beginnings, 
had won himself an empire. The poem is plainly composed to magnify 
his family, to give them the one glory they lacked, the consecration 
of time, by tracing them up on the spear-side to the Gods at Upsala, 
to Ingowin-Frey himself, through thirty generations. When we look 
into the poem, we find how, to accomplish his object, Thiodwolf had 
to take famous kings of all races and timies, and string them one upon 
another regardless of chronology. Thus we have Eadgils, who is spoken 
of in Beowulf; Godofridus, Charles the Great’s contemporary ; Dyggwi, 
etc. That mere traditional memory could not supply so many steps 
in one descending line is obvious; the Greek and Norse genealogies 
soon lose themselves among the Giants and Gods. 

We should naturally conclude that Thiodwolf would make his poem 
on the dead of the family, Harald Fair-hair himself, his great contem- 
porary, and may it not be that he has done so after all? In the last 
verse he says that he knows no surname under the blue sky so glorious 
as that of ‘ heidum-harr’ {so the best of our two MSS. reads, there is 
a lacuna in Kringla]. But this, on the analogy of raudum-skialdi [Red- 
shield| and fagrom-kinni [Fair-cheek|], can only mean fair-hair. The 
other reading, ‘heidom-heri,’ higher than the heaths, is nonsense. Heaths 
are not always high, nor is there any particular splendour associated 
with them. But if we read Fair-hair, this surname is a glorious name, 
for it was a memorial of the Conqueror’s Vow and Victory. We may 
therefore suppose that by ‘régnvaldr reidar-stiori’ is meant the wise 
Earl Reginwald [Reynold], who gave the king the surname at that 
solemn hair-polling which marked the fulfilment of the vow. This 
explanation is in consonance with the Raven-Song which speaks of 
the King as ‘ Lufa,’ ‘Shock-head.’ The chronology is right, for Harold 
lived down to #thelstan’s death at least. For full discussion of this 
point and justification of reading adopted see Notes. 

Ynglinga-tal is never cited or alluded to elsewhere: Snorri and Olaf 
would have taken much more pleasure in Haleygia-tal no doubt, but 
still the complete silence is remarkable. Of Eywind’s imitation, which 
is remarkably close, we shall speak below. ‘That Ari was drawn to 
Ynglinga-tal is not unaccountable. He himself claiffed to be of Yngling 


R 2 


244 GENEALOGICAL LAYS. (x. rv. 


blood on one side at least. There is an originality about the poem 
which led to its being drawn upon as a model of such genealogies. 
Skioldunga and Saxo we take to be founded on some such imitation 
on behalf of the Danish Kings; though no Danish ‘ Skioldunga-tal’ is 
known to have existed. Its. absence of framework and good practical 
arrangement suited the court panegyrist better than the more ingenious 
and pindaric Western Genealogies such as Hyndlu-liod. 

Before Harald’s reign and conquest, our poem would have been 
meaningless and even impossible; when great Kings, Tryggvason, St. 
Olave, had made Fair-hair’s title good, in a way undreamt of, it would 
have been needless. As it was, it appeared in season as a title-deed 
to a conquering king, the first sovereign of the whole land. 

Ynglinga Saga has come down in three vellums, Kringla (A), Jofra- 
skinna (B), Frisianus (F); at 1. 168 there is a blank of one leaf in 
Kringla. The proem of the poem, and at least one verse at the be- 
ginning,. are lost. 


I. ARD fram-gengt, bar-es Frédi bid, 
feigdar-ord, es at Fiotnt kom: 
_ ok sikling svigdiss geira 
vagr vindlauss um vida skyldi. 


u. | Enn dag-skiarr Durniss nidja 5 
sal-varéuér Svecpr vélti: 
p4-es { stein inn stér-gedi 
dulsa konr ept dvergi hliédp: 
ok salr brattr peirra Soekk-mimiss, 
iatun-byg6r, vid iafri gein. 10 
uz Enn 4 vit Vilja brédor 
vitta-véttr VaNLANDA kom: 
pa troll-kund um troda skyldi 
lids Grimhildr:liéna baga: 
ok s4 brann 4 bedi Skuto 15 
men-glatodr, es mara kvaldi. : 


tv. Ok Vispurs vilja byrgi 





I. THERE was fulfilled the word of fate that came to FIOLNI, where 
Frodi dwelt, when the windless wave of the bull’s spear [horn of wine] 
was fated to overcome the king. 

11. But the warder of the hall of the Sons of the daylight-shrinking 
Durni [the dwarf] beguiled SwEep1, when the high-souled king sprang 
after the dwarf into the rock; and the steep giant-peopled hall of 
the Pit-ogre [rock] yawned for the king. 

111. But an ogress brought WANLAND to visit Wili’s brother [ Woden], 
when the fiend-born Grimhild trampled on the umpire of litigants; 
and the necklace-dropper, whom the Nightmare slew, was burned in 
the bed of the river Skuta. 

1v. And the Sea’s brother [fire] did swallow the ship of the mind 





8. dusla, B. g. brattr] emend. ; biartr, A, B, 10. -bygéir, B. 
17. byrgi] B; byrdi, A. 





§ 2.] YNGLINGA-TAL. 245 


Sidvar nidr svelgja knatti: 

p4-es mein-pi6f markar atto 

setr-verjendr 4 sinn fador: 20 
ok allvald { 4rin-kidli 

gl6da garmr glymjandi beit. 


v. Hitt vas fyrr, at fold rudo 
sverd-berendr sfnom dréttni: 
ok land-herr 4 lffs-vaanom 25 
droerog vpn Démarpa bar: 
pa-es 4r-giarn Idta dolgi 
Svia kind um soa skyldi. 


vi. Ok ek pess opt um Yngva hroer 
fr6da menn um fregit hafdak: 30 
hvar Démarr 4 dynjanda 
bana Halfs um borinn veri: 
ni ek pat veit, at verk-bitinn 
Fiolniss nidr vid Fyri brann. 


vu. Kvedkat-ek dul, nema Dyceva hroer 35 
Glitniss gn4 at gamni hefir: 
pvi-at iodis Ulfs ok Narfa 
konung-mann kidsa skyldi: 
ok allvald Yngva piddar 
Loka meer at leikom hefr. 40 


vin. Frdé-ek at Dacr dauda-yrdi 
fraegdar-fliss um fara skyldi: 


~ 





[breast or body] of WisspuR, when the warders of the palace [the 
king’s sons] hounded the vile robber of the forest [fire] against their 
father; and the roaring dog of the embers [fire] bit the high-king in 
the hearth-bark [hall]. 

v. It was in former days that the sword-bearers reddened the earth 
with their own lord’s blood, and the people of the land wielded their 
gory weapons on the life-reft DomMWALD, what time the Swedish folk, 
eager for good seasons, did sacrifice the foeman of the Jutes. 

vi. And I have often asked of wise men concerning Yngwi’s kins- 
man’s tomb, where DOMHERE was laid upon the roaring bane of Half 
[fire], but now I know that the son ef Fiolni died sickness-stricken by 
the river Fir [Shallow]. 

vir. It cannot be gainsaid but that Glitni’s kinswoman [Hell] has 
the corse of DyGewi for a toy, for the sister of the Wolf and Narfi 
picked out that royal man, yea, Loki’s maid has the mighty ruler 
of Yngwi’s people [the Swedes] for a plaything. 

vil. I heard that the glory-loving Day had to obey the word of 





18. siarvar, A; sevar, B. 24. sverd-riddendr, B. 25. -vonom] B; 
-vanan, A. 37. iopis, A; iodis, B. 40. at leikom] B; leikinn, A, 
4l. -yrdi] B (A.S. wyrth); ordi, A. * 


246 GENEALOGICAL LAYS. [BK. IVs 


p4-es val-teins til Varva kom 

spak-fraamodr spars at hefna: 

ok pat ord 4 Austr-vega 45 
visa ferd fr4 vigi bar, 

at bann gram um geta skyldi 

sloengo-pref Sleipniss verdar. 


1x. Pat tel-ek undr, es Aena her 
Skialfar rod at skapom pétto: 50 
pd-es geéding med goll-meni 
Loga dis at lopti hdf: 
hinn-es vid Taur temja skyldi 
svalan hest Signyjar vers. 


x. Fell ALrexr, par-es Errext 55 
brédor vpn at bana urdo: 
ok hnakk-mars med hafud-fetlom 
Dags frendr um drepask kvééo: 
fraat madr 46r eykja geervi 
Freyss. afspring f folk hafa. _ 60 


xt. Ok vard hinn, es Alfr um vA, 
varér vé-tiallz um veginn liggja; 
es daglingr droergan meki 
efund-giarn 4 Yneva raud. 
Vasa pat beert, at Bera skyldi 65 
val-scefendr vigs um hvetja, 
p4 es broédr tveir at banom urdosk 
épurfendr um ofbrydi. 





doom, when he, the soothsayer of the rods of divining, came to 
Worwi to avenge his sparrow; yea, the king’s men brought word from 
the battle on the Baltic, that the sling-staff of Sleipni’s food [hay-fork] 
struck the king. 

1x. I count it a marvellous thing that AGNI’s people thought Skialf’s 
deeds natural, what time Logi’s sister heaved the Chief in the air 
on her golden necklace: he that was fated to tame the ice-cold horse 
of Signy’s husband [Hagbard’s steed=the gallows] at Taur. 

x. ALRIC fell what time a brother’s weapon slew ERIC, and as 
men say, the children of Day smote one another with the headgear 
of the saddle-horse [bit]. Never man heard before that Frey’s off- 
spring ever used horse-harness in fight. 

x1. And he whom Alf slew, the keeper of the holy tabernacle, was 
fated to lie slain, when the envious prince reddened his blade on 
Ynewi. It was not meet that Bera should egg on the slayers to the 
slaughter, when two brothers slew each other needlessly for jealousy’s 
sake. 





52. Lolka, i. e. Loka, B. 54. Sigyniar, B. 59. greidi, B. 61. auk, B. 
62, vé-tiallz] F; vé-stallz, A. 68. afrydi, A, 











§ 2.] YNGLINGA-TAL. £44 


xu. Vard IérunpR, hinn es endr um dé, 
lifs um lattr { Limafirdi: jo 
pa-es ha-bridéstr haorva-Sleipnir 
’ bana Godlaugs um bera skyldi: 
ok Hagbaréz hersa valdi 
haudno leif at halsi gekk. 


xu. Kndatti endr at Uppsalom 75 
Ana-sétt Aun um standa: 
ok pra-lifr piggja skyldi 
i6ds adal wdro sinni: 
ok sveiduds at ser hverféi 
meekiss hlut inn midvara : 80 
ok ok-reins 4ttunga ridér | 
lagdiss odd liggjandi drakk: 
mattit harr hiarédar meeki 
austr-konungr upp um halda.. 


xiv. Ok lof-szll or landi f16 Sz 
Tyss Attungr Tunna rfki: 
enn fléming farra triéno 
iatuns eykr 4 Acti raud, 
s4-es um Aust-mark 46an hafdi 
brina-harg um borinn lengi: go 
enn skidlauss Skilfinga nid 
heéfiss hizorr til hiarta st6é. 


xy. Fell Orrarr und ara greipar 
duganligr fyr Dana vopnom: 
pann her-gammr hregom fcéti 95 





XII. EORWIND, who died long ago, lost his life in Limb-frith, when 
the high-shouldered flax-steed [the *gallows] was fated to bear the 
slayer of Godlaug, and Hagbard’s goat-hair rope [the halter] clasped 
the neck of the lord of lords. 

xm. Anility overcame AUN in the days of yore at Upsala, and he, 
clinging to life, was obliged to take the nature of a babe a second time, 
and turn the smaller end of the steer’s sword [horn] towards him; yea, 
the sacrificer of his sons drank, as he lay, from the point of the blade 
of the yoke-reindeer [ox-horn]; the hoary king of the East had not 
strength to hold up the weapon of the herd [horn]. 

xiv. And the much-renowned son of Tew fled from his country 
before the might of Tunni, but the Giant’s yoke-ox [ur-ox], a beast 
that had long borne a brow-pillar [horn] over the East-mark [Lithu- 
ania?], dyed red upon Ecix the sword of the stirk’s snout [horn]; 
yea, the sheathless weapon of the heifer struck the son of the Shelfings 
to the heart. 

' XV. OTHERE the doughty fell by the weapons of the Danes, under 
the talons of the eagle, when the war-vulture spurned him, the reason- 





71. ha-bridstr] thus A and B, 74. haudnu, A, B. 76. Aun] A. 
78. alap, B. 89. -mérk] add. B; om, A. > 


248 GENEALOGICAL LAYS. [BK. Iv. 


viti borinn 4 Vendli sparn. 

Pau fra-ek verk Vattz ok Fasta 

Seenskri pi6d at sagom verda, 

es Eylandz iarlar Frééa 

vig-fromod um veginn hafdo. 100 


xvi. Pat frd-ek enn, at Apts ficorui 
vitta-véttr um vida skyldi: 
ok d46-giarn af drasils b6gom 
Freyss Attungr falla skyldi: 
ok vid aur egir hiarna 105 
bragnings burs um blandinn varé : 
ok d46-szll deyja skyldi 
Ala dolgr at Uppsalom. 


xvu. Veit-ek Eystrerns enda folginn 
lokins Iffs 4 Lofundi: 110 
ok sikling med Sviom kvido 
Iétzka menn inni brenna: 
ok bit-sétt f brand-néi 
hlidar pangs 4 hilmi rann, . 
pé-es timbr-fastr toptar noekkvi 115 
flotna fullr um fylki brann. 


xvin. Pat steekk upp at Ynevari 
S¥slo kind um soit hefdi: 
ok liéds-hamom vié lagar hiarta | 
herr Eistneskr at hilmi va: 120 
ok Aust-marr iafri Soenskom 
Gymiss li66 at gamni kvedr. 





endowed, with its brute carrion-feet at Wendle. I heard the deeds of 
Glove and Fast told in story among the Swedish people, how Frodi’s 
island [Zealand’s] earls had slain the war-raising king. 

xvi. I heard that the witch-wife [Hell] was fated to destroy the 
life of EADGILS, and that the deed-thirsty king, the son of Frey, should 
fall from the saddle of his steed, and that the brain-flood of the son of 
kings should be mingled with the dust, and that the renowned enemy 
of Anila was doomed to die at Upsala. 

xvii. I know that the close of EySTAN’s life was hid on Lofund, 
and that Jutish men burned the king in the midst of the Swedes, and 
the fever of the cliff-weeds [forest-fire] rushed upon the king in the 
fire-ship [hall], when the timber-fast craft of the croft [hall] burnt, full 
of men, about the king’s ears. 

xvii1. It came to pass that the people of Sysel sacrificed YNGWERE, 
the Esthlanders slew the fair-skinned prince at the heart of the sea 
{at Stone], and Eastmere sings ocean-songs for the joy of the King 
of the Swedes. 





107. dag-szll, B. 115. necqvi, A. 118. soat, A; sott, i.e. soit, B. 
119. hémom] add, B; om. A. 4 








5 oF 
“<y 


§2.] YNGLINGA-TAL. 249 


xix.  Vard Onunpr Ionakrs bura 
harmi heptr und Himin-fiallom: 
ok of-veg Eistra dolgi 125 
heipt hrisungs at hendi kom: 
ok s4 framodér foldar beinom 
Hagna hreers um horfinn vas. 


xx. Ok Inerartp ffiarvan trad 

reyks rasodr 4 Reningi: 130 
pa es his-pidéfr hyrjar leistom 

God-konung f{ goegnom steig: 

ok sa yrOr allri piddo 

siall-geetastr med Sviom bétti, 

es hann sialfr sino fiarvi, 135 
frékno fyrstr um fara skylldi 


xxi. Ok vid vag Vidar-telgjo 
hre Axxirs hof-gyldir svalg : 
ok gl66-fialgr goervar leysti 
sonr Forniétz af Svia iaofri: 140 
Sv4 att-konr fra Uppsalom 
loféa kyns fyr lango hvarf. 


xxu. Pat fra hverr, at HALFDANAR 
sak-midlendr sakna skyldo: 
ok hall-varps hlifi-nauma 145 
pidd-konung 4 Pétni tédk: 
ok Skereid { Skirings-sal 
um brynj-alfs beinom dripir. 





x1x. EANWIND was imprisoned at Heavenfell by what slew the sons 
of Jonakr [stones], and the bane of the bastard [stones] overpowered 
the fierce enemy of the Esthlanders, yea, the forwarder of Hogni’s 
wreck [king] was buried under the bones of the Earth [stones]. 

xx. And the smoke-gusher [fire] trampled on the living INGoOLD at 
Rening, what time the house-riever [fire] walked over the King of 
the Goths with burning soles; and that fate was thought the rarest 
by every one of the Swedish folks, that he himself should be the first to 
destroy his gallant life. 

xxi, And by the Bay the fane-devourer [fire] swallowed the body 
of ANLEIF [Olave] the Woodcutter, and the ember-hot son of Forniot 
[fire] dissolved the frame of the King of the Swedes. So the scion 
of the glorious race of Upsala disappeared long ago. 

xxii. Every one has heard how the doomsmen were fated to lose 
HALFDAN, how the Queen of cairns [ Hell] took the great king on T hotni, 
yea, Skereid droops in Skirings-hall over the bones of the mail-elf [hero]. 





129. Thus, ‘ifiorvan’ (one word), A. 130. rausudr, A, 133. yrdér] 
B; urdr, A. 134. siallgcervastr, B. 136. vildi, B. 137. Thus 
emend; Ok vid vag hinn er vidjar, A and B. 139. gléd-fialgr] B; gladfialgr, A. 
gaurvar, A; gotvar, B. 140. sonar, A. 141. Sva] not si, A and B. 
143. hverr] B; hyrr, A. 144. sgce-, A. 145. A; hallvarps ( =hall- 
varps), B. 147. Skereid and skirissal, A. ° 


250 GENEALOGICAL LAYS. [BK. Iv. 


xxm. Enn Eystrernn fyr Asi fér 
til Byleistis br6éor meyjar: 150 
ok nt liggr und lagar beinom 
reiks laudo6r 4 radar broddi: 
par-es él-kaldr hid iafri Gauzkom 
Vadlo-straumr at vagi koemr. 


xxiv. Ok til pings Pridja izofri 155 
Hvedrungs mer or heimi baud: 
pa-es Hatrpan, sd-es 4 Holtom bid, 
Norna déms um notid hafdi: 
ok budlung 4 Borroe 
sigr-hafendr sidan falo. 160 


xxv. Ward Goprapr inn Gafoglati 
l6émi beittr, s4-es fyr lango vas: 
ok um r46 at alom stilli 
hafud-heipt reekt at hilmi dré: 
ok laun-sigr inn l6m-gedi 165 
Aso arr af iafri bar: 
ok budlungr 4 bedi fornom 
Stiflo-sundz of stunginn vas.. 


xxvr. Ok nid-kvisl { Noregi 
Préttar burs um proask hafdr: 170 
Réd Aremrr Upsa fordom, 
Vidi, Groend, ok Vestmarom: 
Unz fét-verkr vid foldar-bramr 
vig-midlung um vida skyldi: 





XXII. But EySTAN, struck by the boom, went to the maid of 
Byleist’s brother [Hell], and the washer of blades is now lying under 
the bones of the sea [stones], on the tongue of the beach [the shore], ~ 
where the sleet-cold Wadle-stream [R. Waddle]. runs into the bay 
hard by the Gautish King. 

xxiv, And Loki’s daughter [Hell] called the king out of this world 
to the court of Woden; what time HALFDAN, that lived in Holt, re- 
ceived the Norns’ doom. And afterward the victors buried the prince 
at Borro. 

XXV. GOTHFRED the MAGNIFICENT, who lived: long ago, was struck 
down by treason; and a deadly hate, long nursed, drew treachery upon 
the king, upon the drunken prince; and the cowardly traitorous mes- 
senger of Asa won a murderous victory over the king, yea, the prince 
was stabbed to death on the ancient bed of Stifla-sound. 

xxvi. And the shoot of the tree of Woden’s son [Frey] throve 
in Norway. ANLEIF fOlave] once ruled Upsi, Wood, Green, West- 
mare, till gout was fated to destroy the war-dealer at the land’s thrum 





159. bylestz, B. 153. iofur, A. 157. Holtom] B; Hollti, A.  . 160. 
i.e. sigr-héfundar, 170. burs] purs, F. —hafdi] nadi, F. 171. Olafr, F. 


172. Thus emend.; ofsa forum vidri grund of (ok, F) Vestmari, F, B. 174. vig 
nidiung, F, ) 








§ 2.] HALEYGIA-TAL. 251 


Nd liggr gunn-diarfr 4 Geirstodom 175 
her-konungr haugi ausinn. 


. _ ° . . > a 


xxvu. Pat veit-ek bazt und blam himni 
kenni-nafn, sva-at konungr eigi, 
es Ragnvaldr Reinar-stidéri 
Herom-nArr pik heita ré6, 180 


HALEYGIA-TAL; or, 
THE GENERATIONS OF THE HALEYG-EARLS. 


AFTER the great famine of 975-6, the rule of Norway passed for 
twenty years from the Ynglings, Gunhild’s sons, into the hands of Earl 
Hakon II of Lathe. His father and grandfather were men of mark, 
Law-speakers in the Northern district of Norway. But his family 
seems beyond that to be one of no special distinction, local earls and no 
more. Hakon was a mighty man, who put down all opposition and 
saved Norway from the Danish Wickings. He was therefore in some- 
what the same position as King Harold Fair-hair had been, and would 
welcome a poet who proved his race to be divine. Eywind was ready 
to fulfil this task, and with Ynglinga-tal for his model he went boldly 
to work, furnished him with a son of Woden (who migrated from 
Sweden to the North of Norway) for ancestor, and the regulation 
thirty generations of distinguished forefathers. Nay, he even explains, 
in a very ingenious way (see Agrip, cited Reader, p. 257), the fact 
of Hakon being called Earl and not King, though his ancestors once 
were kings. 

The poem, probably of the same length as its prototype, has only 
reached us in fragments, comprising perhaps a fifth of the whole. Of 
these pieces those numbered 3, 4, 8, 9 occur in the Kings’ Lives, and 
10 in Fagrskinna, the rest in Edda and Skalda (W). 

They show a striking similarity to the original Ynglinga-tal; words, 
phrases, plan, all are copied, ingeniously but unmistakably. Frag- 
ment 6 is even quoted as Thiodwolf’s, the resemblance having deceived 
thirteenth-century critics, though it must be Eywind’s: first, because it 
will not fit into Ynglinga-tal; secondly, because the new clause be- 
ginning with ‘ba-es’ comes in the middle of the line, a blemish never 
found in Thiodwolf (who pairs off the several clauses of his sentences, 
like an old Hebrew poet, line corresponding strictly to line), though 
frequent enough with Eywind, cf. ll. 11, 15, 37, 4%, 45, 51. 

A= Kringla, B= Jéfra-skinna, W = Edda, Wormianus. 





[the shore]. Now the war-doughty king of hosts is lying with a 
barrow cast over him in Garstead. 

xxvil. The best surname that I know any king under the blue sky 
has, is that when Reginwald the lord of Rein [place] called thee 
FAIR-HAIR. 





179-180. Emend.; er Rognvaldr reidar stiori . . ... heitinn er, By F. 180, 
-harr] B; hori, F. F adds, ok mild-gedr markar dréttinf (badly). _ 


252 GENEALOGICAL LAYS. [BK. Iv. 


I. 
a) es hli66d at Hars 1idi, 
medan Gillings gialdom yppik : 
pvi-at hans ett { hver-legi 
Galga-farms til goda teljom. 


be 


tink es Surtz oF Soekk-daolom 5 
(far-magno6r), flitigandi bar. 


III. 
Seming Pann skiald-bloétr skatt-foéri gat 
Asa nidr vid Iarn-vidjo, 
pa-es pau meirr { Manheimom 
skatna vinr ok Skadi bioggo 10 
oy ant. ® seevar-beins: ok sono marga : 
Ondor-dis vid Odni gat. 


IV. 
Godlaug Enn Gopiauer grimman tamdi 
vid ofr-kapp Austr-konunga 
bY 73. bSigars i6: es synir Yngva 15 
e Y 16. ©men-glatod vid meid reido: 
Ok né-reidr 4 nesi dripir 
Vinga-meidr, par-es vikr deilir. 
d Y 29. Par es fial-kynt um fylkiss 4hroer 
steini merkt Straumeyjar-nes. 20 





I. Prologue. 1 wish for a hearing for the cider of Woden [my song], 
whilst I pay out the ransom of Gilling [poetry], whilst I tell His [Earl 
Hakon’s] lineage up to the gods in the cauldron-lee of the Gallows’ load 
[ Woden’s drink = Poetry]. 

II. (Of Weden)..... He, the mighty traveller, that bare on his 
wing out of Swart’s Pit-dales [Tartarus, Abyss]. (Woden stealing the 
Mead from the Giants.) 

III. When the shield-sacrificing Anses’ son [Woden?] begot this 
tribute-bearer [under-king] with lronwood [the Giantess|, what time 
they dwelt in the Manham [world of Men] long ago, the friend of the 
sea-bone’s folk [Niord] and Skadi: yea, the lady of the snow-skates 
[Skadi] bore many sons to Woden. 

IV. But GUDLAUG tamed the cruel steed of Sigar [was hanged], 
through the too great might of the Kings of the East, when the children 
of Yngwi hoisted the necklace-looser to the tree; yca, the corse-ridden 
steed of Wingi [Woden’s gallows] droops on the ness where the bays 
are parted. It is known far and wide Stromey’s ness, stone-marked, 
about the princes’ grave-mound. 





3. pvi-at] W; medan, A. hans] i.e. Earl Hacon’s. g. merr, A, 10. 
bioggo| B; bygdo, A, 16. rido, B. 1g. B; -kunnr, A. 20. B; 
merktr, A, 








§ 2.] HALEYGIA-TAL. 253 
V. 


P4-es ut-ravst iarla bagi 
(Belja-dolgs) byggja vildi. 


VI. 
(Hafud-badm): pd-es heid-szi 
4 fiorniss fiallom dr¥gdi. 


VIL. 
Ok sA halr at HArs-vedri 25 
hoesvan serk hrfs-grisniss bar. 
VIL. 
Earl Hakon I, Vari HAxon, Hagna meyjar 
vidr, vapn-berr, es vega skyldi: 
ok sfnn aldr i odda gny 
© F364 eFreyss Attungr 4 Fialom lagdéi: 30 
Ok par vard, es vinir fello 
magar Hallgardz, manna bldéi, 
Stafaness, vid stéran gny 
vinar Léérs, vagr um blandinn. 
Earl Sigred Ok Sicrap hinn, es svanom veitti 35 
Ats son. hréka-biér, Haddingja vals, 
Farma-tyss: fiaorvi neemdu 
iaré-radendr 4 Ogldi: 
Ok aélingr Yrna iardar 
alnar orms 6foelinn vard 40 
lifs of lattr: pd-es land-rekar 
f Y 86. fTyss Attung { trygd sviko. 





V. The enemy of Beli [Frey]. When the foe of Earls [the King] 
wished to people the outlying lands. 


VI. ... .. the head-beam; when he performed the sowing of gold 
on the hawk’s hills [hands], [i.e. when he paid his men]. 
WELL si and this man bore into the storm of Woden [Battle] the 


grey sark of the bush-hog [i. e. a wolf’s coat]. 

VIII. Haxon, the love of Hogni’s maid [Hilda, i.e. Battle], was 
weapon-bare when he fought, and the kinsman of Frey laid down his 
life in the spear-clash at Fialar; and there, when the friends of Griot- 
gard’s son fell, Staffaess bay was mixed with the blood of men in the 
great crash of Loki’s friend [Woden]. 

And the earth-rulers deprived SIGFRED of life at Ogloi, him that fed 
the swans of the gallows-god [Woden] with the beer of Harding’s 
carrion-crows [blood]; yea, the undaunted Etheling of Yrna-land (the 
Lord of Yriar), unsparing of arm-serpents [rings], was reft of life when 
the rulers of the land betrayed the son of Tew in time of truce. 





21. ut restr, W. 26. hrisnis, W. 31. par] pat, A and B. 39. Yrna] 
emend, ; i olun, Cdd, bad 


254 EARLY ENCOMIA. [BK. rv. 


IX. 
Earl Hakon Par vard minnztr mein-vinnondom 
his son. Yngi-Freyss andurdan dag 
fagna-fundr: es flota peysto 45 


iar6-radendr at eydandom : 
pé-es sveré-alfr sunnan kni{di 
lagar-st66 at lidi peirra. 
X. 
Peim es allt austr til Egda-byss 
bradér Val-ty¥ss und beégi liggr. 50 


XI. 


Iolna-sumbl: Enn vér gdtom 
stilliss lof sem steina-bru. 








§3. EARLY ENCOMIA. 
HORNKLOFI’S RAVEN-SONG. 


THE foremost and oldest of its class is this poem. Its author was 
the ‘poet Hornklofi, an old friend of the King [Harold Fair-hair], who 
had always been among his courtiers from his youth up.’ Besides this 
brief notice we know nothing. To judge from ll. 62, 69, 81 however 
he must have been a Western man from beyond the Main. His name 
is sometimes given as Thorbiorn, but he always goes by his nickname, 
Horn-cleft, that is ‘ hard-beaked,’ an epithet and synonym of the 
Raven. The foreign fabliau in Hauks-book (Proleg., p. 160) is of 
course merely fastened upon him as a welJ-known person, and has no 
foundation in fact. 

The Raven-song is a Dialogue between a Raven (in the choice of 
which bird the poet is probably playing on his own name) and a Lady, 
who we should guess from lines 5-6 to be a Walkyrie, or even a 
Finnish woman. The Raven, in answer to her questions, speaks in turn 
of the Warlike Glory of Harold the Fair-hair, his Generosity towards 
his Warriors and his Poets, and gives an account of his Bear-sark 
champions, and lastly of Andad the Fool, his learned Dog, and the 
Tumblers. The Raven then tells of the King’s Battles, and especially of 
his crowning exploit, the Battle of Hafrfirth, of which he gives a 





IX. Of Hakon II. It was the least joyful meeting for the enemies of 
Yngwi-Frey, when the rulers of the land [Earl Hakon and his sons] 
sped with their fleet against the destroyers [the Ioms- Wickings], when 
the sword-elf drove his sea-steeds from the south against the host of 
them. 

X. All Woden’s bride [the earth, i.e. all Norway], as far as Egda- 
by [to Land’s end], lies under his [Earl Hakon’s] arms. 

XI. The Epilogue. The Gods’ nectar [poetry]; and I have made the 
Chief’s praise to stand like a stone bridge. 








§ 3.] HORNKLOFI’S RAVEN-SONG. 2n8 


glowing account. To have so old a description of a Northern King’s 
court is of high interest, especially as the picture it gives is not that 
which the stern gravity of the Saga would suggest, but much more that 
of such writers as Dudo and Wace. Andad and Gollet are among the 
oldest examples of the court-fool, whose character has been so power- 
fully drawn by Shakspere. The historical value of the poem is also very 
great. The light it throws on the relations between the king and the 
Western Wickings, whom it ranks as his most formidable opponents, 
the notices it affords of the ships, weapons, and even the names of the 
enemy (Ceotwan, probably Gaelic, and Haklang), are all exceedingly 
welcome, where there is such a lack of early information on such an 
important time as that of Harold Fair-hair. Hornklofi is in fact to his 
master as Asser to Alfred, and it is interesting to contrast the encomia 
of the two great contemporaries, each most characteristic in its way. 

The main part of the Song, ll. 1-61, is found inserted in the so-called 
Fagrskinna Abridgment of the Kings’ Lives. There are two vellums 
of this book, both lost in the fire,1778. Our A (A. M. 302) is in Asgeir 
Jonsson’s copy of the Konungatal-vellum. Our B is Arni Magnusson’s 
own copy of the Attartal-vellum; which was, as may be seen by the 
specimen in the Reader, p. 251, remarkable for its Norwegian spelling. 

As Hornklofi’s ll. 21-24 are cited in the Kings’ Lives, ll. 47-50 are cited 
in Flatey-book, and wrongly given to Audun [ Eadwine] IIl-skellda. 

The second part of the poem, the Hafrfirth Battle, Il. 61-81, we find 
inserted in the Kings’ Lives (Heims-kringla), who ascribe them to 
Hornklofi. Fagrskinna, which also cites them, gives them by mistake 
to Thiodwolf of Hwin. Snorri, too, quotes ll. 78-79 as Thiodwolf’s; but 
they are clearly part of Hornklofi’s poem. Not only the peculiar metre, 
the subject, and the style fit, but the very words of the earlier part 
‘Heyrdir pi’ of the dialogue. The fragments subjoined are also from 
this poem, of which we have perhaps two-thirds. The first is about the 
King’s wife, and is found in the Kings’ Lives. The second, unfor- 
tunately corrupt, ll. 85-88, is from Flatey-book i. 576, where it is given 
to Thiodwolf of Hwin. The third morsel, 89-90, is one of the Raven’s 
speeches cited by Snorri as Thiodwolf’s. The confusion of ascription is 
increased by the presence in Flatey-book, i. 567-568, of twelve spurious 
lines by a twelfth-century poet (the metre and style leave no doubt), the 
same probably who wrote the four spurious lines in Fagrskinna, ‘pa var 
lofdungr’ etc., foot of page 9 in the Edition. 

The metre of Hornklofi deserves careful attention; it is a dated 
example of verse in Jong lines as we should expect, and with a curious 
mixture here and there of Didactic verses. As far as age and metre 
go, it might have been placed with the older Epics of our First Book. 
it is indeed on account of the nature of its contents that it is set here. 
It is, we believe, the oldest poem of any in this Book, antedating Erics- 
mal by about half a century. 


Hite! hring-berendr medan ek fra Haraldi segi 
odda ipréttar enom avar-audga: 
Fra madlom mun-ek segja peim-es ek mey heyrda, 





LISTEN, ye warriors, while I tell the feats of arms of Harold the 
Fortunate [Fair-hair]. I will tell of a parley I heard between a fair, 





2. avar-audga| B; harfagra, A (or, read hoddaw , . . Harfagra ?), 


256 EARLY ENCOMIA. [ BK. Iv. 


hvita hadd-biarta, es vid hrafn do&mdi. 
Vitr pdttisk Valkyrja, verar ne varo 5 
pekkir Finnonni franleito es fogls radd kunni: 
Kvaddi en kverk-hvita enn gloegg-hvarma 
Hymiss haus-reyti, es sat 4 horni Vinbiarga :— 
Valk. Hvat es yér, hrafnar? Hvadan erod ér komnir 
g. med dreyrgo nefi at degi andverdom? 10 
hold lodir yér { kl6m; hres befr gengr ydér or munni; 
ner hykk ydr { nétt bioggo par[s] ér vissod nai liggja. 
Hreyfdisk inn haus-fiadri, ok um hyrno perdi, 
arnar eid-brddir, ok at and-svarom hugdi:— 
Hrafn Haraldi ver fylgSom, syni Halfdanar, 15 
. ungom Ynglingi sféan or eggi kémom. 
Kunna hugda-ek pik konung mundo panns 4 Kvinnom byr, 
dréttinn Nordédmanna, diipom redér hann kidlom, 
rodnom random, raudom skialdom, 
tiorgom rom, tialdom drifnom. 20 
Uti vill J6l drekka, ef skal einn rdda, 
fylkir enn fram-lyndi, ok Freyss-leik heyja: 
Ungr leiddizk eld-velli, ok inni at sitja, 
varma dyngjo, eda vatto dtins fulla. 


Valk. | Hverso es hann fé-giafa beim es fold verja 25 
g. tra 6gn-flytir, vid ipréttar-menn sina? 





bright-haired Maiden, and a Raven with whom she was speaking. She 
seemed a wise Walkyrie that despised wedlock, a keen Finnish maid that 
knew the tongue of birds. The white-throated lady spake to the rover 
of the sky with the quick eyelids as he sat on a peak of Wincrag :-— 

‘ How is it with you, ye ravens? Whence are ye come with gory beak 
at the dawning of the day? There is flesh cleaving to your talons, and 
a scent of carrion comes from your mouth. Ye lodged last night I ween 
near where ye knew the corses were lying.’ 

The poll-feathered sworn-brother of the eagle shook himself, and 
wiped his beak, and thought over his answer:—‘ We have followed the 
young Yngling [royal hero] Harold, the son of Halfdan, ever since we 
left the egg. Surely, I thought thou must know the king that dwells at 
Quin, the Lord of the Northmen. He has many a deep keel, with red- 
dened targets, and red shields, tarred oars, and driven [snow-white] 
awnings. The eager prince would drink his Yule at sea and play Frey’s 
game [war] if he had his will. From his youth up he loathed the fire- 
boiler [hearth], and sitting in-doors, the warm bower, and the bolster 
full of down.’ 

Quoth the Walkyrie: How does the generous prince deal with the men 
of teats of renown that guard his land? 





6. Partly emend.; pakkir suamo enni fram-sotto, A; peccir fin nonn hinni fram- 


leito, B. 7. enn] emend.; ok en, A,B; glogg arma, A. 11. ydr]} 
add. B. 12. ner hyggec i nott biuggod, B. 13. B; vissu at nar, A. 14. 
hous-, B; haus-, A. 16, odlingi, B. 17. Kynnium, B. 20. tior- 


ghadom arom oc drifnom skioldom, B. 26. itra] ytra, B. 











§ 3.] HORNKLOFIYS RAVEN-SONG. 257 


Hrafn  Miak ero reyfdir rég-birtingar 
gq.  peirs { Haraldz tini hinom verpa: 
fé ero peir goeddir, ok fagrom mzekom, 
malmi Hunlenzkom, ok mani Austrcéno. 30 
ba ero peir reifir, es vito r6mo veni, 
ervir upp at hlaupa, ok 4rar at sveigja, 
hamlor at briédta, enn hai at slfta; 
reiuliga hygg-ek p4 varro peysa at visa rAdi. 
Valk. At sxatpa reido vil-ek pik spyrja, allz pi pikkisk skil vita: 
g.  greppa ferdir pi munt geerla kunna 36 
peirra-es med Haraldi hafask. 
Hrafn A gerdom ser peirra ok 4 goll-baugom 
q. at peir ro { kunnleikom vid konung: 
Feldom rAéa peir raudom ok vel fagr-rendadom, 40 
sverdom silfr-vaofdom, serkjom hring-ofnom, 
gylldom ann-fetlom ok grafnom hialmom, 
hringom hand-berom, es beim Haraldr valdi. 


Valk, At perserxya reido vil-ek pik spyrja, bergir hree-seevar: 
g. Hverso es fengid peim es { folk vada 45 
vig-diarfom verom? : 
Hrafn Ulf-hednar heita, peirs { orrosto 
; bl6égar randir bera: 
vigrar ridda es til vigs koma; 
peim es par syst saman: 50 
4reediss-mannom einom hygg-ek par undir felask 
skyli sa inn skil-vfsi beim-es { skiald hoegegva. 





Quoth the Raven; They are well cared for, the warriors that cast 
dice in Harold’s court. ——They are endowed with wealth and with fair 
swords, with the ore of the Huns, and with maids from the East. They are 
glad when they have hopes of a battle, they will leap up in hot haste and 
ply the oars, snapping the oar-thongs and cracking the tholes. Fiercely, 
I ween, do they churn the water with their oars at the king’s bidding. 

Quoth the Walkyrie : 1 will ask thee, for thou knowest the truth of all 
these things, of the meed of the Poets, since thou must know clearly the 
state of the minstrels that live with Harold. 

Quoth the Raven ; It is easily seen by their cheer, and their gold rings, 
that they are among the friends of the king. They have red cloaks 
right fairly fringed, silver-mounted swords, and ring-woven sarks, gilt 
trappings, and graven helmets, wrist-fitting rings, the gifts of Harold, 

Quoth the Walkyrie : 1 will ask thee, thou blood-drinker, of the meed of 
the Bearsarks. What is given to them, men daring in war that plunge 
into the battle? 

Quoth the Raven: Wolfcoats they call them, that bear bloody targets 
in battle, that redden their spear-heads when they come into the fight, 
when they are at work together. The wise king, I trow, will only enrol 
men of high renown among them that smite on the shield. 





29. B; ife ero bess bednir, A. 34. reikuliga, A; rikuliga, B. 35. B; 
roedo, A. 40. feldom] skioldom, B. vel fagr-] B; vadom rondom, A, 
42. gréfnom] B; groenom, A. 45. B; pef fengud, A. ~ 46. B; -pidrfom, A, 

s 


258 EARLY ENCOMIA. . [ BK. IV. 


Valk, At LEIkorom ok tTRrUpom hefi-ek pik litt fregit : 
gq. Hverr es aurg4ti peirra Andadar 
at hisom Haraldz? 55 
Hrafn At hundi elskr Andaér, ok heimsko dr¥gir, 
g.  eyrna-lausom, ok iafor hlcégir. 
Hinir ro ok a@rir, es of eld skolo 
brennanda span bera; 
logondom lhifom hafa ser und linda drepit 60 
heel-dreepir halir. 


| II. 
Valk. Heyrdir pi { Hafrs-firdi, hve hizug bardisk 
g.- konungr enn kyn-stéri vid Kiatvan audlagda? 
Hrafn  Knerrir kémo vestan kapps um lystir, 
g med ginandom hafdom, ok grafnom tinglom; 65 
hlaénir véro peir haldéa ok hvitra skialda, 
vigra Vestroénna ok Valskra sverda. 
Freistodo ens fram-r4a, es beim fl¥ja kenndi, 
iofurs Austmanna, es byr at Utsteini. 
Stadom neekkva br4 stillir, es honom vas styrjar veeni; 70 
grenjodo Berserkir; gudr vas beim 4 sinnom; 
emjodo Ulfhednar, ok fsarn glumdo: 
hlammon vard 4 hiffom 46r Haklangr félli. 
Leiddisk pa fyr Lufo landi at halda 
hilmi ’nom hals-digra—holm let ser at skialdi. 75 
Slégosk und sess-piljor es s4rir véro ; 





Quoth the Walkyrie: 1 have not asked thee yet of the Players and 
Tumblers. What is the meed of Andad and his company at Harold’s 
house? 

Quoth the Raven: Andad dandles his crop-eared dog, and plays the 
fool, making the king laugh. There are others of them that carry 
burning chips across the fire, the tripping fellows tuck their flaming 
shock-locks under their belts. 


Il. Quoth the Walkyrie; Hast thou heard how yonder in Hafrsfirth 
the high-born king [Harold] fought with Ceotwan the wealthy? 

Quoth the Raven: Ships came from the West, ready for war, with 
grinning heads and carven beaks. They were laden with warriors, with 
white shields, with Western spears, and Welsh [Gaulish] swords. They 
tried their strength against the eager king, the Lord of the Eastmen that 
dwells at Outstone, and he taught them to flee. The king launched his 
ship when he looked for the battle. The Bearsarks roared in the midst 
of the battle, the Wolfcoats howled and shook the iron [spears]. There 
was hammering on bucklers ere Haklang fell. The thick-necked king 
[Haklang] could no longer keep the land against Shock-head [Harold], 
he put the island between them as a shield. They that were wounded 





54. aurgati] thus A (cergati); arghari, B. 56. elskr] emend.; elskar, A. 
57. idfur] iour, B, 60, lufom] emend.; hufum, A, B. 64. vestan] emend. ; 
austan, Cdd. 











ae, 


§ 3.] EIRIKS-MAL, 259 


léto upp stialo stipa; stungo { kial hafédom: 

4 baki léto blikja—bardir véro gridti— 

Svafniss sal-neefrar seggir hyggjandi. 

(Estosk Aust-kylfor, ok um Iadar hlidpo 80 
heim or Hafrs-firdi, ok hugdo 4 miad-drykkjo. 


[Hrafn| Valr 14 par 4 sandi vitinn enom ein-eygja 
q. Friggjar fadm-byggvi. Fagnodom dé slikri. 


III. 
Hafnadi Holm-Rygjom, ok Harda-meyjom, 
hverri enni Heinversko ok Heelga ettar, 85 
konungr inn kyn-stéri, es t6k kono ’na Daonsko. 


Annat skolo ber eiga ambattir Ragnhildar, 
disir dramblatar, at drykkjo-malom : 
an ér sé6 her-gopor es Haraldr hafi sveltar 
‘valdreyrar enn vera peirra bredi.’ go 


EIRIKS-MAL; or, THE DIRGE OF KING ERIC. 


ERIc Blood-axe, the brave and luckless son of Harold Fair-hair, being 
driven from Norway, went off West of the Main asa sea-king. The 
Northumbrians, having dethroned their king by one of those violent 
revolutions so commen in their history, chose Eric in his room. So 
he reigned in York for a few years, but at last he too was thrust 
forth from his second realm in 954, according to the English chroniclers, 
whom we must follow. Not long after, he was slain by Anlaf, an under- 
king of ‘Edmund [Eadred?] Edwardsson’ King of the English, as 
Fagrskinna tells, in a battle in which he fell with all his host. 

‘After Eric’s death, Gundhild [his wife] had a poem made on him, 
telling how Woden welcomed him toe Walhall.’ Gundhild, Mother- 
of-kings, to whom we owe this noble Dirge, is a famous figure in 
Northern tradition. She is drawn as a Jezebel or a Catherine dei Medici, 
lustful, cruel, and greedy of power. ‘The miseries of Norway under her 
son’s rule may have coloured this picture. 





threw them down beneath the benches, they turned their tails up, and 
jammed their heads down to the keel. The cunning fellows let the 
shingles of Walhall [their shields] shine on their backs, as they were pelted 
with stones. The Eastern fellowship [the Northmen confederates of 
the Wicking invaders] ran over Iadar away from Hafrsfirth, thinking 
on their mead at home. 

Corses lay on the sand there given to the one-eyed husband of Frigga 
[Woden]. We [Ravens] rejoiced at such a deed of fame. 


Il. Quoth the Raven when the Walkyrie asked him of Harold’s wife: He 
scorned the Holm-rygians, and the maidens of the Hords, all the Heins, 
and the race of Halgo-land: the high-born king took a Danish wife... . 

The bondmaids of Reginhild [the Queen], that proud woman, shall 
have other things to gossip over at their cups, than that ye be slave- 
women that Harold has starved.... 





80. aust kylpor, Cd. (Kringla)s 
$2 


260 EARLY ENCOMIA. [ BK. Iv. 


The unknown poet, no doubt a Western man, whom she trusted 
to celebrate her husband’s fame and fate, must have composed his 
Dirge within a few years of Eric’s fall. The poem is markedly 
original in conception, and curious as a pure heathen dirge on a 
baptized king composed by the order of a Christian queen. 

There are two metres used, a daring innovation, the long-lined epic for 
the opening, the dialogue metre for the dramatic body of the poem. 

It is only found in the ‘ 4ttartal’ vellum of the so-called Fagrskinna 
(A). One of the many blanks of the other vellum, ‘ Konungatal,’ un- 
fortunately falls just where our poem stood. In the A-text the latter 
half is missing, and we can only guess at the whole length and plot by 
the help of the copy, Hakonar-mal, which follows it very closely. We 
may suppose that the whole poem was some seventy lines long. The 
last scene represented Eric entering Walhall, and his meeting with 
Woden, a piece we should like to have; as it is, we know it only from 
Eywind’s copy (ll. 42-57). One would fain have the feats of the five 
Kings, though the names are given by Ari from our poem.. Snorri 
quotes the first five lines in Edda. 

There are a few weak spots and gaps, one (ll. 26-27) of which we are 
able to fill up from Hakonar-mal, ll. 62-63. 


Odinn H™“?! es pat drauma? Ek hugdomk fyr dag risa 
q Valhall at rydja fyr vegno folki; 
Vakéa-ek Einherja, baé-ek upp risa 
bekki at stra, biér-ker at leydra, 
Valkyrjor vin bera, sem visi komi. 5 
Eromk or heimi haldéa vanir 
gafogra nokkorra,—sv4 eromk glatt hiarta. 
Bragi Hvat prym es par, sem ptisund bifisk, © 
q eda mengi til mikit? 
Braka all bekk-pili, sem moni Baldr koma 10 
aptr { Odins sali. 





First SCENE.—Within Walball. 


Woden wakes in the morning, and cries as he opens his eyes with his dream 
still fresh in his mind :— 

Wuart dreams are these? I thought I arose before daybreak, to make 
Walhall ready for a host of slain. I woke up the Host of the Chosen, 
I bade them rise up to strew the benches and to fill up the beer-vats, and I 
bade Walkyries to bear the wine, as if a king were coming. I look for the 
coming of some noble chiefs from the Earth, wherefore my heart is glad. 

Bragi Woden’s Counsellor now wakes, as a great din is heard without, 
and calls out :-— 

What is that thundering, as if a thousand men or some great host 
were tramping on—the walls and the benches are creaking withal—as if 
Balder were coming back to the hall of Woden? 





1, risa] W; litlo, A. 2. at] add. W. 3. vakba—bad] so also W. 
4. leydra] W; lydra, A. 6, 7. eromk] er mer, A. 8. prym es] emend, ; 
prym’, i.e. prym er, A, II. eptir, A, 


ee ate eee 








§ 3.] EIRIKS-MAL. 261 


Ooinn Heimsko mela skalt-bi, inn horski Bragi! 
q: po-at pu vel hvat vitir: 
Fyr Eireki glymr, es her mun inn koma 
iofurr { Odins sali. 15 
Sigmundr ok Sinfiatli! Rfsid snarliga 
ok gangit { goegn grami: 
Inn pt bidd, ef Eirekr sé, 
hans eromk nti van vitod. 
Sigm. Hvi es per Eireks van, heldr an annarra konunga, 20 
q: [iafurs { Odins sali?] 
Odinn Pvi-at la} margo landi hann hefir meeki rodit, 
q. ok bldédogt sverd borit. 
Sigm. Hvi.namtu hann sigri pa, ef per pdétti hann sniallr vesa? 


: {konung inn kost-sama ?] 25 
Ovinn Pvi-at évist es at vita ner Ulfr inn hasvi 
q. gengr 4 siat goda. 
Sigm. Heill pu nu, Eirekr! vel skaltu her kominn! 
q. ok gakk { hall, borskr! 
Hins viljak pik fregna, hvat fylgir per . 30 


iafra fra egg-brimo? 
Eirekr Konungar ro fimm; kenni-ek per namn allra; 
q: ek em inn sétti sialfr: 





Woden answers: Surely thou speakest foolishly, good Bragi, although 
thou art very wise. It thunders for Eric the king, that is coming to 
the hall of Woden. Then turning to his heroes he cries: Sigmund and 
Sinfiotli, rise up in haste, and go forth to meet the prince! Bid him in 
if it be Eric, for it is he whom I look for. 

Sigmund answers: Why lookest thou more for Eric the king to 
Woden’s hall than for other kings? 

Woden answers ; Because he has reddened his brand and borne his 
bloody sword in many a land. 

Quoth Sigmund; Why didst thou rob him, the chosen king, of victory 
then, seeing thou thoughtest him so brave?...... 

Woden answers ; Because it is not surely to be known when the grey 
Wolf shall come upon the seat of the Gods. 


SECOND SCENE.—Without Walhall. 


Sigmund and Sinfiotli go outside the Hall and meet Eric. 

Quoth Sigmund; Hail to thee, Eric, be welcome here, and come into 
the hall, thou gallant king! Now I will ask thee what kings are these 
which follow thee from the clash of the sword-edges ? 

Eric answers; They are five kings; I will tell thee all their names; I 
myself am the sixth. (The names followed in the song whereof the 
rest is lost.) 





12. Read skalattu? 17. goegn] gongi, A. 19g. eromk] er mer, A. 
21. Added by guess from 1. 15; om. A. 25. Added from Dirge of Hakon, 1. 6. 
26-27. Emend. ; ser ulfr inn hausvi a siot goda, A. 30. vilek, A. 33. End missing. 


262 EARLY ENCOMIA. [BK. Iv. 


HAKONAR-MAL; or, 
THE DIRGE OF HAKON ATHELSTAN’S FOSTER-SON. 


Hakown the Good, the foster-son of Athelstan, fell before the Sons of 
Gundhild about 970, and a time of misery and famine followed his death, 
as long as Gundhild’s sons ruled; the culminating woe being the great 
famine of 976. To judge from il. 68-69 it was about this time (not 


immediately after the king’s death) that Eywind made a Dirge on | 


Hakon, ‘composing it according to the one which Gundhild had had 
made for Eric, in which Woden bids him home to Walhall.’ It is a 
fine poem in its way, but not original. Instead of the opening of 
Woden’s Dream, the Walkyries are sent to the dying king, as Swafa 
comes to Helgi at Sigar’s-field; he goes with them to Walhall, and 
there Woden bids Hermod and Bragi welcome him, just as in Eriks- 
mal Sigmund and Sinfiotli are told to do. In the latter part the copy 
is no doubt as close, but unluckily that half of Eriks-mal is lost. 

It has been supposed that Eywind’s nickname, Skalda-spillir, the 
Poet-spoiler, was given to him on account of his ‘spoiling’ all other 
poets by his superiority, eclipsing them all. But the word will not 
support this strained and affected meaning; ‘spillir’ means simply 
‘robber,’ that is, in this case, ‘ plagiarist.’ To names such as this, first 
applied by enemies, later accepted by all without any notion of dis- 
honour, we have analogies. Thus one of Harold Fair-hair’s poets, 
Audun (Eadwine), is known as Ill-skellda, ‘Bad poet’ or ‘ Poetaster,’ 
and his poem was nicknamed Stolin-stefja, ‘Stolen-stave,’ from his 


plagiarism of a refrain (stef).. Even if we had not this name, or any > 


express record (as we have, clear and distinct as possible), the fact 
would still remain visible, that Hakonar-mal was a copy of Eriks-mal 
and Haleygia-tal of Ynglinga-tal, so close and unmistakeable is each 
imitation. We may even fancy that it was the Haleygia-tal (glorifying 
as it does Earl Hakon and the new dynasty by its certificate of ‘ legiti- 
macy’) which drew down on Eywind the nickname. 

There are a certain number of lines, of different metre and spirit, 
a high-sounding tinkle of words, perhaps from some other poem of 
Eywind’s, thrust into the middie of this Hakon-Dirge in the MSS. 
These we have set as appendix. Two stanzas, 3 and 4, better than 
the rest, we have ventured to restore to the original didactic metre. 

Our poet uses the didactic metre also for narrative, for the first time 
in old poetry. 

The Poem has been preserved in the Heimskringla, where it is 
entered at full. The MSS. are the same as in Ynglinga-tal. Cod. B 
(Jofra-skinna) yields some good readings, e. g. 1. 30. 

The tit/e, warranted by the MSS., is also in imitation of Eriks-mal, 


I. Con ok Skagul sendi Gauta-tyr 
at kidsa of konunga: 





THE God of the Gauts [Woden] sent Gondul and Skogul [ Walkyries} 
to choose among the kings one of the race of Yngwi who should enter 








§ 3.] HAKONAR-MAL, 263 


hverr Yngva eettar skyldi med Odni fara 
{ Valheaoll at vesa. 


2. Brédor fundo per Biarnar { brynjo fara, ae 
konung inn kost-sama, 
kominn und gunfana: 
Dripdo dolg-drar, enn darradr hristisk ; 
upp vas pa hildr um hafid. 
3. Hét 4 Holm-Rygi, sem 4 Haleygi, 10 
iarla ein-bani; 
gétt hafdi inn giafli gengi Nordmanna, 
cegir Ey-Dana. 
4. Hrauzk or her-védom, hratt 4 vall brynjo 
: visi verdungar : 15 
gramr inn glad-veri st66 und goll-hialmi, 
lék vid liéd-mago. 


5 Sdto p4 daglingar med sverd um togin, 
med skarda skialdo, ok skotnar brynjor. 
Vasa sa herr { hugom, 20 
es Atti til Valhallar vega. 
6. Geandul pat melti,—studdisk geir-skapti :— 


Vex nt gengi goda: 
es Hakoni hafa med her mikinn 
heim band of bodit. 25 
7. Visir pat heyrdéi, hvat Valkyrjor meelto, 
meerar af mars baki: 





Woden’s service and dwell in Walhall. They found Beorn’s brother 
[K. Hakon] clad in his mail, the chosen king, standing under his war- 
banner, the wound-oars [blades] were drooping, and the darts were 
quivering, the battle was just begun. The Earls’ slayer cheered on the 
Holm-Rygians and the Halego-men, the terror of the Island-Danes had 
brave backing of the Northmen. 

He tore off his weeds of war, he cast his mail-coat upon the field, the 
lord of henchmen. The gladsome warrior with the golden helm stood 
and played with the sons of song. 


The battle over, the two Walkyries appear in the dawning of the day to 
the wounded |dead ?| king on the battle-field. 

The king was sitting with his drawn sword, his shield was scored 
and his mail shot through. The host of s/ain, that were bound for 
Walhall, were in no gladsome mood. 

Then spake Gondul, as she leaned on her spear-shaft: ‘ The Gods’ 
army is waxing great, now that the Powers have bidden Hakon and a 
great host with him home to them.’ 

The king heard what the noble Walkyries were saying as they sat on 





4. B, W; oki V. vesa, A. 7. gudfana, B. 8. dolgrar, A; dolgarar, 
B, F.  darrar, B. 10. Thus B; sa es her kallar, A. ir and 13. Metrically 
restored for, iarla einbani fér til orrosto and, cegir Ey-Dana stéd und arhialmi, Cdd. 
14-17. Restored for, ... visi verdungar adr til vigs teki | lék vid 1. skyldi land 
verja | gramr inn gladveri stéd und gull-hialmi, Cd., upon which follow the 16 lines 
in Appendix. ’ e 


264 EARLY ENCOMIA. [ BK. Iv. 


hyggiliga léto, ok hialmadar sato, 
ok hafdosk hlffar. fyrir. 


8. soe Hvi pu sv4 gunni skiptir { goer, Skagul? 30 
vérom pé verdir gagns fra godom. 
Skogul Vér pvi voldom, at pu velli hélzt, 
. enn pinir fidndr flugo. 
9. Rida vit nu skulom—kvaé in rikja Skagul— 
groénna heima goda, 35 
Odni at segja, at her mun allvaldr koma, 
ok hann sialfan at sid. 


10. Odcnn Hermdér ok Bragi! kvaé Hropta-tyr, 
gangid { gagn grami: 
pvi-at konungr ferr, s4-es kappi pykkir 40 
til hallar hinig. 
II. Resir pat meeltii—vas fra r6mo kominn, 
st66 allr { droera drifinn :— 
Ill-ddigr miak pykkir oss Odinn vesa ; 
siomk ver hans um hugi. 45 
12. Hees Einherja grid pt skalt allra hafa; 
pigg-pu at Asom al! 
Tarla bagi! pu att inni her 
Atta broedr,—kvad Bragi. 
13. Hakon Gerdar érar—kvad inn g66i konungr— 50 
q. viljom ver halfir hafa: 





horseback bearing themselves so fairly, sitting helmed with their shields 
before them. 

Quoth Hakon: Why didst thou sway the fight so yesterday, Skogul, 
we surely deserved a victory from the Gods? 

Skogul answered; Yea, and we ordered it so, that thou shouldst 
keep the field and all thy ‘foes should fly. But now we must ride (quoth 
the mighty Skogul) to the green city of the Gods, to tell Woden that 
a mighty king is coming thither to see him. 


SECOND SCENE.—In Walhall. 


Woden. Hermod and Bragi (said Woden) go forth to meet the 
warrior, for a king, who is deemed a hero indeed, is coming hither to 
our hall. 

Hakon. The king spoke, he was come from the battle, all-dripping 
with gore: Evil of mood seems Woden to me, I mistrust his goodwill. 

Bragi. Thou shalt be truce-plighted by all the Host of the Chosen. 
Take ale with the Anses, thou conqueror of earls, thou hast eight 
brothers here already (quoth Bragi). 

Hakon. Our harnesses we will keep, one half of us (quoth the good 
king). One should well take care of one’s helm and mail-coat.- ‘’Tis 
good to have things ready at hand.’ 





28. sito] B; stddo, A. 30. i goer] thus B; Geir-skogul, A. ga. 
voldom] thus, pret. not pres. 34. tikja] B; rika, A. 35- groena, A 
36. her] nu, B. 37. ok] 4 hann, B. 45. um hans, A. 50. orar] 


varar, A. 51. halfir] emend.; sialfir, A, B, F. 








§3.] HAKONAR-MAL. 265 


_Hialm ok brynjo skal hirda vel: 
gétt es til goers at taka. 
14. b4 pat kyndisk, hve s4 konungr hafdi 
vel um pyrmt veom: 55 
es Hakon bdo heilan koma 
R26 all ok Regin. 


15. G6do deégri verdr s4 gramr um borinn, 
es ser getr slikan seva: 
Hans aldar mun 2 vesa 60 
at gé6do getid. 
16. Man dbundinn 4 fta siat . 


. Fenriss-ulfr um fara: 
4dr iafn-g6dr 4 auda trad 
konung-madr komi. 65 


17. Deyr fé; deyja freendr ; 
eydisk land ok 146: 
sizt Hakon fér med heidin god, 
marg es pidd um piad. 


APPENDIX. 


SvA beit p4 sverd or siklings hendi 
vadir Vafadar sem { vatn brygéi: 
brakodo broddar, brotnodo skildir, 
glumroéo gylfringar { Gotna hausom. 
Traddosk targor fyr tusom bauga 5 
ok hialta hard-f6tom hausar Nordmanna ; 
r6ma varé { Eyjo, rudo konungar 
skirar skiald-borgir { skatna blddi. 





Then was made manifest how the king had wisely spared the sanctu- 
aries, when all Gods and Powers bade Hakon welcome. In happy hour 
is that prince born, who wins such love as this. His reign shall ever be 
spoken of for good. The mighty Wolf shall be let loose upon mankind 
ere king so good shall come into his empty court. Cattle die, men 
die, land and lea are laid waste: since Hakon went among the heathen 
Gods, many people are inthralled. 





THE sword in the king’s hand bit through the weeds of Woden 
[mail] as if it were whisked through water, the spear-points clashed, 
the shields were shattered, the axes rattled on the heads of the warriors. 
Targets and skulls were trodden under the Northmen’s shield-fires 
[weapons] and the hard heels of their hilts. There was a din 
in the island, the kings dyed the shining rows of shields in the blood 





53- geyrs, B (idem). 68. for] B; om. A. 3. broddar] A; oddar, B. 
4. B; glymringar, A. 5. tusom] emend.; tys ok, Cd. Of the following verses 
B only gives the beginnings. 6. ok] add F. =. 


a | 


266 EGIL SKALLA-GRIM’S SON. [ BK. IV. 


Brunno ben-eldar f bl6égom undom, 
luto lang-bardar at lyda fiarvi, 10 
svarradi sdr-gymir 4 sverda-nesi, 
fell f166 fleina { fiaro Stordar. 

Blendosk vig-rodar und randar himni, : 
Skaglar vedr Iéko und sk¥jom bauga, x 
umdo odd-l4r { Odins vedri, 15 
hneig mart manna fyr meekiss straumi. 


wy. Ae See 








§4. EGIL SKALLA-GRIM’S SON. 
HOFUD-LAUSN ; or, THE HEAD-RANSOM. 


ONE of the first generation of Icelanders, son of a distinguished 
settler, who founded a great house, Egil, spent most of his active life 
abroad. Born about gro he went to Norway and afterwards to Eng- 
land, where he served under K. Athelstan, and fought at the famous 
battle of Brunanburh, 937. For many years he led a wicking life, ‘ visit- 
ing the courts of many kings.’ An adventure in York, after thelstan’s 
death, with K. Eric Blood-axe, the hereditary enemy of his family, was 
the cause of the first of his three great poems, Head-Ransom. He seems 
after this to have returned home, whence he sent his second poem, 
Arinbiorn’s Lay, to Norway. His third poem, the Sons’ Wreck, was 
composed in his old age at Borg, where he passed the latter years 
of his life, dying full of years and blind about 990. He was thus a 
contemporary of Dunstan, whom indeed he may have seen at the 
English court. For the chronology of Egil’s life, which must be based 
on the data of the O. E. Chronicles, we must not trust the Saga, nor 
can we accept all its romantic details. Indeed the Songs show Egil 
a far higher and nobler character than the somewhat brutal warrior 
drawn by the Saga-writer. Again, four-fifths of the single verses as- 
cribed to Egil in the Saga are clearly false; the few which may be true 
are printed in Books vi and vii. 

HOFUD-LAUSN or HEAD-RANSOomM is said by the Saga to have been 
composed on the following occasion. Egil was wrecked at York, where 
he was seized and set in prison, shortly to be executed. At the sug- 
gestion of his high-minded friend Arinbiorn, a liegeman and favourite 
of K. Eric’s, he made a song of praise on the King, who in considera- 
tion thereof, and at the earnest intercession of Arinbiorn, spared his 
life. Whether the Lay was made in one night, as the Saga says, may 








of men. The wound-fires [blades] burnt in the bloody wounds, the 
halberds bowed down to take the life of men, the ocean of gore 
dashed upon the swords’-ness, the flood of the shafts fell upon the 
beach of Stord. Halos of war mixed under the vault of the bucklers; 
the battle-tempest blew underneath the clouds of the targets, the lees 
of the sword-edges [blood] pattered in the gale of Woden. Many a man 
fell into the stream of the brand. : 





13. vig-rodar] emend.; vid rodnar, Cd, 14. und skyjom] emend.; vid 
skys um, Cdd. 











§ 4.] HOFUD-LAUSN. 267 


be questioned ; the poem itself, ll. 1-8, seems to contradict it, and the 
very elaborate versification almost to forbid it. The whole incident 
is rather to be gathered from drindiorn’s Lay, which is our only safe 
authority. 

The metre is what is known by later metrists as Run-henda, i.e. Rim- 
henda, in end-rhyme as well as alliteration, a foreign innovation learnt, we 
think, from the Latin hymns. It is also the first example of a drapa 
or praise-song with regular divisions and burdens, Its scheme may be 
thus given :— 

I. Beginning. Five four-lined stanzas, 

II. The Staves or Body. Three pairs of four-lined stanzas, separated 
from each other and from the beginning and end by four two-lined durdens. 

Ill, The End. Five four-lined stanzas, followed by an Envoy of two 
lines. 

I, II, III. 


5—a2a2b2b—5c. 


This poem does not occur in all the copies of Egil’s Saga, where only 
the first four lines are generally given. The basis of our ¢ext is as 
follows :—Ketill Jorundsson, the grandfather of Arni Magnusson, a well- 
known Icelandic copyist, made a copy of a vellum of Egil’s Saga which 
contained the song in perfect form. And among the fragments of 
vellums at Copenhagen, AM. 162, the Editor twenty years ago dis- 
covered portions of this very MS., and one leaf on which was Héfud- 
lausn down to 1. 69. It is in a most miserable condition, but with 
great trouble he was able to verify Ketil’s text, and in sundry places 
to mend it. This vellum we have called A. 

In Ole Worm’s Litteratura Runica is printed a transcript by Magnus 
Olafsson, d. 1636, of a good text from some lost Egil-Saga vellum in his 
possession. Thisis our B. For Magnus and Ketil, see Prolegomena, 
p- 142. 

Our C is the Wolfenbiittel MS., a fine codex in good preservation, 
but its text of the poem is bad and the order of stanzas extremely 
confused and different from that of the other MSS. We have thought 
it right to give it at the end of this volume, that the reader may have 
the whole evidence on the subject before him. 

Seven lines, 1-2, 5-6, 39-40, 59, are cited in Edda. We have an early 
unprinted commentary, c. 1630, on our poem by Biorn of Skardsa (see 
Prolegomena, p. 142), who in a little ditty says that people will surely 
laugh at him for working twelve months to explain a song which 
Egil composed in one night— 

Eg var ad rada arid um kring pad Egill kvad a nottu. 


Biorn used Magnus Olafsson’s text. 
The name of the poem is vouched for in the Lay of Arinbiorn, |. 32, 
and also Egil’s Saga. The date is c. 950-954. 


I. ESTR f6ér-ek um ver; enn ek Vidriss ber 
mun-strandar mar: sva es mftt of far: 





PROLOGUE. 
I CAME west over the sea, bearing the sea of Woden’s heart [my 
song]; that was my way. I launched my ship afloat from Iceland, I 
loaded the stern of my mind-vessel [my breast] with a cargo of praise. 





2. strindar, B. ° 


268 EGIL SKALLA-GRIM’S SON. [ BK. IV 


Dré-ek eiki 4 flot vid {sa-brot, 
hl66-ek mzrdar hlut minniss knarrar skut. 
2. Budomk hilmir lad. Nut 4-ek hrédrar kvad ; 5 
berr-ek Odins mind 4 Engla biad : 
Lof at visa vann; iafur meri-ek pann; 
hli6ds eesti-ek hann, es ek hrdédr of fann. 
3. Hygg visir at—vel sémir pat— 
hve ek pylja fat, es ek pbagn of gat: 10 
Flestr madr of fra hvat fylkir v4; 
enn Vidrir sé hvar valr of 1a. 


4. Ox hiarva glam vid hlifar pram; 
guor 6x um gram; gramr sétti fram. 
Par heyrdisk pAa—pbaut meekiss 4— 15 
malm-hridar spa, sti-es mest of 14. 

“a Vasat villr stadar vefr darradar 


of grams gladar geir-vangs radar, 
pa-es { bl6éi inn brimils mdééi 
vallr of prumdi, und veum glumdi. 20 


Il. 


6. Hné folk & fit vt6 flena hnit, 
ords-tir of gal Eirekr at pat. 


I. 2. Fremr mun-ek segja, ef firar pegja, 
frogom fleira til fara peirra: 
Brusto brandar vid blar randar: 28 
6xo undir vid iafurs fundi. 





The king has given me a welcome; I owe him a song of praise. 
I bring the mead of Woden into England. I have made a Song of 
Honour on the king; I laud that Prince. I ask him for a hearing now 
that I have devised my song of praise. 

Hearken, O king, it will become thee well, how I deliver my song, 
now that I have got silence! Every man has heard how the king 
fought, but Woden saw where the slain lay. The clatter of brands 
waxed against the rims of the bucklers, the war grew high about the 
king, the king pushed on. There was heard the weird-song of weapons 
rattling, the sword-river did flow, its surf was very great. The web 
of darts [standard] faltered not above the king’s merry ranks of shields, 
where the troubled waters [seal’s field] surged in blood and roared 
underneath the banners. 

SECOND PART. 


First Burden. The host sank on the shore at the clink of the 


javelins: Eric got renown there. 
First Stave. Farther I will tell, if men will keep silence, we have heard 


more of their deeds. Brands broke against the black targets, wounds 





5. B; hrodrs of, A. 7. B; lofa ek isarns, A. idfur] A; vist, B. Be 
fann] B; nam, A. 16. es] B; var, A. Ig. pars, B. inn brimils mddi] 
thus (enn brimils modi), A. 20. veum] thus (vei), A; und um glumdi, B. 


21. hne firda fit, B. 24. frama, B. 





Pee ee ee ae ee 











§ 4.] HOFUD-LAUSN. 269 


8. Hlam hein-sadull vid hialm-radul, 
beit ben-grefill: pat vas bl6d6-refill : 
fra-ek at félli fyr fetils svelli 
Odins eiki { iarn-leiki. 30 


9. bar vas odda at, ok eggja gnal: 
ordz-lir of gat Etrekr at fat. 


Il. 10, Raud hilmir hiar; par vas hrafna gicer ; 
fleinn sétti fir; flugo dreyrog spizor : 
Ol flagds gota far-biddr Skota: 35 
trad nipt Nara nattord ara. 
II, Flugo hialdr-tranar 4 hiaors-lanar ; 


v6érot bl6és vanar ben-mdss granar ; 
sleit und freki; enn odd-breki 
gntidi hrafni 4 hafod-stafni. 40 


12. Kom gnaudar le & gialfar ske: 
baud ulfom hre Eirekr ef sa. 


Wl. 13. Beit fleinn floginn; p4 vas fridr loginn; 
var6 ulfr feginn; enn almr dreginn: 
Brusto broddar; enn bito oddar; 45 
baéro harvar af bogom sorvar. 
14. Bregér brodd-fleti of baug-seti 
hiar-leiks hvati—hann es pid6-skati: 





waxed when the princes met. The blades hammered against the helm- 
crests, the wound-gravers, the sword’s point, bit. I heard that there 
fell in the iron-play Woden’s oak [heroes] before the swords [the sword- 
belt’s ice]. | 

Second Burden. There was a linking of points and a gnashing of edges: 
Eric got renown there. 

Second Stave. The prince reddened the brand, there was a meal for 
the ravens; the javelin sought out the life of man, the gory spears flew, 
the destroyer of the Scots fed the steed of the witch [wolves], the sister 
of Nari [Hell] trampled on the supper of the eagles [corses]. The 
cranes of battle [shafts] flew against the walls of the sword [bucklers], 
the wound-mew’s lips [the arrows’ barbs] were not left thirsty for gore. 
The wolf tore the wounds, and the wave of the sword [blood] plashed 
against the beak of the raven. 

Third Burden. ‘The lees of the din of war [blood] fell upon Gialf’s 
steed [ship]: Eric gave the wolves carrion by the sea. 

Third Stave. The flying javelin bit, peace was belied there, the 
wolf was glad, and the bow was drawn, the bolts clattered, the spear- 
points bit, the flaxen-bowstring bore the arrows out of the bow. He 
brandished the buckler on his arm, the rouser of the play of blades—he 





27. B; hlymr hein-saudull, A. 33. bar vas] pat vas, B. geyr, A. 34. B; 
faur, A, 36. natt uord, A. 37. hiors-lanar] B; hres lanar, A. 39. A; 
pa es oddbr., sl. und fr. gn. hr. & h. st., B. 41. A; kom gridar ske 4 gialpar 
le, B. 44. var almr dr, pvi vard u. feginn, B. 47. of } A; med, B. 48. 
bl68-skati, B. * 


270 EGIL SKALLA-GRIM’S SON. [ BK. Iv. 


préask hialdr sem hvar of hilmi bar; 

frétt es austr um mar Eireks of far. 50 
I5. Lifurr sveigst ¥ ; flugo unda by: 

baud ulfom hre Eirekr of se. 


III. 

16. Enn man-ek vilja fyr verjom skilja 

skap-leik skata; skal meré hvata : 

Letr snét saka um std ‘fri’ vaka, 55 

enn skes Haka skfé-gard braka. 
17. Brytr bég-vita, bidér hramm-pvita ; 

muna hring-dofa hodd-Freyr lofa: 

gladar flotna fial vid Fréda mial ; 

miak es hilmi fal hauk-strandar-maol. 60 
18. St6dsk folk-hagi vid fizor-lagi, 

gall y-bogi at egg-togi : 

Verpr af brandi; enn Iofor-landi 

heldr Horn-klofii Hann es nestr lofi. 


IQ. Iaofurr hyggi at hve ek yrkja fat: 65 


gétt pykkjomk pat es ek pagn of gat. 
Hreérda-ek munni af munar grunni 
Odins gi 4 Iofor-fegi. 
20. Ber-ek pengils lof 4 pagnar rof; 
kann ek mdla miat { manna siat: 70 





isa mighty hero. The fray grew greater everywhere about the king. 
It was famed east over the sea, Eric’s war-faring. 

Fourth Burden. ‘The prince bent the yew, the wound-bees [arrows] 
flew: Eric gave the wolves carrion by the sea. 


THIRD PART. 


Again I must set forth before men the stout heart of the king; let me 
hasten with my song of praise. The Lady of strife [Walkyrie] makes 
the waves be awake about the gunwale, and the timbers break on the 
sea-king’s steed [ship]. He breaks the wrist-glow, the giver of the 
wrist-bits; this Lord of hoards does not praise niggardliness. He glad- 
dens a multitude of men with Frodi’s meal [gold], the arm’s -ore is 
much spent by the king. 

The lover of the people withstood death, the yew-bow screamed 
when the sword-edge was drawn. The wave splashes from the prow, 
and the Raven [the Norse banner] holds the land of York. He is most 
worthy of praise. 

Epilogue. Consider, O prince, how I have wrought over my song; I 
am glad that I have hadsilence. I have drawn Woden’s flood from the 
depth of my mind here at York. I have borne the praise of the king till 
the silence was broken [to the end of the time given me]. I know the 





- 49. B; proaz hilldr (or hialldr) sem hvar of hilmi par, A. 53. B; A omits 
stanza 16. fra verjom, B, C. 54. C; skafleik, B. 55. B; sverd- 
frey, C. 56. C; enn skers aka, skid geirs braka, B. 61. fiavrlagi, A. 


63. or iofra landi, A. 63. ez oraf, A. 67. B; marar, A. 68. lofor-] Toru, 
B and A, =iofur-fegi (i. e. York). 7o. B; manna miot of mala siot, A. 


Lo 


me ee 








‘ 


§ 4.] ARINBIORN’S LAY. out 


66 feri ek fram of ftran gram 
ér hl4tra ham, sv4-at hann of nam. 


Nibti biérs Bauga sem Bragt auga, 
Vagna védra, ok velliss téra! 


ARINBIORN’S. LAY. 


THIS poem, according to the Saga, was composed by Egil, in Iceland, 
and sent to his old friend and saviour Arinbiorn, on the occasion of 
his returning from exile, with the sons of his dead master, Eric. This 
would make its date about 970. One is inclined to put the date earlier, 
at c. 960; for after Eric Blood-axe’s death, Arinbiorn in fact went home 
to Norway, which would afford a fit occasion. Surely many years must 
have intervened between this and Egil’s third and last poem; fifteen or 
twenty years would not be too much. That it was not spoken to Arin- 
biorn, but delivered by a messenger or proxy (for writing was unknown), 
would seem confirmed by the poem itself. It is a noble monument of 
the friendship of the two men [the David and Jonathan of their day], 
and has, as Egil wished, immortalized his faithful preserver. Arinbiorn 
was well born, his forefathers were barons of the Firth in West Norway. 
Bragi the poet was his great-grandfather. 

The metre is the brief epic line of Ynglinga-tal type. There appears 
to be a distinct stanza arrangement, four lines in each stanza, and it is 
the first encomium which is built up into regular strophes, without 
burdens. 

The chief vellum of Egil’s Saga, Arna-Magn. 132, ends on the left 
side of a leaf, the last of a sheet: on the right, blank side, in different 
but contemporary hands, our poem was written. It filled that page in 
double columns, of 41 lines, and was, no doubt, continued on another 
page which is now lost. 

This, the only MS. of Arinbiorn’s Lay, and sole foundation for the 
text, is almost illegible. There have been several attempts to read 
it. Arni Magnusson’s, c. 1700, which copy we have in Asgeir Jonsson’s 
hand (in AM. 146, folio), Later, c. 1790, the Editor of Egil’s Saga, 
published posthumously, 1809. The present Editor took great pains to 
read the washed-out ghostly marking on the bleak greasy page, in 1860, 
and was able after long efforts to read nearly all the first column, with 
the top half and a few words here and there down the second column. . 
His copy is printed in an Appendix. See also Ny Felags-rit, 1861. He 
was able for the first time to fix the place of one of the two quotations 
in Edda from the lost part of the Song, and to make corrections in the 
previous copies. 

What is left of the poem can only be half of the whole, as can be 
seen from the plan, which begins with a Proem and Introduction (ll. 1-52) 





measure of speech in the assembly of men. 1 have brought the noble 
chief’s praise out of the abode of laughter [my breast], so that he learnt it. 

The Envoy. Enjoy, O king, the Drink of Beag fee song|, as Bragi 
doth the eye, Woden’s pledge, and the cauldron of tears. 





71. A; or hlatra ham hrddr ber ek gram, B, C. 73. Nidti] A. bidrs 
Bauga] emend,; A, B, C omit bidrs. 74. Emend.; vagna vara (vaara, C) ok 
(edr, B) vili tara (taara, C), A. B,C. For Vagna reat Vinga? 


272 EGIL SKALLA-GRIM’S SON. [BK. rv, 


telling the tale of the Head-Ransom, followed by an encomium upon 
Arinbiorn’s generosity (ll. 61-86), The next part, to guess from legible 
words here and there, was on his va/our ; the third part (cp. tvenn ok 
prenn, 1. 60), probably on some other of his noble qualities, with an 
Epilogue (lost), which concludes with an Envoy (Il. 92-95) preserved in 
Skalda. The #it/e of the Poem has not reached us. 

Besides the two citations (eight lines) from the lost part, there are 
nine lines cited from the first half, ll. 29-30, 44, 57-60, 67-68. 

Egil is fond of puns, similes, and conceits: he uses the quaintest 
fancies in speaking of eye, ear, head, tongue, mouth, and hand. The 
poet’s work is likened to carpentering or a housewright’s work; his 
materials are the timber or stocks, his tongue the plane. He plays upon 
the name of Arinbiorn. Note his description (ll. 25-35) of his own fea- 
tures, a huge head, gaunt dark face, craggy eyebrows, black eyes, wolfish 
grey hair—one sees the man. 

In the foot-notes, A=the vellum; AM.=Arni Magnusson’s copy; 
GM.=Gudmund Magnezus, the Editor of Egil’s Saga, died 1798; W.= 
Edda and Skalda, Cod. Worm.; 748=AM. 748, a sister MS. to W. 


| issn hraé-kvidr hilmi at mera; 
enn glap-mall um gloeggvinga: 
opin-spiallr um iafors dédom; 
enn pag-melskr um pidé-lygi: 
skaupi gnoegr skrak-berandom ; 5 
emk vil-kvidr um vini mfina.— 
Sétt hefi-ek margra mildinga sist 
me6 grun-laust grepps um cdi. 


Hafdéa-ek endr Ynglings burar, 
riks konungs reidi fengna; 10 
dr6é-ek diarfr hatt mer of doekkva skar; 
lét-ek hersi heim um séttan: 
Par-es allvaldr und ygr-hialmi, 
li68-fraomodr at landi sat, 
styrir konungr vid stirdan hug 15 
{ loforvik urgom hiarli 
Vasa pat tungl-skin tryggt at lita, 
ne 6gn-laust, Eireks bra: 





I am quick of speech when I praise a king, but my pleading is marred 
when I deal with a niggard: I am frank-spoken about princely deeds, but 
tongue-tied towards a slanderer: full of scorn toward them that bear 
false witness, but fair-spoken of my friends. I have visited the courts of 
many kings in guileless poet’s wise. 

I had fallen under the wrath of the mighty king, the son of the 
Ynglings. Boldly I pulled the hood over my dark face, and went to 
seek the lord [Arinbiorn], where the far-ruling protector of the people 
[King] reigned under the helm of Awe, where the king with stern 
heart ruled over the wet land at York. It was neither a safe thing nor 
a thing without terror to face the beam from the stars of Eric’s brow [his 





2. gleggvinga, A. 5. gnegr. 7. margra] emend.; morg, A. 
11. Emend.; diarf hautt, A. 14. liod framadad’, A. 16. Iorvik, A. 
hiarli] not hiaurfi, very faded in A, 17. trukt, A. 


esate ah 











§ 4.] ARINBIORN’S LAY. 273 


pa-es orm-frann enni-mAéni 
skein all-valldz cgi-geislom. 20 
bé-ek Bélstr-verS um bera pordag, 
-maka, Heéings markar dréttni : 
sva-at Yges full yranda kom 
at hvers mannz hlusta-munnom. 
Ne ham-fagrt haléom pétti 25 
skald-fé mftt at skata hisom 
pa-es ulf-gratt vid Yggjar midi 
hattar-staup at hilmi pag. 
Vid pvi t6k, enn tfror fylgdo, 
soekk svart-leit sfdra briina, 30 
_ ok s& mudr, es mina bar 
Hérup-.ausn fyr hilmiss kné. 
Par-es tann-fiold med tungo bag, 
sem hler-tiald hlustom gafgud ; 
enn su giaf golli betri 35 
hrédigs konungs um heitin vas. 


Par st6d mer ‘margom betri’ 
a ay eg .... a hlid adra 
tryggr vinr mfnn, sd-es ek trua knattag 
heid-framodr ‘hverjo radi:’ 40 
Arinbiazrn es oss einn um hdf 
knia fremstr fra konungs fiédnom, 
vinr piddans es vetki laug, 
{ her-skass hilmiss gardi. 
O58) esos Stadli 45 
, marg-framodér minna dada. 
WE SS a aE nr’... 





eyes], when the sheen of the moon of the king’s forehead shone ser- 
pent-keen with beams of awe. Yet I dared to deliver my Head 
Ransom | Pillow-mate-Ransom] before the Lord of the Humbers-march, 
so that Ygg’s cup [poetry] came foaming to the ear-mouths of every 
man. The poet-meed I won [my head] seemed little fair of hue to 
men in the king’s house, when I received at the prince’s hand my wolf- 
grey helm-stock [my head] in return for Woden’s mead. With it there 
followed the favo lights, and the swart-hued pits of my jutting brows 
[eyes and brows], and the mouth that delivered my Head Ransom 


_ before the knees of the king; furthermore I received a multitude of 


teeth, and a tongue, and the tents of hearing [ears] endowed with ear- 

passages; but this gift of the great king was more acceptable than gold. 
There stood at my side ‘my best of brothers-in-law’. ... my trusty 

friend, in whom I could put my trust, the giver of fees.... Arin- 





22. m°a hoengs, A. 28, Not hatt-staup. 29. tiror] tiru, W; faded in A. 
30. samleit, W. 32. héfud) thus, h’fd at the end of a line, A, forgetting the 
second part of the compound at the beginning of the next line. 37. betri] vat’, 


_ AM; read, maga baztr? 38. Faded; hob finda in’, AM. 40. Emend. ; 


heip°adc, AM. 44. i herska hilmis riki, W. 5-48. Unreadable, 
T 


274 EGIL SKALLA-GRIM’S SON. [BK. IV. 


Munk vin-piédfr verda heitinn, 
ok v4-liigr at Vidriss fulli, : 50 
hrdéérs cer-virdr, ok heit-rofi: 
nema ek bess gagns giald um vinnag. 
Na es pat sét hvar ek setja skal 
bragar battom ‘bratt stiginn’ 
fyr mann-fiold, margra sidnir 55 
hréér . . . . hersa kindar. 
Nt eromk aud-skceef omun-lokri 
magar Périss meerdar-efni, 
vinar mins, pvi-at valig liggja, 
tvenn ok pbrenn, 4 tungo mer. ~ 60 
Pat tel-ek fyrs/, es flestr um veit, 
ok al-pi6dd eyrom scékir : 
hve mild-geér mannom potti 
Biéda-biarn-birkis étta. 
Pat allz-herjar at undri gefzk 65 
hve hann yr-pidd audi gneégir: 
es Gridét-biarn um gcéddan hefir 
Freyr ok Niarér at fidr-afli. 
Enn Hréalldz 4 hafud-badmi 
auds id-gnéttir at ‘alnom sifia:’ 70 
sem ‘vinseldir’ af vegom allom 
4 vind-kers vidom botni. 
Hann..... um ‘eiga gat’ 





biorn, the foremost of heroes, who alone delivered me from the king’s 
wrath—the prince’s friend that never lied—in the court of the warlike 
king. And [a mangled verse]..... I shall be called the thief of 
friendship, and the belier of my boast at Woden’s toast [Song], un- 
worthy of praise, and a vow-breaker, unless I pay some ransom for 
those benefits. 

Now it is easy to see, where I must fix the strands of my song 
.... before the multitude, before the eyes of many the praise of the 
‘mighty’ child of Lords [Arinbiorn]. 

Now the timbers of praise of my friend, the son of Thori, are 
easily planed by the voice-plane [the tongue], because they lie in 
mighty length, by twos and threes, upon my tongue, 

I shall count frst, what every one knows, and has come to all men’s 
ears, how bountiful Arinbiorn seems to men. It is a marvel to all 
the world how he bestows gifts on men, for Frey and Niord have 
blessed Grit-bear with a store of wealth. On the head of Hroald’s 
stock great abundance of riches fall.... like the rain [waters] from 
all quarters upon the wind-bason’s wide bottom [wide earth-plain]. 





50. A, i.e. van-liugr. 51. eyrvirdr, A. 54. Thus, though nearly illegible ; 
bogit fotom baug stiginn, AM. 56. Faded; mectigs, AM and A (as it seems). 
59. valig] A and W; valid, 748. 62. Emend.; eyrun, Se 65. allz- 
herjar] emend. ; allzheri at, A. 66. ur per A.  gnegir, A. 67. es] e’, A; 
pviat, W. " géeddan] Edda; gnegdan, A. 70. sifia] AM; now illegible 
in A. 71. So as it seems in A (vimr-eldar?), certainly not ‘ vin-reid,’ 
73- Faded; dvg seil, AM, an impossible word; read, arsima ? 














1 eT Rats 4 SS 


my Whe ase PD pid a 


| 
: 





ARINBIORN’S LAY. 275 


sem hildingar heyrhar spanna, 
godom 4vardr, med gumna fiald, 75 
vinr Vedr-orms Vetlinga tos, 
Pat hann vidr es pridta mun 
flesta menn, pdtt fé eigi: 
kvedkat-ek skamt milli skata hitisa, 
né aud-skept almanna-spiar. 80 
Gekk maér engi at Arinbiarnar 
or leg-vers langom knerri 
hadi leiddr né heipt-kvidom 
med atgeirs audar. toptir. 
Hinn es fé-grimmr es { Fiardom byr, 85 
sa es of dolgr draupniss nidja. 


. . * . 


H . . . 


Pat es drétt es orpit hefir 
4 m4-skeid margo gagni, 
ram-ridin Roekkva st6di, go 
vell-vanodr pvi-es veitti mer. 


Vask 4r-vakr; bark ord saman 
med mal-biéns megin-verkom : 
H166-ek lof-kast pann es lengi stendr ; 
ébrotgiarn { Bragar ttini. 95 





He, king-like, dealt out [gold] among men untold; he the darling of 
the Gods, the friend of Wether-worm the champion of the Watlings. 
__ He does that in which most men, though they be wealthy, will fail, for 
the houses of the magnanimous are far between, and it is not easy to 
shaft every man’s spear [to suit all]: No man ever went from Arin- 
biorn’s house followed by scorn or evil words, or empty-handed. He 
that lives at Firth is a mammon-hater, and the enemy of the offspring 
of Dropper [rings=money].... H.... 


It were a pity if the gold-spender [Arinbiorn] should have thrown 
the many benefits he did me upon the path of the mew [the Deep] 
hard-trodden by the steeds of Rokkwi [ships]. 


The final Stanza: 1 was early awake. I put word to word, with the 
mighty labour of my slave of speech [tongue]. I have reared a pillar 
of praise, which shall long stand imperishable in the court of Bragi 
[ Woden as the God of Song]. . 


74. beyrnar? rather than hiarnar. 75. avardr] thus A. 76. Thus, 
vep’orms, A, not veporins; AM has also read Vedorms. _ Veilinga rather than 
Veclinga, A. 86. Six lines here unreadable. O& After this comes the great 
gap. 93. megin-] W; morgin-, 748. 95. ubrot-, W. 

T 2 





276 EGIL SKALLA-GRIM’S SON. [BK. IV. 


SONA-TORREK ; or, THE SONS’ WRECK. 


THE occasion of this touching poem is told in Egil’s Saga. The old 
poet’s son*Gunnar was snatched from him by a fever, his second and 
favourite son Bodwar was drowned soon afterwards. The news nearly 
broke his heart; he took to his bed, refused all food, and was only 
induced to refrain from starving himself to death by the affectionate 
stratagem of his daughter, who furthermore persuaded him to make 
a dirge on his dead son. When he had finished the poem he was 
comforted. This pathetic story (see Icel. Reader, p. 82) is, we believe, 
a romantic version of what really took place, but we must turn to the 
Dirge itself to know the conditions and feelings of the poet when he 
composed it. 

The poem, even in its mangled lines, has something of the Hebrew 
Patriarch in it; a deep heartfelt sorrow, tender and affectionate, with 
a strong sense of the bonds of family; the imagery on that head is 
worth noticing. It was no mere brutal pirate manslayer (as the Saga 
too often depicts him) that could feel and express such grief. 

The text rests upon a transcript of Ketil Jorundson, of the poem 
as given in the same lost vellum, we believe, from which he got 
. Hofudlausn. There is a double copy in Ketil’s hand (AM. 453 and 
462), but one is derived from the other. It gives the whole song, 
but often corruptly. This slender basis is only supplemented by one 
citation of six lines (ll. 87-92) in Edda (W), and the four first lines given 
in AM. 132: this is all. We have transposed ll. 68-71 from between 83 
and 84, and moved 62-63 four lines up. 

The metre is the same as that of Arinbiorn’s Lay. It is partly in 
strophic divisions, but the stanzas are irregular. ‘The parallelisms are 
frequent and perfectly finished. 

The poem throws many glimpses of light upon the poet’s life—the 
pious remembrance of his mother and father’s death (how different 
from the coarse account given in the Saga!)—his warm remembrance 
of his faithful friend Arinbiorn—the absence of outspoken allusion on 
the loss of a brother (Thorwolf)—his solitary friendless life. To be 
marked too is the creed of a Norseman who had been at King Athel- 
stan’s court, a gleaming twilight between Heathen and Christian. 

The date of the poem would be about 975-980. Egil speaks of him- 
self as old (1. 36), and as friendless and alone. 

The text is especially unsafe in ll. 9-12, 54, 55, 59-61, 65-66, 77; we 
have been fortunate enough to restore the final lines, confirming the 
testimony of the Saga, ‘He called this poem Sona-torrek’ (the Saga, 
Reader, p. 85, l. 11). 

The structure of the poem. First grieving that his wish to sing is 
struggling against his fresh grief for the son he has just buried at Naust- 
ness, he tells over the tale of his losses, mother, father, sons. The great 
wrong that the Giant of the Sea has done in taking his dear son Bodwar, 
a wrong he is helpless to avenge, the cruellest blow he has had since 
Gunnar his mainstay was snatched from him by fever. He has no one 
now to stand at his shoulder, it is sad to remember the good friends that 
are gone, Arinbiorn the trusty kinsman above all. Then coming back 
to the death of Gunnar he reproaches Woden, in whom he had trusted, 
for his unkind dealing, but ends with acknowledging that he had received 
_from him good as well as evil, and that the greatest comfort, the power 
of song, was his gift. 


‘aha 


ee ee 


i 
t 
3 

















Rie AE TO a ee Ot 








~ SERRE REA tah Fal 





SONA-TORREK. 240 


M eromk tregt tungo at hroéra, 
or lopt-veett 1i6d-pundara : 
esa nu venligt um Vidriss pyfi, 
né hég-dreégt or hugar-fylgsnom : 
Esat aud-peystr—(pvi-at ekki veldr 5 
hafugligr)—or hyggjo-stad 
fagna-fundr Friggjar nidja 
4r-borinn or Iatun-heimom: 
‘Lasta lauss’ es ‘lifnadi’ 
‘4 nokkvers nokkva Bragi’ 10 
Iatuns ‘hals undir flota’ 
nain nid fyr Naust-durom: 
pvi-at ett mfn 4 enda stendr 
sem laufi barnar limar marka: . 
Esa karskr mar sd-es kagla berr . 15 
freenda hroers af fletjom nidr. 


b6 man-ek mftt ok médor hreer, 
faodor-fall, /yrs¢ um telja: 
Pat berr-ek Ut or ord-hofi 
mezerdar timbr mali laufgat. 20 


Grimmt varomk hlid, pat-es hrann um braut 
fador mins 4 freend-gardi : 
veit-ek 6fullt ok opit standa 
sonar skar6, es mer ser um vann. 





I Am hardly able to raise my tongue, the steelyard of sound, from the 


‘roof of my mouth. I have little hope of winning Woden’s theft 


[poetry], nor is it easily drawn from the recesses of my mind. It is 
not easy to make it flow from the place of thought [my heart], that 
noble find of Frigg’s husband [Woden], borne of yore from Giant-land, 
Heavy sorrow is the cause thereof. ‘Ever since I laid my kinsman’s 
corse... underneath the Giant’s [Ymi’s] bones’ [the rocks on the shore] 
before the Dock-mouth: for my lineage is come to its end like the 
leafless branches of the forest. No hale man is he who beareth the 
bones of his kinsmen down from his house. ~ 

But jst I will tell of my mother’s funeral, and my father’s end. 
I carry out of the word-fane [mouth] song-timber leafed with speech. 

Cruel was the breach which the billow made in my father’s wall of 
kinsmen. I see it standing unfilled and unclosed, the sons’ gap which 
the sea caused me. 





I. 132; er um, A, 2. Emend.; edr lopt-vzi, Cd.; or lopt-ett, 132. 
4. fylgsni, Cd. 5. Emend.; and peist, Cd. (Ketil gives the poem in his own 
spelling, he never uses y). 7. Friggjar] emend.; fagna (not pagua-) fagna fundr 
priggja nidja, Cd. 11. flota} Cd.; not piota. 12. nains nidr, Cd. 
14. Emend.; hre barnar hlifit, Cd.; a maimed text, meaning ‘as a leafless tree.’ 
15. kaskr, Cd. kégla] paugla, Cd. 16. nidr}] emend, ; ridur, Cd. 21, 
varum, Cd, . 


278 EGIL SKALLA-GRIM’S SON. [BK. Iv. 


Miak hefir Ran ryskt um mik; 25 
em-ek of snaudr at 4st-vinom: 
sleit marr band minnar ettar, 
[svaran] padtt, af sialfom mer. 
Veiztu um pa sak sverdi of rekag 
vid zl-smid allra tiva! 30 
R6déa v4-bridir um vega mettag; | 
foera-ek and-vigr Afigiss mani: 
Enn ek ekki eiga pdéttomk 
sakar afl vid stida-bana: 
pvi-at al-piéd fyr augom verdr hae 
gamals pegns gengi-leysi. 
Mik hefir marr miklo reentan, 
grimmt es fall fraenda at telja:. 


s{dan-es mfinn 4 mun-vega 

zettar-skialdr 6lifinn hvarf. 40 
Veit-ek pat sialfr, at f syni mfnom 

vasat illz pegns efni vaxit, 

ef s4 rand-vidr roeskvask nedi 

unz Hergautz hendr [hann] um tceéki. 

E lét fast pat-es fadir meelti, 45 

pdtt all pidd annat segdi; 

ok mer vid hélt um Valbergi, 

ok mitt afl mest um studdi. 





Ran [the Giantess of the Sea] hath handled me roughly; I am bereft 
of my loving friends; the Sea hath cut the bonds of my race, the strong 
strands that bound me. . 

Behold, shall I take up my cause with the sword against the Brewer 
of all the Gods [Eager the Giant of the Sea], and wage war with the 
awful maids of the Breaker [Eager’s daughters, the Billows], and fight 
a wager of battle against Eager’s wife [Ran]? 

But I felt I had no strength to hold my own against the Destroyer 
of the ships [Eager], for an old man’s helplessness is evident to the 
eyes of all men. 

The Sea hath done me great damage, it is hard for me to tell over 
my kinsmen’s destruction: yea the cruellest since the buckler of my 
race [Gunnar] turned from life into the path of Bliss. 

I know very well that there were the parts of a good gentleman 
in my son, if that shield-tree [young lime tree: Hero] had been allowed 
to grow till the hands of the Lord of Hosts [Woden] gathered him. 
He ever held fast to his father’s word, though every one else spoke 
against it, and held me up at Walberg [Walfell, the Moot-Hill near 
Borg], and was the great stay to my strength. 





27. marr] emend.; mars, Cd. 28. Left blank in Cd.; a word on s wanted. 
30. allra tiva}] emend.; var 6lsmid allra tima, Cd. 31. va-brudir] vags bredr, Cd. 
34. suds bana, Cd. 39. sidan-es] read sizt? 40. Olifinn) emend,; af lifi, Cd. 
42. vasat].emend.; var ills begns, Cd, 44. hann] om. Cd. 45. fast] 
emend.; @ liet (mot 4 leit) flest, Cd. 47. vid] upp,Cd. Valbergi] verbergi, Cd. 


ees Pe ee 





NO ee ee ae Set Paneer 


ri Gar é 





TT Dp QU oh AL Re rn BR aT ST Te Ee eae ieee eee See lee PA ele eL Pere TA Bee MITE hey te OE TOS , 








SONA-TORREK. 249 


Opt kcemr mer Arinbiarnar 
{ bry-vind broédra-hleyti ; 50 
hyggjomk um, es hildr proask, 
nysomk hins ok hykk at pvf: 
hverr mer hugadr 4 hlid standi 
annarr pegn vid piddreedi 
parf ek pess opt ‘of her giaurum ;’ 55 
veré-ek var-fleygr es vinir pverra. 
Miak es tor-fyndr s4-es trua knegim 
of albidd-elgiar-galga : 
pvi-at ‘niflgédér nidja steypir’ 
brédor hroer vid baugom selr. 60 
Finn-ek pat opt es ‘fiar beidir.’ 
Eromka pbekkt pidéda sinni, 
pdétt ser-hverr satt um haldi. 
Pat es ok melt at mangi geti 
sonar id-giald ‘nema sialfr alitue’ 65 
‘bann nid es adrom sé’ 
borinn madr { brdéor stad. 





Pat man-ek enn, es upp um héf 

{ God-heim Gauta-spialli 

eettar-ask pbann-es 6x af mer, 70 
ok kyn-vid- kvanar minnar. 


Burr es by-skips { beé kominn, 
kvanar son, kynniss leita: 





Arinbiorn’s Foster-brotherhood often comes into my mind [gale 
of the Giantess]. I think over it when the battle is waxing, I ponder 
over it, and meditate thereon what second chief that loves me will 
stand by my side with wise counsel, I often lack.... I go with drooping 
flight, since my friends have dropt from me. It is right hard to find 
a man to trust among all the people of Iceland, for there is.... 
sell his brother’s body for money. I often find it when .... the fel- 
lowship of the people is little friendly to me, though every man keeps 
himself from open war..... 

Yea, it is said that no one can get full ‘recompense for a son, nor 
can one, born of another father,’ stand in a brother’s place. 

The second thing I remember is how the Friend of the Gauts 
[Woden] raised up into the World of the Gods the ash of my race 
that grew out of me, and the branch of the kin of my wife. 

Yea, Gunnar. ...my son, the son of my wife, is gone to stay in the 
City of the bee’s ship [the Born of the Fates = the heavens]. 





49. Arinbiarnar] m® biarnar, Cd, 50. byrvind, Cd. 52. hygg, Cd. 54- 
Emend. ; odredi, Cd. 55. Read giérnom? or, piddans bérnom ? 59. Read 
steypist ? 60. hrér] hier (=hér), Cd. 61. Here some lines seem lost. 
62. pekkt] emend. ; pokkt, Cd. 63. Something lost, 64. mangi] emend. ; 
engi, Cd. 66. No alliteration. 72. burrjebyrr, Cd. 


280 EGIL SKALLA-GRIM’S SON. Bik, 2 


Enn mer forns { faostom pokk | 15 
hrosta hilmir 4 hendi stendr: 
makat-ek ‘upp i aréar’ grimo 
ryniss reid retti halda: 
sizt son minn sdttar-brimi 
heiptu[g]ligr or heimi nam ; 80 
pann ek veit at varnadi 
vamma varr vid vameeli. 
Atta-ek gétt vid geira dréttinn; 
goerdomk trygegr at trua h4nom: 
46r vinad vagna-rini, 
sigr-hafundr, um sleit vid mik. 85 
Bleétkat-ek pvi brdédor Viliss 
goda iadar, at ek giarn sid: 
p6 hefir Mims vinr mer um fengnar 
balva bcétr, ef it betra telk: 
géfomk idrott Ulfs of bagi go 
vigi vanr vammi firda; 
ok pat ged, es ek goeréa mer 
visa fidndr at viljandom. 


Nu es Torrex kvedit tveggja BURA; 
Nicerva nipt it nesta stendr: 95 
Skal-ek p6 glaér med gddan vilja 
ok éhryggr Heljar bfida. 





The Lord of the ancient Mead [Woden] presses heavily on me. 
I cannot hold my mind-chariot [breast] upright ‘before the Lord of 
the Earth’ [Woden]: since the deadly fire of sickness took my son out 
of this world, whom I knew to be blameless and forbearing from wicked 
speech. 

z was friendly with the King of Spears [Woden], and became trustful 
in putting my faith in him, till thed_ord of the Wain [Woden], the Judge 
of victory, broke friendship with me. 

Therefore I do not willingly worship Wili’s brother, the Chief of 
the Gods [Woden]. Yet the Friend of Mimi [Woden] hath given me 
recompense of my wrongs, if I am to count the good [he has done 
me]|:—The war-wont Wolf’s foe [Woden] hath given me the blameless 
Art [poetry], and the gift of Song to turn open foes into well-wishers, 

Epilogue. Now the Loss oF MY Two SONS is sung through. Niorvi’s 
daughter [Night] is near at hand. Yet I will gladly, and with a good 
will and without fear, abide Death. 





75. forns| emend.; fanst, Cd. 77. Thus Cd.; iarpar? 78. ‘retti,’ 
not rettri, Cd. (metaphor from a ship drifting ?). 85. -haufunde, Cd. 
86. Blotka ek, Cd.; blot ek eigi, W. 87. Partly emend.; gods iadar, Cd. ; 
god iardar, W. sia] r; sé, Cd. and W. 88. W; mis vinr, Cd. 89. 
W ; telda, Cd. go. of bagi] emend.; ok, Cd. and W. 93. viljondom] 
emend.; velaundum, Cd. 94-95. Emend.; Nu er m’ torveldt tveggia boga 
niorva nipt a nesin stendr, Cd. 








Pl MA 2 eT 


at 











MOT) es sels eres st 





$5-] DARRADAR-LIOD. 281 


¢5: SIGTRYGGS POET. 


DARRADAR-LIOD; or, THE LAY OF DARTS. 





THERE were several Icelanders from the East, both of the company 
and kindred of Flosi and of other chiefs of that quarter, at the great 
battle of Clontarf, fought on Good Friday (April 23rd), tor4. From 
their stories of this famous fight grew a Brian’s Saga, which is quoted in 
Thorstein Hall 0’ Side’s son’s Saga, and was partly incorporated in an 
abridged shape in Nial’s Saga, but is lost as a separate and complete 
_story. In-the part of Brian’s Saga taken into Nial’s Saga were inserted 
parts of a poem called Darradar-liod. 

This Lay refers undoubtedly to Brian’s Battle, and is a song of praise 
over a young king. It is supposed to be spoken by Walkyries, weaving 
a Web of War in which the Northmen, ‘those who dwell on the out- 
skirts,’ and the Irish are to be engaged. They chant a weaving song, 
in which is foretold the death of a ‘mighty king’ and ‘earl’ [the first 
is Brian, and the second Sigurd of Orkney, or Brian’s son], and then 
a charm by which the ‘ young king’ is to be preserved. When the web 
is woven, they mount their steeds and ride off. 

It is undoubtedly a Western Lay. Gagarr (I. 14) is a Gaelic word. 

The chronology of the poem is a little difficult. It must either have 
been composed soon after 1014 or else a generation later, when Earl 
Thorfinn of Orkney was beginning his successful career. 

The metaphor ‘ Web of War’ had been already used by Egil in his 
Hofud-lausn, |. 17, but that is no evidence of imitation or plagiarism in our 
poet, whose style is remarkably powerful and original, with a certain 
weird humour and inspiration that recall the Old Testament prophets. 

There are many vellums of Nial’s. Saga, but most of them are 
defective at the end. Our best MSS. are AM. 468, AM. 132 folio, and 
Royal Library, 2869 and 2870. See Prolegomena, p. 145. 

The story in Niala of a man Darrad, who saw the vision of the weaving 
Walkyries, is contradicted by the name ‘ Geir-hliod’ (l. 42), which evi- 
dently gives the true ¢it/e of the Lay and equals ‘ Darradar-liod.’ We 
have interchanged Il. 33-34. 


Vit es orpit fyr val-falli 
rifs reidi-sky ; rignir bl6di: 
Nd es fyr geirom gra4r upp kominn 
vefr ver-biédar pann-es vinor fylla 
raudom vepti Randvéss bana. 5 





The weird sisters appear before the Battle of King Brian weaving the web 
of Ireland's fate. 

WIDE-STRETCHED is the warp presaging the slaughter, the hanging 
cloud of the beam; it is raining blood. The gray web of the hosts is 
raised up on the spears, the web which we the friends of Woden are 
filling with red weft. 





I, orpit] 132; orpin, 468, 5. Randvéss banae132; randverks bla, 468. 


282 SIGTRYGG’S POET. _ [Bx. rv. 


Si4 es orpinn vefr yta barmom 
ok hard-kleAdér haféom manna: 
ero dreyr-rekin darr at skaptom; 
iarn-varor yllir, enn arom hreladr ; 
skolom sl4 sverdom sigr-vef penna! 10 
Gengr Hildr-vefa ok Hiar-primol, 
Sangridr, Svipol, sverdom tognom: 
skapt mun gnesta, skialdr mun bresta, 
mun hialm-gagarr { hlif koma. 
Vindom, vindom vef darradar! 15 
ok siklingi sféan fylgjom: 
Par skolo bera bl6égar randir 
Gunnr ok Gandul per-es grami hlffdo. 
Vindom, vindom vef darradar ! 
sa4-es ungr konungr ‘Atti fyrri:’ 20 
Fram skolom ganga ok f folk vada 
par es vinir é6rir vépnom skipta[sk]. 
Vindom, vindom vef darradar! 
par-es vé vada vigra manna: 
Laétom eigi lif hans farask, 25 
eigo Valkyrjor vigs um kosti. 


Peir mono l¥dir landom r4da 
es ut-skaga 46r um bygdo: 
Kved-ek rikjom gram radinn dauda: 
nu es fyr oddom iarlmadr hniginn ; 30 





This web is warped with the guts of men, and heavily weighted with 
human heads; blood-stained darts are the shafts, iron-bound are the 
stays; it is shuttled with arrows. Let us strike with our swords this 
web of victory! 

War and Sword-clasher, Sangrid and Swipple, are weaving with drawn 
swords. The shaft shall sing, the shield shall ring, the helm-hound [axe] 
shall fall on the target. 

Let us wind! let us wind the web of darts, and then ride to war with 
the king [Sigtrygg]. Battle and Gondol that guard the king shall bear 
bloody shields. 

Let us wind! let us wind the web of darts which the young king.... 
Let us go forward and plunge into the ranks of battle where our friends 
are crossing weapons. 

Let us wind! let us wind the web of darts where the banners of the 
men of war are streaming. Let not his life be taken! We Walkyries 
can order the battle. 


They shall rule over the land, that formerly dwelt on the outskirts 
thereof [i.e. the Northmen]. I say that death is fated to a mighty king 
[Brian], and an earl [Brian’s son] shall sink before the point of the 





g. yllir] 132, 2870; ylli, 468. 132. 2870, read orvar at hre!om, 12. 
tognom] 132, 2870; tekna, 468. 17. skolo] emend. ; sia, 468. bera] b*a, 
132, 2870;.bragna, 468. 18. hliféo] 132, 2870; fylgdo0, 468. 20. atti) 


obscure ; maybe some lines are missing here. 22. varir, 468. 26. vigs} 
132, 2870; vals, 468. : 





OANA) 





4ARPAG: OEE TA PUY OW ope 
re, , = 











DARRADAR-LIOD. 283 


ok muno frar angr um bida 
pat es aldri mun ytom fyrnask.— 
Muno um land fara le-spiawll Gota. 
Nu es vefr ofinn, enn vallr rodinn; | 
Nu es 6gorligt um at litask 35 
es dreyrog sky dregr med himni: 
Mun lopt litad lyda bl6di 


es spd-vardar syngja kunno. 


Vel kvHd5o ver um konung ungan, 
sigr-hliddéa fiald sungom heilar. 40 
Enn hinn nemi, es heyrir 4— 
—geir-hlidda fial6—ok gumom skemti ! 


Ridom hestom hart tt berom, 
brugdnom sverdom 4 brot hedan! 





spear, and the Irish shall suffer a woe that shall never grow old in the 
minds of men. Tidings of the devastations of the Goths [Norsemen ?] 
shall spread over the land. 

Now the web is woven and the field made red. .. . Now it is awful to 
look around, for gory clouds are gathering over the sky, the air shall be 
dyed with the blood of men. ...... 

They now go on with a charm which shall save the young king’s life. 
A song such as seeresses know how to sing. 


We have spoken words of might round the young king, we have sung 
him many a joyous Lay.of Victory, many a Lay of Spears. Now let 
him that hath heard them, learn them and sing them to men. 


Let us ride away fast on our bare-backed steeds, with our drawn 
swords in our hands, far away. ° 





—— 


33. land] i.e. Ireland. 38. syngja] springa, 468. Emend.; spar uardar 
syng*, 132; sokn vardéar, 2870; spar varar, 468; spa vardar or spa vardir we take 
to be=spa konor, spae wives, weird sisters. 39. kvado]} kvedu, 132. 40. 
sungom] emend.; syngjom, 468. 


BOOK V. 


THE LATEST EPICS. 


THESE poems are mainly those occurring after the great lacuna in the 
vellum R. They deal with the second part of the Hniflung story and 
other legends of the Goths and Huns, circling round Sigfred, Brunhild, 
Gudrun, Attila, etc. They are, we believe, mainly by Western poets. 
The lost lays of the lacuna would fit into this Book, and belong to § 2. 

The metre is epic throughout. But the first three sections are in the 
short late metre, a development of that of Book iii, §1. That of the 
fourth and fifth sections is founded on the Jong metre of the oldest 
epics of Book i, § 5. 

We have grouped these poems by subjects, which roughly gives the 
chronological order. 


SECTION 1 contains a poetic summary of Sigfred’s life, and will serve 
as an introduction to the following poems. It is the only one that stands 
in R defore the lacuna. 


SECTION 2 deals with Brunhild—her revenge, remorse, and death. 


In SECTION 3 are the poems which have Gudrun for heroine, and tell 
of her weary life, her three husbands, and her own death. 


Next comes Attila’s SECTION 4, containing a long poem by a nameless 
Greenland poet, and a fragment of a lost Lay. 


SECTION 5 is all that remains of a poem relating to the conflict between 
Huns and Goths, and the long-famed battle of the two nations at 
Dunheath, where brother slew brother, and the Hunnish invasion was 
stayed by the valour of Angantheow :—fading memories of old history. 


SECTION 6. The remains of a class of poems resembling Homer’s 
Catalogue, the most famous of which related to the great struggle 
between the two kings, Harold Hilditann and Ring at Bravalla-feld in 
South Sweden, of which Starkad was the hero. 

To this Book would have belonged the lost lays of Starkad-cycle, of 
which we have paraphrases in Saxo. 











Lomas eRe avr? Bete 6) SE Te? oe eG 
tapers rie ali <5 ee — 








§1. SIGFREDS BALLAD POET. 


THE LAY OF GRIPI. 


FouND only in R, leaves 27 and 28, touched on but not used by the 
Wolsunga paraphrast. Among the popular songs collected by Landstad 
in Thelemark is one, No. ix in his collection, beginning ‘ Hoyre du Greip 
min morbroder, which is plainly derived from our poem. Indeed, the 
plain and easy language, the good subject and regular four-lined stanzas 
mark it out, like Thryms-kvida, for treatment by the ballad-maker. 

The subject is very simple. Sigurd (Sigfred) goes to his wise uncle 
Gripi to ask his fate, which Gripi reluctantly unfolds. The guileless 
innocence of the young hero is almost pathetic. The situation is like 
that in Laxdela, between Gudrun and Guest the Wise, but there it is 
more poetically treated than by our gentle but somewhat tame poet. 

It is in good preservation, and we have had little trouble with the 
text. We have interchanged ll. 165-168 with ll. 169-173. It is note- 
worthy that Sigrdrifa and Brunhild have not yet been identified, but are 
treated as distinct persons. It is the only old Lay indeed, save her own 


- Lay, where Sigrdrifa is alluded to. The #it/e is lost. 


Sigurd Ppveke byggir her borgir bessar? 
; Hvat pann piddéd-konung pegnar nefna? 
Getti Gripir heitir gumna stiéri 


q. s4-es fastri redér foldo ok pegnom. 
Sigurd Es horskr konungr heima { landi? 5 
q. Mun sé gramr vid mik ganga at mela? 


Mls es purfi madr ékunnigr; 
vil ek flidtliga finna Gripi. 
Geiti | Pess mun gladr konungr Geiti spyrja, 
q: hverr s4 madr sé, es mals kvedr Gripi. 10 





FIRST SCENE.—Sigurd at the gate of Gripi’s castle. 


Wuo dwells here in this hall? What is the name of this mighty king ?— 
Geiti, the warder, outside: Gripi is the ruler’s name, who reigns over the 
land and folk.—Sigurd: Is the good king at home in his land? Will the 
prince come and speak with me? A new comer wishes to talk with him; 
I would speedily see Gripi.—Geiti: The good king is sure to ask me 
this, Who is the man that asks speech of Gripi.—Sigurd: My name is 
Sigurd, Sigmund’s son, but Hiordis was my mother. 

SECOND SCENE. Now Geiti went in and told Gripi, ‘ Here is a man 
outside, a stranger; he is noble to look on, he would have speech of 
thee, my lord.’ . 

The king of men goes out-of the hall, aad welcomes the strange 


286 SIGFRED’S BALLAD POET. [BK. v. 


Sigurd Sigurér ek heiti, borinn Sigmundi; 
q: enn Hiardfs es hilmiss mddir. 
ba gekk Geitir Gripi at segja: 
Grit Her es madr uti é6kudr kominn; 
hann es ftarligr at 4liti; 15 
s4 vill, fylkir, fund pfnn hafa. 
Gengr or skala skatna dréttinn, 
ok heilsar vel hilmi komnom :— 
Gri~i_ _— Pigg-pu her, Sigurér! Veeri scémra fyrr; 
q. enn pt, Geitir, tak vid Grana sialfom! 20 
Mela namo ok mart hiala, 
pa-es r46-spakir rekkar fundozk. 
Sigurd Segdu merr, ef pti veizt, mdédor-brddir: 


q. Hve mun Sigurdi sntina evi? 
Gripi hi munt madr vesa meztr und sodlo, 25 
q: ok hestr borinn hverjom izofri; 


giafull af golli, enn gloeggr flugar, 
ftr Aliti, ok { ordom spakr. 
Sigurd Segdu, gegn konungr, goerr an ek spyrja, 
q. snotr, Sigurdi, ef 60 sid pikkisk: - 30 
Hvat mun fyrst goerask til farnadar 
pa-es or gardi emk genginn pinom? 
Gripi —- Fyrst muntu, fylkir, fador um hefna, 
q: ok FEylima allz harms reka: 
pu munt haréa Hundings sono 35 
snialla fella; mundu sigr hafa. 
Sigurd Seg-pu, ftr konungr, ettingi, mér 
q heldr horskliga, es vid hugad mzlom: 
Sér pu Sigurdar snar bragd fyrir, 


pau-es hest fara und himin-skautom ? 40 
Griji | Mundu einn vega orm inn frana, 
q. pann-es grodogr liggr 4 Gnita-heidi; 





hero, (saying): ‘Take quarters here, Sigurd, would thou hadst come 
before ; but do thou, Geiti, see to Grani!’ (the horse.) The two heroes, 
wise of counsel, began to speak and talk over many things, now that 
they had met.—Sigurd: Teil, if thou knowest, uncle dear, How will 


life turn out for Sigurd ?—Gripi: Thou shalt be the greatest man- 


under the sun, and highest-born of all kings, free with thy gold, and 
chary of flight, noble to look on, and wise in speech.—Sigurd: Tell 
me, good king, more than I ask, if thou thinkest thou canst foresee 
it: What fortune shall first happen to me when I leave thy court ?— 
Gripi: Thou shalt first avenge thy father, and wreak all the wrong 
of Eylimi; thou shalt fell the brave and brisk sons of Hunding, thou 
shalt have victory.—Sigurd ; Tell thy kinsman, noble king, very frankly, 
now that we have opened our hearts: Canst thou foresee exploits for me 
that shall soar very high under the borders of heaven ?—Gripi: Thou 
alone shalt slay the keen dragon, that lies in his greed at Glisten-heath ; 





23. merr] mer, R, 








Ee eS Eas eo ae Dk fe 


THE LAY OF GRIPI. 287 


pti munt bédom ar bana verda 

Regin ok Fafni. Rétt segir Gripir. 

Audér mun cérinn, ef ek eflik sva 45 
vig med virdom, sem pti vist segir. 

Leid at huga, ok lengra seg: 

Hvat mun enn vesa evi mfnnar? 

bu munt finna Fafniss beeli, 

ok upp taka aud inn fagra; 50 
goili hloeda 4 Grana bégo; 

riér pu til Gitka, gramr vig-risinn ! 

Enn skaltu hilmi { hugaz-rcdo, 

fram-lyndr iafurr, fleira segja: 
-Gestr em-ek Gitika, ok ek geng padan, 55 
hvat mun enn vesa svi mfnnar? 

Sefr 4 fialli fylkiss ddéttir, 

biart { brynjo, sveipin bana lindar: 

Pui munt heeggva hvasso sverdi, 

brynjo rista med bana FaAfniss. 6 
Brotin es brynja, braér mela tekr, 

es vaknadi vif or svefni: 

Hvat mun snét at heldr vid Sigurd mela, 

pat-es at farnadi fylki verdi? 
Griji Hon man rikjom per rdnar kenna 65 
; allar per es aldir eignask vildo, 

ok 4 mannz tungo mela hverja, 
lif med lekning. Lif-pd heill, konungr! 

Sigurd Nu es pvi lokit; numin ero froédi, 

q. ok emk braut padan buinn at rfda: 70 
| leid at huga, ok lengra seg: 
Hvat mun meirr vesa minnar evi? 





thou shalt be the slayer of both Regin and Fafni; Gripi tells true.— 
Sigurd: Having wrought this slaughter by my valour, I shall have great 
treasure, as thou tellest me for truth ; consider in thy mind and tell me 
at length, How shall my life go then ?—Gripi: Thou shalt find Fafni’s 
lair, and take up the fair treasure; load the gold on Grani’s saddle, 
then thou shalt ride to Giuki’s, victorious king.—Sigurd: Open thy 
heart, prophetic chief, and tell me more: When I am Giuki’s guest, 
and leave him, how shall my life go then?—Gripi: A king’s daughter 
lies asleep on the mountain, bright in mail, wrapped in flames. Thou 
shalt hew with thy keen sword, slitting the mail with the killer of 
Fafni.—Sigurd: The mail-coat is broken, the maid begins to speak, 
the lady is awakened out of her sleep: What then will she say to 
me that may be to my furtherance ?—Gripi ; She shall teach thee every 
mystery men wish to know, and to speak in every man’s tongue, heal- 
ing and leech-craft. Live and hail, my king!—Sigurd: Now that is 
done, and I have learnt the wisdom, and am ready to ride abroad, 





47. lengi, R. 58. sveipin bana lindar] emend,; eptir bana Helga, R, 
(cp. p. 158, l. 68, and 166, |. 79). 68. lif, i.e. ly& 


288 SIGFRED'S BALLAD POET. (BK. v. 


Gript hd munt hitta Heimiss bygdir, 
: ok gladr vesa gestr pidd-konungs. 
Farid es, Sigurér, patz ek fyr vissak; 75 
skala fremr an svd fregna Gripi. | 
Sigurd Nu fer mer ekka ord patz-tu-meltir, 
q. pvi-at pu fram um sér, fylkir, lengra: 
Veiz-tu of mikit angr Sigurdi; 
pvi pu, Gripir, pat goerra segja. 80 
Gri~i  Lask mer um césko evi minnar 
q. ‘lidsast fyr lfta eptir:’ 
Rétt emkat-ek r46-spakr talidr, 
né in heldr fram-viss; farit patz ek vissak. 
Sigurd Mann veit ek engi fyrir mold ofan, 85 
q: pann-es fleira sé fram an pu, Gripir; 
skalattu leyna, pdtt lidtt sé, 
eda mein goerisk 4 mfnom hag. 
Gri~t Esa med lastom lagd evi per; 
: lattu inn ftri pat adlingr nemask: 90 
pvi-at uppi mun, medan ald lifir, 
nadd-els bodi, nafn pftt vesa. 
Sigurd Verst hyggjom pv, verdr at skiljask 
q: Sigurér vid fylki at sogoro. 
Leid visa pi!—lagt es allt fyrir,— 95 
meerr mer, ef pu vilt, mddor-brddir! 
Gript Nu skal Sigurdi segja gerva, 
q allz pengill mik til bess neydir: 
—mundu vist vita, at vetki lygk— 
deégr eitt es ber daudi etladr. 100 





consider in thy mind, and tell me at length, How then shall my life go? 
—Gripi: Thou shalt light on Heimi’s dwelling, and be the glad guest 
of the great king. I have told all, Sigurd, that I can foresee; ask.no 
further of Gripi.—Sigurd: What thou now sayest makes me sorry, 
because thou canst see further, O king; thou canst see a great sorrow 
for Sigurd, that is why thou wilt not, Gripi, tell it me clearly.— 
Gripi: I neglected whilst young ‘the craft of prophecy.’ I am not 
rightly called prophet, nor a true seer; what I knew is gone.—Sigurd: 
I know no man above ground that can see farther forward than thou; 
hide it not, though it be foul, or though there be some blot in my 
life.—Gripi: There are no blots in thy life, hold that in mind; for thy 
name shall ever be high while men live, my hero.—Sigurd: That is 
least to my mind to part from thee thus. Shew me my path, for all 
is predestined, if thou wilt, my uncle.—Gripi: Now I will tell thee, 
Sigurd, clearly, as thou forcest me so to do; thou shait surely know 
that I lie not: a day is set for thy death.—Sigurd: I would not have 





81. lask] emend.; 14, R. minnar] emend.; pinnar, R. 82. lidsast fyr] 
corrupt. 83. emkat-ek] emend.; em ek, R. 99- lygk] lygr, R. 





§1.] THE LAY OF GRIPI. 289 


Sigurd Vilkat-ek reidi riks pidd-konungs, 
q: g6d rod at heldr Gripiss piggja. 
Nu vilk vist vita, pdétt viltki sé: 
hvat 4 synt Sigurér ser fyr handom? 
Gripit _-Fli6d es at Heimiss fagrt dlitom, 105 
q: hana Brynhildi bragnar nefna, 
déttir Budla, enn dyrr konungr 
hard-Gdikt man Heimir fcédir. 
Sigurd Uvat es mik at pvi, pdétt mer sé 
q: feogr Aliti foedd at Heimiss? . 110 
pat skaltu, Gripir, goerva segja; 
pvi-at bi coll um sér cerlag fyrir. 
Gript _—_ Hon firrir pik flesto gamni 
q: faogr Aliti fostra Heimiss; | 
svefn pi ne sefr né um sakar dcemir, 115 
gdra-pbi manna, nema pu mey sér. 
Sigurd vat mun til lfkna lagt Sigurdi? 
q. segdu, Gripir, pat, ef pu sid pikkisk: 
mun-ek mey na mundi kaupa, 


pa ina fagro fylkiss déttur? 120 
Gript 16 munodé alla eida vinna 
q: full-fastliga, f4 munod halda: 


Vesid hefir pi Gitka gestr eina ndtt, 
mantattu horska Heimiss féstro. 
Sigurd vat es p4, Gripir!—get pi pess fyr mer— 125 
q. sér pu gedleysi { grams skapi? 
es ek skal vid mey p4 mdlom slfta, 
es ek allz hugar unna bdéttomk? 
Grift bu verdr, siklingr, fyr svikom annars; 
q: mundo Grimhildar gialda raéa: 130 





thine anger on me, O king, but rather get thy good counsel. Now 
I must know for sure, though it be not pleasant, what lies before my 
hand.—Gripi: There is a maid at Heimi’s, fair to see, they call her 
Brunhild, Budli’s daughter, a proud lady, but Heimi, that great king, 
fosters the proud maid.—Sigurd: What is that to me, though there be 
a maid, fair to see, fostered at Heimi’s? Thou shalt tell me this exactly, 
Gripi, because thou seest all fate before thee.—Gripi: This Heimi’s 
foster-daughter, fair to see, shall rob thee of all thy happiness; thou 
shall not sleep a slumber, nor go to court, nor care for any man, except 
thou look on that maid.—Sigurd ; What comfort is there set for Sigurd? 
Tell me this, Gripi, if thou knowest it: shall I buy the maid with 
dowry, that fair king’s daughter?—Gripi ; Ye shall swear all oaths fully, 
but ye shall hold few. When thou hast been Giuki’s guest one night, 
thou shalt remember no more the brave foster-daughter of Heimi.— 
Sigurd; How is that, Gripi, tell it me; seest thou any lack of honour 
in my mind, that I should break my word to the maiden whom I loved 
with all my heart?—Gripi: Thou shalt be the victim of another’s 





102, godrads, R. 103. vilk] vill, R; viltRi, Bugge; vilkit, R. 
U 


290 SIGFRED’S BALLAD POET. [ BK. v. 


mun bidéda per biart-haddad man 
déttor sina. Dregr hon vél at gram. 
Sigurd Mun-ek vid b4 Gunnar geerva hleyti, 
q. ok Gudrtino, ganga at eiga: 
Full-kveeni p4 fylkir veeri, 135 
ef mun-tregar mer angradit. 
Gri~t ‘Pik mun Grimhildr goerva véla; 


q mun hon Brynhildar bidja f¥sa 
Gunnari til handa Gotna_dréttni; 
heitr pu fliétliga far fylkiss mddor. 140 
Sigurd Mein ero fyr handom, mé-ek lfta pat; 
q. ratar goerliga r46 Sigurdar, 


ef ek skal mzrrar meyjar bidja 
awdrom til handa, beirrar ek unna vel. 
Griot Er munvé allir eida vinna | 145 
q Gunnarr ok Hagni, enn pt gramr pridi: 
P4 it litom vixlit, es 4 leid erod, 
Gunnar ok pu: Gripir lygr eigi. 
Sigurd vi gegnir pat? Hvi skolom skipta 
q: litom ok latom, es 4 leid erom? 150 
par man fl4-redi fylgja annat 
atalt med allo;—enn seg-pu, Gripir! 
Gript Lit hefir pi Gunnars ok leti hans, 
q. mezlsko bina ok megin-hyggjor ; 
mundu fastna per fram-lundada ; 155 
féstro Heimiss. ‘Sér veetr’ fyr pvi. 
Sigurd Verst hyggjom pvi; vandr munk heitinn 
q: Sigurér med seggjom at sogoro: 
Vilda-ek eigi vélom beita 
iafra bridi, es ek cézta veitk. 160 





treason, and shalt suffer for Grimhild’s schemes. That bright-haired 
lady shall offer thee her daughter, drawing her wiles around thee.— 
Sigurd; Shall I then marry into Gunnar’s family and wed Gudrun? 
That would be a good match if no heart-sores befall me.—Gripi - 
Grimhild will surely beguile thee, she will stir thee up to woo Bryn- 
hild for Gunnar the king of the Goths, and thou shalt straightway 
promise her to go.—Sigurd:; There is ill luck then before my hands, 
I see so much; my life goes clean wrong, if I am to woo the noble 
maid, that I love best, for another.—Gripi: Ye shall all of you, Gunnar 
and Hogni, and thou the third, swear oaths to each other. Ye shall 
take each other’s form, Gunnar and thou, when ye are on the way. 
I lie not.—Sigurd: How can that be? how can we change face and 
form when we are on the way? Some, other treason must surely be 
‘brewing. Say on, Gripi.—Grifi: Thou hast put on Gunnar’s face and 
form, but thy speech and thine heart are still thine own. Thou shalt 
betroth thee Heimi’s haughty foster-daughter...... —Sigurd: I think 
that is the worst, that, [if this be so,] I shall be called faithless among 





136. mein-tregar, R. 156. False alliteration, somehow wrong. 





ae ke ee 








pe af ¥ 
+ ee jin ar 
PPS NRT Ok oe fGen Coe eee 


= in 








FET Fe ee SS Se . 





§ 1.) ' THE LAY OF GRIPI. 291 


Gripe bd munt hvila, hers odd-viti, 
q: merr, hid meyjo, sem pin mddir sé: 
Pbvf man uppi, medan ald lifir, 
piddar-pengill, pitt nafn vesa. 
Sigurd Mun gd6éa kvon Gunnarr eiga 165 
q: mzir med mannom?—mer segdu, Gripir !|— 
po-at hafi pridr neetr pegns bridér hid mer 
snar-lynd sofit? Slfks erod ddémi. 
Grift Saman muno brullaup bedi drukkin 
q: Sigurdar ok Gunnars { salom Gitka; 170 
p4 hamom vixlit, es it heim komit ; 
hefir hverr fyrir pvi hyggjo sfna. 
Sigurd Hve mun at yndi eptir verda 
q: meg med mannom?—mer segdu, Gripir! 
Mun Gunnari til gamans radit 175 
sidan verda eda sialfom mer? 
Grifi  Minnir pik eida; mattu pegja pd; 
q: antu Gudrtino gééra rada: 
enn Brynhildr pikkisk bridr var-gefin ; 
snot fidr vélar ser at hefndom. 180 
Sigurd Hvat mun at bétom bridr st taka, 
qs. es vélar ver vifi goeréom? 
hefir snét af mer svarna eida, 
enga efnda, enn unat litit. 
Grift Mun hon Gunnari geoerva segja, 185 
q. at pu eigi vel eidom pyrmdir: : 
| p4-es ftr konungr af allom hug 
Gitka arfi 4 gram trtdi. 
Sigurd UHvat es p4? Gripir,—get-pi bess fyr mer,— 
q. mun-ek sadr vesa at sago peirri? 190 





men. I would never treacherously ensnare the king’s daughter whom 
I honour most.—Gripi: Thou shalt sleep, prince, by the maid as if she 
were thy mother. Therefore thy name, O king, shall be held high 
while men live.—Sigurd: Shall the famous Gunnar wed the noble lady, 
—tell me, Gripi,—after she has slept those nights by my side? It is not ~ 
to be looked for.—Gripi: Both bridals shall be drunk together, thine 
and Gunnar’s, in Giuki’s hall; when ye come home ye shall change 
forms again, but each shall keep his own heart.—Sigurd: What after 
happiness will there be in this match? tell me, will it turn out to Gunnar’s 
happiness or my own?—Gripi: No, thou shalt remember the oaths, 
though thou must be silent ; thou wilt not begrudge Gudrun her luck; 
but Brynhild will think she is ill-matched, and she will contrive means 
for revenge.—Sigurd: What redress shall she get, since we beguiled 
her? she having my sworn words, none fulfilled, and no happiness.— 
Gripi: She will persuade Gunnar that thou hast not kept thy oaths to 
him, when he, the son of Giuki, trusted thee with all his heart.—Sigurd : 
What is this? Gripi, tell it me, shall I be guilty of this charge, or does 





177+ pegja pé] somehow wrong. 
U2 


292 SIGFRED’S BALLAD POET. [BK. V. 


eda l¥gr 4 mik lof-sel kona 
ok 4 sialfa sik?—segdéu, Gripir, pat! 
Grip¢ Muna fyr reidi rfk bridr vid pik 
q: ne af of-trega all-vel skipa; : 
vidr pu gddri grand aldregi, ee oy 
pé ér vif konungs vélom beittod. 
Sigurd Mun horskr Gunnarr at hvaton hennar, 
q. Gothormr ok Hagni ganga sfdan? 
Muno synir Gitika 4 sifiungi mer 


| egejar ridda?—enn segdu, Gripir ! 200 
_Gripit a es Gudruno grimt um hiarta; 
q: breéér hennar per til bana rada 


ok at cengo verér yndi sfdan 

vitro vifi; veldr pvi Grimhildr. 

Pv{ skal hugga pik, hers oddviti; 205 
si mun gipta lagit 4 grams evi: 

Munat metri madédr 4 mold koma 

und sélar siat, an pt, Sigurdr, pikkir. 


Sigurd Skiljomk heilir! Munat skapom vinna. 
q: Nut hefir pu, Gripir, vel goert sem ek beiddak. 210 
Fliétt myndir pt frfdri segja 
mina evi, ef pi mettir pat. 





the belauded lady belie me and herself? Tell me this, Gripi.—Gripi : 
The mighty maid shall, for wrath and out of her despair, deal ill with 
thee. It was no fault of thine, though ye did ensnare that fair princess. 
—Sigurd: Shall the brave Gunnar, and Gothorm, and Hogni follow 
her egging afterward? Shall the sons of Giuki redden the edge of the 
spear with my blood, their kinsman? Tell me more, Gripi.—Grii ; 
Gudrun’s heart shall be cruelly used when her brothers slay thee. That 
wise lady shall nevermore be happy; this is Grimhild’s fault. I will 
comfort thee with this, my prince, that this blessing shall rest on thy 
life that no better man shall ever come upon earth under the seat of 
the sun, than thou, Sigurd, shall be held. 

Sigurd; Let us part in peace. No man can withstand his fate. And 
thou, Gripi, hast done just as I bade thee. Thou wouldst fain have 
told my life brighter, if thou hadst been able. 





193. muna] mun, R, 199, 4 sifiungi mer] Bugge; sifiugom, R. 











ag Meo 


ee 


— 


uly 


§ 2.] THE LONG LAY OF BRUNHILD. 293 


2 fe SeUNHILD POET. 


THE LONG LAY OF BRUNHILD. 


AFTER the great lacuna in R, there come a series of poems of a 
different character. All, save one, are ina cluster on leaves 33-44. We 
have classified them, according to the chief persons, as Brunhild-Lays, 
Gudrun-Lays, and Atli-Lays. The missing Lays in the lacuna, to 
judge from the Wolsunga paraphrast, were of the Brunhild type, with 
Sigfred and Brunhild for hero and heroine. The remaining Lays all 
deal with events subsequent to Sigfred’s death, and hence there is no 
real Sigfred Lay among those we know of. 

The first in order and importance of the BRUNHILD GRouP is the 
Long Lay of Brunbhild, headed ‘ Kvida Sigurdar’ in R simply from the 
first line having Sigurd’s name in it; it is par excellence the Brunhild 
Lay. The editions call it the Third Lay of Sigurd, and split the later 
section off as a separate poem, which they call the Hed/-ride of Brunhbild, 
though it is not marked off in R, and is plainly part of the poem it is 
joined to. The author of Norna Gest, whom we may take to be the 
Wolsunga paraphrast, used this part of our poem, but his text is, like 
that of Wolsunga, so bad here that one is scarcely able to draw a 
single reading from it. 

The text of this long poem is sadly mangled in parts. We have been 


_ able to mend it here and there (as |. 254), but it is still thickly studded 


with obelized words, phrases, and lines. The text is literally rotten in 
ll. 158-210. The passage telling of the Bale-fire (202-272) offered great 
difficulties; it has been partly restored by the help of the Wolsunga 
Paraphrase. We have moved Il. 63-64 four lines down, and ll. 160- 


- 164 from between Il. 142 and 143. 


The story: Brunhild, distraught by disappointed love, eggs on her 
husband Gunnar to murder Sigurd. After that hero’s death, which is 
briefly passed over, her passion changes into a loathing of life; and after 
a long tale of woe she stabs herself, has a stately pyre and bale-fire 
made, and is burnt thereon with Sigurd’s body. As she rides down the 
path to Hell in her chariot, she meets a Giant-witch, who accosts her 
and refuses to let her pass. After some dialogue the giantess sinks into 
the earth and Brunhild goes on her way. 

One of the longest poems that survive; it is founded on a grandiose 
conception, though most unequal in execution. 


ae vas patz Sigurdr sdtti Gitka, 
Volsungr ungi, es vegit hafdi; 
t6k vid trygdom tveggja broééra ; 
seldosk eida elion-froéknir. 





It was in the days of old that Sigurd, the young Wolsung who 
had slain [Fafni], came to Giuki’s. He received the troth-plight with 


two brothers; the doughty heroes interchanged oaths, They [the sons 


294 THE BRUNHILD POET. [BK. v. 


Mey budo hénom ok meidma fiald, 5 
Gudértino ungo Gitika déttor: 
drukko ok dé&médo deégr mart saman 
Sigurér ungi ok synir Gitka ; 
unnz pbeir Brynhildar bidja féro, 
sv4-at beim Sigurdr reid { sinni, 10 
Volsungr ungi, ‘ok vega kunni;’ 
hann um etti, ef hann eiga kneetti. 
Seger inn Sudrcéni lagdi sverd nekkvid, 
meki m4l-fan 4 medal peirra; 
ne hann kono kyssa gerdi, 15 
né Hunskr konungr hefja ser at armi; 
mey frum-unga fal hann megi Gitka. 
Hon ser at lffi last ne vissi 
ok at aldr-lagi ekki grand, 
vamm bpat-es veri eda vesa hygdi, 20 
gengo bess 4 milli grimmar urdir. 
Ein sat hon tti aptan dags, 
nam hon sva4 eitt ord um at melask: 
Brunhild Tafa skal-ek Sigurd, eda pé svelta, 
q. mag frum-ungan, mer 4 armi. 25 
Ord meltak nu, idromk eptir pess; 
kvan es hans Gudrin, enn ek Gunnars; 
lidtar Nornir sképo okkr langa pra. 
Opt gengr hon innan angrs um fylld, 
. eiskialdi aptan hvern ; 30 
es bau Gudrtin ganga 4 bed, : 
ok hana Sigurér sveipr { ripti, 
konungr inn Hiinski kvan frida sfna. 





of Giuki] offered him the maid Gudrun, Giuki’s daughter, and a great 
dowry ; they drank and took counsel together many a day, the young 
Sigurd and the sons of Giuki, till they went to woo Brynhild with 
Sigurd riding in their company, the young Wolsung,.... he was to 
win her if he could get her. ... The Southern hero laid a naked sword, 
his sign-painted brand, between them twain; nor did the Hunnish 
king ever kiss her, neither take her into his arms; he handed the 
young maiden over to Giuki’s son. 

She knew no guilt in her life, nor was any evil found in her when 
she died, no blame in deed or in thought, it was the cruel Fates that 
meddled. She sat out of doors alone in the evening, she spake once 
and no more:—lI will have Sigurd, that young man, in my arms, or else 
die. I have spoken a word that I repent of now. Gudrun is his wife, 
and I am Gunnar’s. The foul Fates have doomed us long sorrow. 

She would often walk about the house ‘full of anger,’ with her heart 
sore every night when Gudrun and her husband went to bed, and Sigurd 
the Hunnish king clasped her, his fair wife, in the linen. ‘I walk 





23. eitt ord] emend.; bert, R. 28. okkr] oss, R. 2g. angrs] illz, R. 
30. .... eiskialdi] partly emend.; isa z iocla, R. 33. frida] emend.; fria, R. 











i i a a ta 





§ 2.] THE LONG LAY OF BRUNHILD. 298 


Van geng-ek vilja vers ok barna ; 
verd-ek mik gela af grimmom hug. 35 
Nam af peim af heiptom hvetjask at vigi:— 

Brunhild bd skalt, Gunnarr, gerst um lata 

q: mino landi ok mer sialfri; 
mun-ek una aldri med adlingi. 
Mun ek aptr fara, bars ek 4dan vask 40 
med nd-bornom nidjom mfnom: 
par mun-ek sitja ok sofa Iffi, 
nema pu Sigurd svelta latir, 
ok iafurr adrom cédri verdir. 
Latom son fara fedr { sinni: 45 
Skalat ulf ala ungan lengi; 
‘Hveim verdr halda’ hefnda leitad ; 
‘sidan’ til saka at sonr lifi? 
Hryggr vard Gunnarr ok hnipnadi, 
sveip sinom hug, sat um allan dag; 50 
hann vissit pat vilgi goerla 
hvat hénom veeri vinna scemst, 
eda h4nom veri vinna bazt, 
allz sik Volsung vissi ‘firdan,’ 
ok at Sigurd saknod mikinn. 55 
Ymist hann hugdi iafn-langa stund; 

pat vas eigi avar-titt 
at fra konungom kv4nir gengi. 

Gunnar Ein es mer Brynhildr allom betri 

q: um borin Budla; hon es bragr kvenna: 60 

fyrr skal-ek mino fizorvi lata, 
an peirrar meyjar meidmom tyna. 





loveless, husbandless, sonless; I must lull myself with cruel thoughts.’ © 
Out of this passion she whetted herself to murder. ‘Thou shalt 
straightway lose my land and myself, Gunnar, I will live no more with 
thee; I will go back where I dwelt before with my next-of-kin; there I 
will sit and dream my life out, unless thou wilt put Sigurd to death and 
make thyself king above all others. Let the son perish with the father ; 
* One cannot foster a wolf-cub long.” Revenge is sought by every son, 
and *‘ The feud is fresh as long as a son lives.”’’ 

Gunnar was sad and bent down his head; he sat all day casting about 
in his mind, for he did not know clearly what was most seemly for him 
to do, or what was best for him to do, for he knew that he was [beholden] 
to the Wolsung, and that he would have a great loss in [losing] Sigurd. 
He cast about as long on this side as on that. It was not every day’s hap 
for a queen to leave her king. ‘Brunhild, the child of Budli, is better 
than all; she is a paragon among women. I would sooner lose my life 
than lose that maiden’s dowry.’ He betook him to call Hogni to 





34. barna] beggja, R. 47. hefnda leitad] emend.; hefnd léttari, R. 
48. saka] satta, R (saca=sata). 49. Hryggr] emepd. ; reidr, R. 51. vissit} 
emend,; vissi, R. 58. Emend.; konungdom, R. 


296 ' THE BRUNHILD POET. [BK. v. 


Nam hann ser Hagna heita at rtinom, 
par Atti hann allz full-tria: 
Gunn.  Vildu okkr fylki til fidr véla? 65 
q. Gott es at rada Rinar-malmi, 
ok unandi audi styra, 
ok sitjandi szlo nidéta. 
Eino pvi Hagni annsvar veitti :— 
Hlognt Samir eigi okr slfkt at vinna. 70 
svarar sifjar, svarna eida, 
eida svarna, unnar trygdir. 
Vitoma vid 4 moldo menn in selli, 
medan* fidrir ver folki rodom, 
ok s4 inn Hunski her-baldr lifir; 7B 
né in metri megd 4 moldo, 
ef ver fimm sono fo&dom unga, 
Attom-g66a céxla kneettim. 
Ek veit goerla hvadan ‘vegir’ standa, 
ero Brynhildar brek of mikil. — 80 
Gunn. Vid skolom Godthorm geerva at vigi, 
q. yngra brédor 6éfrédara ; 
hann vas fyr titan eida svarna, 
eida svarna, unnar trygdir, 
Delt vas at eggja dObilgiarnan, 85 
st66 til hiarta hiarr Sigurdi. 
Ré6 til hefnda her-giarn { sal, 
ok eptir varp 6bilgiarnom; 
flé til Godthorms Grams ramliga 
kyn-birt iarn or konungs hendi. 90 





counsel with him, for he ever put most trust in him. ‘Now wilt thou 
betray the King [Sigurd] for his wealth? It were sweet to own the 
hoard of the Rhine, and wield that wealth in happiness, and sit and 
enjoy it in peace.’ With that Hogni made answer, ‘Surely it beseems us 
not to do such a deed.... the strong ties of marriage, the sworn oaths, 
the oaths sworn, and the plighted faith. We know no men on earth 
happier than we, while we four rule the people, and this Hunnish 
champion is alive, nor any mightier kindred on earth, if we five were to 
beget young sons, and could keep up and multiply our goodly race. I 
know well whence this .... proceeds; great are the wiles of Brunhild.’ 
—Gunnar answers: ‘ Let us make Gothorm do the murder, our younger 
simpler brother ; he was outside all the sworn oaths, the oaths sworn, 
the plighted faith.’ 

It was easy to egg the reckless youth; the sword pierced Sigurd to 
the heart. 

The hero took his revenge there in the hall; the bright sword Gram 
flew out of his hand and struck Gothorm. His enemy fell in two 





71. svarar sifjar] emend.; sverdi rofna, R. 77. unga]lengi,R, 79. Read, 
hyé gegnir nu? 








RES By ae Diya | c boy net haa he's - i j 
ete ye if es = he ad = halts ie ie, te ae | } ‘ . r is <; 
a — ee ee Ve EON ey LNT Pe POO ERT ate SO Ag eyo — ‘4 ee eS ate ya t : phasis 4 sy “ =~ 
ets fa ‘ f An z & ‘ as a ae ats Peay s 7 - VGN Peer! Ne per dat od : aie ¥ 
; Y ¢ - ; font 20 SR Malay Bc AN an PI Ot a = ew eee ye ae ee, ae pa Pn : ae Fe ae ee a } Te Cee by at 
— “ ay : ¥ <9" “ : Toe °. ee Fd fen eer "eh 
7s 0 ES ass... ayes Sais ap gl SRO e ea 
ae : dies G so tal «ye Vi St ee TC le ae r ay ‘ ‘s 





sl 


§2.] THE LONG LAY OF BRUNHILD. 297 


Hné hans um dolgr til hluta tveggja; 
hendr ok hafud hné 4 annan veg, 
enn f6ta-hlutr fell aptr f{ stad. 
Sofnod vas Gudrtn { seingo 
sorga-laus hid Sigurdi, 95 
enn hon vaknadi vilja fird, 
es hon Freyss vinar flaut { dreyra. 
Sv4 sl6 hon svdran sfnar hendr, 
at ramm-hugadr reis upp vid bed: 
Sigurd Grata-pu, Gudrtn, sv4 grimmliga, 100 
q: bruér frum-unga, per burr lifir, 
A-ek til ungan erfi-nytja, 
kannat hann firrask or fidnd-gardi. 
Peir ser hafa svart ok datt, 
enn ner numit nylig rad. 105 
Ridra peim sfdan, pdétt ‘sjau alir,’ 
systor verr slikr.at pingi. 
Ek veit goerla hv{f gegnir nu: 
ein veldr Brynhildr allo baolvi. 
Mer unni meer fyr mann hvern; 110 
enn vid Gunnar grand ekki vannk; 
pyrméa-ek sifjom, svarnom eidom, 
siér veerak heitinn hans kvdnar vinr. 
Kona varp ando, enn konungr fiarvi. 
Sv4 vas giallr gratr Gitka déttor, 115 
at kvodo vid kalkar { vo 
ok gullo vid gzess { tuni. 





pieces, the head and arms falling one way, and the legs and belly falling 
down where he stood. 

Gudrun was sleeping peacefully in the bed, but she awoke to woe. 
She was bathed in the blood of Frey’s friend [Sigurd]. She wrung her 
hands so sorely that the strong-hearted hero rose up inthe bed. ‘Weep 
not so terribly, Gudrun, thou fair young bride, for thy son is alive. Yea, 
I have yet a young heir, though he will hardly escape from this house of 
foes. ‘They have dealt sorely and foolish by themselves, though they 
have cunningly contrived these counsels. They will never ride to the 
assembly with such a brother-in-law [though they be all together]. I 
know very well how things are: Brunhild alone wrought all this wicked- 
ness; she loved me above all other men, but I never dealt wrongfully 
by Gunnar, I observed our kinship by marriage, and the oaths we swore, 
lest I should be called the lover of his wife.’ 

The lady breathed a sigh, but the king breathed out his life: so loud 
was the cry of Giuki’s daughter that the cups rang on the wall, and the 
geese screamed in the yard. 





g8. svaran] emend.; svarar, R. tor. burr lifir] emend.; breedr lifa, R. 
107. verr] emend.; sonr, R. 115. Emend.; sva slg hon svaran sinni hendi, R; 
repetition from 1, 98. 


298 THE BRUNHILD POET. [ BK. v. 


H16 pa Brynhildr Budla déttir 
eino sinni af allom hug, 
es hon til hvilo heyra knatti 120 
giallan grat Gitka déttor. 

Hitt kva6 p4 Gunnarr gramr haukstalda : 

Gunn.  Hlera pt af pvi, heipt-giarn kona, 
q: glad ‘4 golfi’ at per géés viti. 
Hvi hafnar pi inom hvfta lit, 125 
feikna foédir? Hygg-ek at feig sér. 
Pi verir bess verdost ‘kvenna,’ 
at fyr augom per Atla hioggim ; 
seir breédér binom blédokt sar, 
undir dreyrgar kneettir yfir binda. 130 
Brynh. Fryra madr per, Gunnarr, hefir pt full-vegit. 
q. Litt sézk Atli ‘dévo pina ;’ 

hann mun ykkar and sfdari 
ok z bera afl it meira. 
Segja man-ek per, Gunnarr,—sialfr veiztu goerla,— 
hve ér ydér snemma til saka rédot: 136 
Var6-ek til ung ne ‘of prungin’ 
full-gcédd fé 4 fleti brdédor. 
Ne ek vilda pat, at mik verr etti, 
46r ér Gitkungar ridot at gardi 140 
prir 4 hestom pi6d-konungar ; 
—enn peirra far paorfgi veeri! 
Ok mer Atli pat einni sagdi, 
at hvarki lézk hafn um deila, 
goll ne iardir, nema ek gefask létak, 145 
ok engi hlut audins fir, 





Then Brunhild, Budli’s daughter, laughed once and no more, with all 
her heart, when she heard it in the bed, the loud cry of Giuki’s daughter. 

Then spake Gunnar, the king of men: ‘Thou laughest not for joy 
now, thou revengeful woman, or for any good.... Why dost thou put 
away the white colour of thy face, thou mother of evils? I hold thee 
death-doomed. Thou wert most deserving of this, that we should smite 
down Atli before thine eyes, that thou shouldst see bleeding wounds on 
thy brother, and shouldst have to bind his gory wounds.’ 

Brunkild answered: ‘No man can deny it thee, Gunnar, thou hast 
fulfilled a deed. Atli cares little for [thy pride], his breath will outlast 
thine, and he will ever be of greater might. I will tell thee, Gunnar, 
thou knowest it very well thyself, how ye first began the fray. I was 
young [and not full-grown], and richly nurtured in my brother’s house, 
and I desired not that any husband should wed me, till ye Giukings, 
three mighty kings, rode into the court on horseback ; but would they 
had never ridden thither. Moreover, Atli spake secretly with me, saying 
that he would never give me my portion save I agreed to be given in 
marriage, neither gold nor land, nor any part of my rightful wealth, 





134. bera] vera, R. 140. ér] per, R, 144. havfnom, R. 











q 
a 


ge er cage ett = 


§ 2.] THE LONG LAY OF BRUNHILD. 299 


p4-es mer i66-ungri eiga seldi 

ok mer i66-ungri aura taldi. 

b4 vas 4 hvaorfon hugr minn um pat, 

hvdrt ek skylda vega eda val fella 150 
ball { brynjo um brédor sak ; 

pat mcendi p4 pidd-kunnt vesa 

magom mfnom at munar str{di. 

Létom sfga saman sdtt-mal okkor ; 

lék mer meirr { mun meidmar piggja, 158 
bauga rauda burar Sigmundar; 

ne ek annars mannz aura vildak. 


Unna einom, né ymissom, 

bidat um hverfan hug men-skagul. 

Peim hétomk pa pidé-konungi, 160 
es med golli sat 4 Grana bégom ; 

vasat hann f{ augo ydr um glikr, 

ne 4 engi hlut at 4litom, 

p6é pikkisk ér piéd-konungar. 


Allt mun pat Atli eptir finna, 165 
es hann mina spyr mor6-far goerva. 
Peygi skal punn-ged kona 
annarar ver astom leida, 
‘p4 mun 4 hefndom harma mfnna.’ 
Upp reis Gunnarr gramr veréungar, 170 
ok um hals kono hendr um lagéi; 
gengo allir ok pd ymissir 
af heilom hug hana at letja. 





which was given to me when I was yet a babe, and the ounces which 
were counted out to me while I was yet a babe. Then my mind 
was turning this way and that over the matter, whether I should 
betake me, boldly clothed in mail, to fighting and felling corses, 
because of my brother, or no. It would become known to all people 
as a defiance to my kinsmen, but in the end we joined covenants 
together. I inclined rather to take the dowry, the red rings of 


' Sigmund’s son, but I would take no other man’s ounces.... To love 


him only, not choosing first this, then that, my mind was not turning 
this way and that. 1 promised myself to the mighty king as he sat 
with the gold on Grani’s saddle. He was not like you in the eyes, 
nor in any part of his countenance, though ye think yourselves great 
kings. ...... Atlishall find this out afterward, when he hears of my 
violent death [at my own hands], that I will not, like a weak-minded 
woman, set my love on another woman’s husband.’...... 

Up rose Gunnar, king of men, and threw his arms about his wife’s 
neck ; one by one they all came up, with kindly hearts, to try and stay 





153. Emend.; mérgom manni, R. 154. saman] om. R, 160. pidd- 
konungi] om. R. 162. licr, R. 167. at peygi, R. 168. astom] 
emend. ; aldri, R. 172, ymsir, R, 


300 THE BRUNHILD POET. [BK. v. 


Hratt hon ver af halsi ser; 
léta mann sik letja langrar gango. 175 
Nam hann ser Hagna heita at rinom: 
Gunn. Seggi bid-ek alla { sal ganga 
q. pina med minom—nd er perf mikil,— 
vita, ef meini mord-far kono, 
‘unz af meli enn mein komi’ i80 
‘pa ldtom pvi parfar rada.’ 
Eino pvi Hagni and-svar veitti:— 
Hoégni Letia madr hana langrar gango, 
pars hon aptr-borin aldri verdi; 
hon krang of komsk fyr kné mdééor, 185 
hon z borin évilja til 
margom manni at mdé6-trega. 
Hvarf ‘ser 6hrééugr’ and-spilli fra 
par es mark menja meiémom deildi. 
‘Leit hon um alla eigo sfna,’ 190 
‘soltnar’ pyjar ok sal-konor. 
‘Goll-brynjo sm6’ vasa gétt { hug, 
4dr sik midja lagdi mekiss eggjom. 
Hné vid bolstri hon 4 annan veg, 
ok hiar-undod hugdi at ‘r4dom:’ 195 
Brun. Nu skolo ganga bpeir es goll vili 
q. minna pyja, ok at mer piggja; 
Ek gef hverri um hrodit sigli, 
brék ok blcéjo, biartar vadir. 


‘Pagdo allir hugdo at rodom,’ 200 


ok allir senn ann-svar veitto: 





her, but she cast her husband from her neck, nor would she let any one 
stay her from her long journey [to Hell]. Then he called Hogni to 
take counsel with him. ‘I would that all men should come into the hall, 
thy men and mine together, for we are in great need, to see if they may 
stay her from slaying herself... ..’ Hogni made answer once and 
no more. ‘Let no man stay her from the long journey, that she may 
never be born again; she was a curse even from her mother’s knees, 
she has been born ever to evil, a grief to the heart of many a man.’ 

She turned [scornfully] from their talk, where she was dealing out her 
treasures; she [was looking over all her wealth] . . . . bondmaids, and 
house-women. She put on a [golden mail-coat], in no happy mood, 
before she thrust herself through with the edge of the sword. 

She sank on the bolster on one side, and began to.... wounded 
as she was with the brand. ‘ Come hither, all ye of my bondmaids that 
wish for gold, and take it at my hands. I will give each of you a 
broidered gown, a plaid, and dyed linen, bright raiment.’ 

They held their peace, .. . . made answer all together, ‘.... to do 





174. Emend.; hratt af halsi heim par ser, R. 176. heita] hvetja, R. 
177. bid-ek] vil-ek, R. 186. Read, h. e b. at aldr-tila? : 193. midja 
lagdi] emend.; midladi, R. 195. ordom? 197. minna pyja, ok} emend.; 


ok minna pvi, R. 199. brék] emend.; bok, R. 


» aad 








‘ 
hy 
+ 








IM 





§ 2.] THE LONG LAY OF BRUNHILD. 304 


‘grnar soltnar’ munom enn lifa; 

verda sal-konor ‘scémé at vinna.’ 
Unz af hyggjandi har-skrfdd kona, 

ung at aldri ord vidr um kvaéd: 205 

‘Vilkat-ek mann traudan ne tor-bcénan, 

um 6éra sak alldri tyna.’ 

‘66 mun 4 beinom brenna ydrom 

féri-eyrir pA es ér fram komi6,’ 

neit Menjo g66 mfn at vitja. 210 
Seztu nidr, Gunnarr, mun-ek segja ber 

Iffs cerveena lidsa brudi; 

Muna-ydvart far allt { sundi, 

pétt ek hafa endo 1atid. 

S4tt munod id Gudrin snemr an pt hyggir. = ar5 

Hefir kunn kona vid konungi 

déttor alna at daudan ver; 

par es mer borin, mddir foédir ; 

si mun hvi{tari an inn heidi dagr 

Svanhildr vesa sdlar-geisla. | 220 

Gefa mundo Gudrtno gééra nokkorom, 

‘skeyti skeda,’ skatna mengi; 

muna at vilja ver-sel gefin ; 

hana mun Atli eiga ganga 

of borinn Budla brééir minn. 225 

Margs 4-ek minnask, hve vid mik féro, 

pa-es mik sdrla svikna haofdot ; 

vadin at vilja vask medan ek lifdak. 

Mundo Oddrtno eiga vilja; 

enn pik Atli mun eigi lata; 230 

id munod lita 4 laun saman ; 

hon mun per unna sem ek skyldak, 

ef okkr g65 um skwp goerdi verda. 

Pik mun Atli fllo beita ; 


honour.’ Till the young linen-veiled lady spake again wisely, ‘I will 
have no man ... . lose his life for our sake .. . .’ the costly flour of 
Menia.... 

Sit down, Gunnar, I will tell thee, thy fair wife despairing of life. 
Your ship shall not be all afloat when I shall have breathed my last, 
Gudrun and ye shall be reconciled sooner than thou thinkest. She 
shall have a daughter by the king, born to her dead husband. There 
shall be a maid-child born, her mother shall bear [a daughter]; she, 
Swanhild, shall be whiter than a sunbeam in the bright day. Thou shalt 
give away Gudrun to a certain good husband, a king .... She shall 
not be given away at her own pleasure; Atli, Budli’s son, my brother, 
shall wed her. I have many things to remember of your dealings with 
me, how sorely ye betrayed me. I was ever joyless as long as I lived. 
Thou shalt desire Oddrun to wife, but Atli will not permit it. Ye shall 








213. i sundz, R, 217. déttor alna] emend, ; @aprar miniar, R, 227. 
sara, R, 


302 THE BRUNHILD POET. [ BK. v. 


mundi f cengan orm-garé lagidr. 235 
Pat mun ok verda pvigit lengra, 

at Atli mun ando tyna : 

slo s{nni ok sona Iifi; 

pvi-at hé6nom Gudrun gyrja man bed 


snarpom eggjom af sdrom hug. 240 
Scémri veri Gudrin systir ykkor 
frum-ver sinom .... , 


ef henni gefi gé6dra rd, 
eda extti hon hug ossom glikan; 
crit meeli-ek ni: Enn hon eigi mun 245 
‘of é6ra sak’ aldri tYna; 
hana muno hefja havar baror 
til Ionakrs odal-torfo. 
Ala mun hon ser ié6, erfi-vardo 
erfi-vardo Jonakrs sono. 250 
Mun hon Svanhildi senda af landi 
sina mey ok Sigurdar ; 
hana muno bfta Bikka rad, 
pvi-at hana Iarmunrekr idm of troedr: 
b4 es all farin ett Sigurdar ; 255 
ero Gudrinar greti at fleiri. 
Bidja mun-ek pik bcénar einnar, 
si: mun { heimi hinzt bcén vesa: 
lattu sv4 breida borg 4 velli, 
at undir oss allom iafn-rimt sé, 260 
peim-es sulto med Sigurdi. 





come together in secret, she shall love thee as I ought if our destiny 
had been kindly decreed. Atli shall entreat you evilly, he will put you 
into a narrow pit of serpents. It shall not be very long afterward ere 
Atli shall lose his life, his happiness, and the life of his sons, for Gudrun, 
out of her cruel heart, shall make gory his bed with the sharp sword-edge. 
It had been seemlier for your sister, Gudrun .... the husband of 
her youth .... , if she took good counsel, or if she had a heart like 
mine. I have spoken many things, but she shall not . . . . lose her life. 
The high billows shall carry her to the heritage of Ionakr; she shall 
bear him heirs, sons, heirs to Ionakr. She will send Swanhild, her 
daughter and Sigurd’s, out of the land, and Bikki’s plot shall wound 
her, for Eormunrek shall tread her with horses. Then is all the race 
of Sigurd perished, and Gudrun has one sorrow more. 

I will beg one boon of thee, it will be the last boon in this world. Do 
thou make a broad pyre on the plain, big enough to hold all of us that 
are going to die with Sigurd. Deck the walls of the pyre with awnings 





238. sona] Bugge; sofa, R. 239. gytja man] emend.; grym’ a, R. 241. 
ykkor] okkor, R. 244. likan, R. 245. cerit] emend.; oavrt, R. 240, 
R omits this line, 250. erfi-vord0] Bugge; ero ivarvdo, R. sono] sonom, R. 
254. Emend.; pvi-at-lormunrekr oparft lifir, R. 








§ 2.] THE LONG LAY OF BRUNHILD. 303 


Tialdi par um p4 borg tialdom ok skialdom, 
Vala-ript vel f46 ok Vala ‘mengi.’ 
Brenni mer inn Htinska 4 hlid aéra: 
brenni inom Hiinska 4 hlid adra 265 
minar pyjar fimm menjom gafgar, 
Atta piénar edlom gédir, 
féstr-man mftt ok faderni 
pat-es Budli gaf barni sfno. 
tveir at hafdom ok tveir at fétom, 270 
Par eo age eae ok tveir haukar 
p4 es allo skipt til iafnadar. 
Liggi okkor enn { milli malmr hring-variér, 
egg-hvast iarn, sv4 endr lagid, 
pd-es vid bedi bed einn stigom, 275 
ok hétom p4 hidéna nafni. 
Hrynja hanom pa 4 hel peygi 
hlunn-blik Heljar hringi lokud, 
ef hénom fylgir ferd min hedan; 
peygi mun or far aumlig vesa: 280 
pvi-at hénom fylgja fimm ambéttir, 
Atta piénar edlom gddir, 
féstr-man miftt ok faderni 
pat-es Budli gaf barni sfno. 
Mart sagda-ek, moenda-ek fleira, 285 
ef mer meirr Miatodr mAl-rim geefi. 
Omon pverr, undir svella, 
satt eitt sagdak. Sv4 mun-ek lata. 





and shields, with Welsh [Gaulish] stuff well-dyed, and with Welsh.... 
Burn the Hunnish king on one side of me, and on the other side of the 
Hunnish king my five bondmaids decked with necklaces. Eight men- 
servants of noble blood, my nurse and my fosterer whom Budli gave 
to his child [me].... Put two men at our heads and two at our feet, 
[two horses, two hounds,] and two hawks, so all shall be shared equally 
between us. Lay between us the ring-fitted sword, the iron with 
whetted edges; lay it again, just as when we two lay on one bed and 
were called by the names of man and wife. Then the ring-locked 
doors of Hell shall not fall on his heels; if my company follow him 
hence our convoy shall be no poor one, when five bondmaids follow 
him, eight men-servants of noble blood, my nurse, and my fosterer, 
whom Budli gave to his child. 

Much have I spoken, but I would speak more if Fate gave me a 
longer time to speak in. My voice is failing me, my wounds are 
swelling. Nought but truth have I spoken. Now I must depart. 





264-272. Attempt at restoration by help of Wolsunga Paraphrase and Il. 281-284 
below. R has—Brenni mer inn hunska a blid adra. Brenni enom hunsca a hlid 
adra mina pidna meniom gofga, tveir at haufoom ok tveir haucar, pa es avilo skipt 
til iafn, 278. Heljar] emend. ; hallar, R. lokud) litku, R. 280. dr] var, R. 


304 THE BRUNHILD POET. [BK. v. 


II. 
Gyg SKALTU { goegnom ganga eigi 
q. gridti studda garda mina. 290 


Betr semdi per borda at rekja « 
heldr an vitja vers annarrar. 
Hvat skaltu vitja af Vallandi, 
hvarfust hafud, htisa minna. 
Pu hefir, var gollz, ef pik vita lystir 295 
‘mild’ af handom mannz bl6é pvegit. 
Brynh, Bregpu eigi mer, brudr or steini, 
q. pétt ek veerak [fyrr] { vikingo: 
ek man okkor cédri pikkja 


hvars menn cedli okkart kunna. 300 
Gyg Pu vast, Brynhildr Budla déttir, 
q. heilli versto { heim borin: 


Pu hefir Giika um glatat barnom 
‘ok bui beirra brugdit gddo.’ 
Brynh. Ek mun segja per sannar roedor 305 
. viljalaus° miaok, ef pik vita lystir, 
hve goerdo mik Gitka arfar : 
Asta-lausa ok eid-rofa: 
Sat-ek med Heimi f Hlym-dalom 
Atta misseri undak Iffi; 310 
vas-ek vetra tolf, ef pik vita lystir, 
sva at ek cengom gram eida seldak ; 
héto mik allir f Hlymdalom 
Hildi und hialmi hverr-es kunni. 
b4 lét-ek gamlan 4 God-biddo 315 





II. 


Brunhild, riding to Hell in her funeral chariot, encounters an Ogress. 

Ogress: Thou shalt not pass my rock-supported court; it would beseem 
thee better to sit at the broidering, than to be in company of another’s 
husband, Why comest thou from Welsh-land [Gaul] to my house, thou 
fickle being? Thou hast, lady, if thou wilt know it, ... washed human 
blood off thy hands.—Brunbild:; Blame me not, thou bride of the rock, 
though I were once a wicking. I shall always be held the better of us 
two, wherever our kindred is known.—Ogress : Thou wast, Brynhild, 
Budli’s daughter, born into the world in evil hour. Thou hast de- 
stroyed the sons of Giuki, and [laid waste their good house]. 

Brunbild ; 1 will tell thee a true tale out of my woe, if thou wilt 
know, how Giuki’s heirs made me loveless and plightlorn. I lived at 
Heimi’s in Lymdale eight years, and enjoyed life. I was twelve winters 
old, if thou wilt know, before I plighted my troth to any prince; they 
all in Lymdale called me Hild [war-goddess] the helmed, whoso knew 





291. 2] ¢, R, superfluous. 305-306. Emend.; svinn or reido vitlaussi miok, R. 
309-312. Emend.; let hami vara hugfullr k’r viij systra und eik borit var ek vetra 
xii e. p. v. 1, er ek ungom gram e. s., R. 











TY ws 


2 hh iQ ET, 


§ 2.] THE LONG LAY OF BRUNHILD. 305 


Hialm-Gunnar nest til Heljar ganga; 

gaf-ek ungom sigr Audo brdédor; 

par vard mer Odinn of-reidr um pat. 

Lauk hann mik skialdom { Skata-lundi, 

raudom ok hvftom; randir snurtosk : 320 
Pann bad hann slfta svefni mfnom, 

es hvergi landz hredask kynni. 

Lét hann um sal mfnn sunnan-verdan 

havan brenna her allz vidar 

par bad hann einn pegn yfir at rida, 325 
pannz mer fcérdi goll patz und Faéfni 14. 

Reid géér Grana goll-midlandi 

pars féstri mfinn fletjom sty¥rdi ; 

einn pdtti hann par allom betri 

vikingr Dana { verdungo. 330 
Svifo vid ok undom f{ seing einni 

sem hann minn brdédir um borinn veri; 

hvartki knatti haond yfir annat 

Atta ndédttom okkart leggja. 

bvi br4 mer Gudrtiin Gitka déttir, 335 
at ek Sigurdi svefak 4 armi. 

Par vard-ek bess vis es ek vildigak 

at pau vélto mik { ver-fangi. 


Muno vid of-strid allz til lengi 
konor ok karlar kvikvir foédask. 340 
Vid skolom okkrom aldri slfta, 
Sigurér saman!—Scekstu ni G¥gr! 





me. Then I made the old Helm-Gunnar in Gothland go down to 
Hell, but gave victory to the young brother of Auda. Wodin was very 
wroth with me for that. He hemmed me round with shields, red and 
white, in Skatesholt, so that the rims of them touched; he decreed 
that he alone should break my sleep, who never felt fear. He let a 
high flame burn round my southern hall; and decreed that he alone 
should ride through the fire that brought me the gold that lay under 
Fafni. The good prince came, riding on Grani, to the hall where my 
foster-father lived. There he was held better than all the Danish 
wickings in the court. We slept and lay in one bed as if he had 
been my brother. Neither of us laid a hand over the other for eight 
nights. Gudrun, daughter of Giuki, reproached me that I slept in 


_Sigurd’s arms. It was then I knew what I would not, that they had 


beguiled me in my husband (giving me a wrong one). 
_Men and women shall now and always be born to live in woe. We 
two, Sigurd and I, shall never part again.—Sink now, Ogress! 





316, til] om, R. 320, snurto, R. 
. 


306 THE BRUNHILD POET. [BK. v. 


FRAGMENT OF A SHORT BRUNHILD LAY. 


TuIs poem, half of which has perished in the lacuna of R, is on 
the same subject as the preceding. It is used by the Wolsunga para- 
phrast, though he does not follow it much, for it does not contain his 
version of the hero’s death, but makes him to have met his end on 
the open field beyond the Rhine. — It is only here (1. 36) that the sons 
of Giuki are made jive, not three. Peculiar to it are the talk of the 
Raven and Eagle, 1. 18 (missing), and the way in which Brunhild bursts 
out into lament in the night, against the murderers she has egged on. 
There is no Pyre-scene or the like, and it is possible that the end of 
the poem is lost. What remains is not in a good state. Lines 15-18 
have been moved up from after 43; Il. 19-22, 45-51, 56-57, from after 
55, where they are in R disorderly clustered together. 


Ffognt [Hvat hefir Sigurdr til] saka unnit 
speaking. es pu froeknan vill. fiarvi nema? 
Gunnar Mer hefir Sigurdér selda eida, 
q. eida selda, alla logna; 
p4 velti hann mik es hann vesa skyldi, 5 
allra eida einn full-trii. 
Hogni Pik hefir Brynhildr bal at goerva 
q: heiptar hvattan harm at vinna: 
Fyr-man hon Gudrtino gééra rdda ; 
enn sidan per sin at nidta 10 
Sumir ulf svido, sumir orm snido, 
sumir Gothormi af ‘gera’ deildo: 
46r beir metti ‘meins um lystir’ 
4 horskom hal hendr um leggija. 
Soltinn varéd Sigurér sunnan Rfnar. Ig 


Hrafn af meidi hatt kalladi:— 
Ykkr mun Atli eggjar ridda; 
muno ‘vig-ska’ of vida eidar. 





The end of a song describing how, by treason, Sigurd was slain by Gothorm 
in a wood. 

[ Hogni quoth: . .. ‘ What is Sigurd’s] guilt, that thou wouldst take the 
hero’s life ?’—-Quoth Gunnar: ‘Sigurd swore oaths to me, swore oaths, 
that are all belied; he beguiled me when he should have been a true 
keeper of all oaths.".—Quoth Hogi; ‘It is Brynhild that has egged your 
hate to do this wickedness, to bring about this crime. She grudges 
Gudrun her good match, and grudges thy possession of herself.’ 

Some gave Gothorm boiled wolf’s flesh, some sliced serpents, some.... 
before they could persuade him to lay hands on the gentle hero. 

Sigurd died south of the Rhine. A raven called loudly from the 





I. hvat ... til] added by guess. 18, vig-ska] read, vara varga? 





Mew. we ¢ — 
tae “rg 
oe ba 


y 
PR a 





i i | de 


vA 
‘" 
ee utter 


$2.) FRAGMENT OF A SHORT BRUNHILD LAY. 307 


‘Fiald’ nam at hlcera, fiold nam at spialla; 

hitt her-glatodr hyggja tcédi 20 
hvat peir 4 badmi badir sagdo 

hrafn ey ok arn es peir heim rido. 


Uti st6d Gudrin Gitka déttir ; 
ok hon pat orda allz fyrst um kvad :— 
Hvar es nti Sigurédr seggja drédttinn, 25 
es freendr minir fyrri rida? 
Eino pvi Hagni andsvar veitti: 
Sundr hafom Sigurd sverdi hoegginn ; 
gnapir « gr4r iér yfir gram daudom. 
b4 kvad pat Brynhildr Budla déttir :— 30 
Vel skolod nidéta vapna ok handa! 
Einn meendi Sigurdr allo rada, 
ef hann lengr litlo Iffi héldi. 
Veeria pat scemt at hann sv4 rédi 
Gota mengi ok Gitika arfi; 35 
es hann fimm sono at folk-rodi 
gunnar-fiisa getna hafdi. 
H16 pa Brynhildr,—beér allr dundi— 
eino sinni af allom hug :— 
Vel skolod niéta vapna ok handa 40 
es ér froéknan gram falla létod! 
Pb4 kvad pat Gudrtin Gitka déttir:— 
Miak melir pu miklar firnar; 





tree [to the murderers]: ‘Atli will-redden the sword upon you, he 
shall overcome you.... for your broken oaths.’ 

He listened much; he caught up many words. The warrior bethought 
him of what the twain, the raven and the eagle on the tree, were 
talking when they were on their way home. 

Gudrun, Giuki’s daughter, stood without, and this was the first word 
she spoke: ‘ Where is Sigurd, the king of men, that my brothers are 
riding in the van?’—Hogni made answer to her words: ‘We have 
hewn Sigurd asunder with the sword, the grey horse may droop his 
head for ever over the dead king.’ 

Then spake Brunhild, Budli’s daughter: ‘Have great joy of your 
weapons and hands. Sigurd would have ruled everything as he chose, 
if he had kept his life a little longer. It was not meet that he should 
so rule over the host of the Goths, and the heritage of Giuki, who 
begot five sons that delighted in war and the havoc of battle.’ 

Brunhild laughed, the whole house rang: ‘Have long joy of your 
hands and weapons, since ye have slain the keen king.’ Then spake 
Gudrun, Giuki’s daughter: ‘Thou speakest very marvellously .... 
murderous mood shall be revenged.’ 





19. fi6ld nam at hloera] emend.; fét nam at hroera, R. 21. badmi] Bugge; 
beedvi, R. 27. Einn, R. 31. handa] Janda, R, 35. Gitka ari ok 
Gota mengi, R. 40. Emend.; vel sk. n. langa ok pegna, R; see 1. 31. 
41. pér, R. 


X 2 


308 THE BRUNHILD POET. [BK. v. 


Gramir hafi ‘Gunnar’ gatvad Sigurdar ; 

heipt-giarns hugar hefnt skal verda. 45 
[P4 kvad ‘pat Brynhildr Budla déttir]:— 

Hvetid mik eda letid mik;—harmr es unninn— 

‘sorg at segja eda sv4 lata,’ 

Pagédo allir vid pvi ordi; 

far kunni peim fliédéa laotom 50 

es hon grdtandi goerdisk at segja 

pat-es hlejandi halda beiddi. 


Fram vas kvelda; fiald vas drukkit; 
‘pa vas hvi-vitna vil-mal talid,’ 
Sofnodo allir es { sexing kvémo; 55 
einn vakéi Gunnarr allom lengr. 
Vaknaéi Brynhildr Budla déttir 
dis Skialdunga fyr dag Iftlo:— 
Hugéda-ek mer, Gunnarr, grimt { svefni, 
svalt allt { sal, etta[k] seeing kalda; 60 
enn bi gramr ridir glaums andvani, 
fiatri fatladr, { fidnda lid: 
sva mun all ydor ett Hniflunga 
afli gengin. Erod eidrofa. 
Mantattu, Gunnarr, til goerva bat, 65 
es it bl6éi { spor badir renndot: 
ni hefir-pi hénom pat allt fllo launat, 
es hann fremstan sik finna vildi. 
PA reyndi pat, es ridit haféi 
mdéigr 4 vit min at bidja: 70 
hve her-glatudr hafdi fyrri 





Then spake Brunhild, Budli’s daughter: ‘Egg me or stay me—the 
deed:is done.’.... They were all silent at that word, no one could 
understand how she could weep when she spoke of what she had 
laughed at when she egged them on..... 

The evening was far gone, they had drunk deep, they had talked 
their fill..... They all slept when they came into their beds, Gunnar 
alone of them all kept waking longer..... 

Brunhild, Budli’s daughter, kinswoman of kings, awakened a little 
before the day, saying, ‘I dreamed evil dreams in my sleep, Gunnar, it 
was all chilly in the hall, I had a cold bed, but thou, O king, didst 
ride, bereft of joy, fettered on thy feet, into the ranks of thy foes. 
So shall all the race of you Hniflungs be reft of strength, for ye are 
oath-breakers. Rememberest thou that clearly, Gunnar? how ye 
twain [Sigurd and thyself] did let your blood run together in the 
footprint [swearing brotherhood], but now thou hast repaid him with 
ill for it all, for showing himself ever the first of men. It was proved 
when he rode in his boldness to woo me, how the host-queller kept 





66. pit, R. 





F 
4 








—_— 


{ 


§ 2.] ODDRUNAR-GRATR. 309 


eidom haldit vid inn unga gram. 

Ben-vaond of lét brugdinn golli 

marg-d¥rr konungr 4 medal okkarr; 

eldi v4aro eggjar titan goervar, "5 
enn eitr-dropom innan fadar. 


ODDRUNAR-GRATR;; or, 
LAMENTATION OF ORDRUN. 


ONLY preserved in R, leaf 39. It is not used by the Wolsunga para- 
phrast, nor cited anywhere. 

As the text stands alone it is difficult to correct it, and lines here 
and there are obelized. Lines 96, 97 have been interchanged, and 
lines 107, 108 moved three places down. 

The chief interest of the poem lies in its containing a fresh version 
of the quarrel between Attila and the Hniflungs. Ordrun, Attila’s 
sister, and Gunnar are lovers; their intrigue is detected, and denounced 
to Attila. He has Gunnar cast into a pit full of snakes. Hoping to 
be delivered by Ordrun, Gunnar strikes the harp in his pit, and though 
perchance far away, she hears it and hastens to help him, though too 
late, for the witch-snake stung him to the heart. There is an un- 
fortunate gap where the lovers are denounced (I. 97), so that we do 
not know exactly how Attila sets about wiling Gunnar into his power. 

This sad story has its framework. Ordrun tells it to Borgny, whom 
she has come to help in her travail. She does this because of a vow 
(the nature of which is obscure, as we have corrupt lines here, 35-39). 
We hear, however, that Borgny, now herself with child by Wilmund, 
had formerly reproached Ordrun with her lawless love for Gunnar. 

There is something individual about the poem which suggests a dif- 
ferent authorship from the other lays it is in company with. 


EYRDA-EK segja { sagom fornom, 
hve mcer um kom til Morna-landz: 
Engi matti fyr iaord ofan 
Heiéreks déttor hialpir vinna. 
Pat fra Oddriin Atla systir, 5 
at si mer hafdi miklar séttir: 
Bra hon af stalli ‘stiorn’ bitlodom, 





his oaths to the young king [yourself]. The good king laid the gold 
inlaid wound-wand between us, its edges outside were wrought in 
the fire, but the inner part [of the blade] was stained with drops of 
venom,.... 





In stories of old I heard tell how a maid came to Morn-land. 
Heidrek’s daughter [Borgny] could get no help on earth [in her 
labour]. Ordrun, Atli’s sister, heard that the maiden was in sore 
labour; she took the bitted steed from its stall, and set the saddle upon 





2. Morna-landz] read Morua landz, i.e. Moravia.” 7. Read stufi. 


310 THE BRUNHILD POET. [BK. v. 


ok 4 svartan sadul um lagdi: 

lét hon mar fara mold-veg sléttan, 

unz at hari kom hall standandi: 10 

svipti hon sadéli af svangom id: 

ok hon inn um gekk endlangan sal: 

ok hon pat orda allz fyrst um kvadé. 
Hvat es freegst 4 foldo? 

eda hvat es ‘hiéz’ Htinalandz? 15 
(b4 kvad pat . . 4 

Her liggr Borgny of borin verkjom 

vina pin, Oddrin! Vittu ef pu hialpir! 

[ Oddr. Hverr hefir vifi vamms um leitad? 


q. hvi ero Borgnyjar bradar séttir? 20 
Ambott Vilmundr heitir vinr haukstalda, 
q. hann vardi mey varmri blcejo 


fimm netr allar, sv4-[at] hon sinn fador leyndi. 


Per hykk melto pvigit. fleira. 
Gekk mild fyr kné meyjo at sitja: 25 
Rikt g6l Oddrin; rammt g6l Oddrin 
bitra galdra at Borgnyjo. 
‘Knatti mer ok magr mold-veg sporna; 
barn pau in bliédo vid bana Hagna.’ 
Pat nam at mela mer fiar-sitka 30 
sv4 at hon ekki kvad ord id fyrra:— 
Sv4 hialpi ber hollar veettir, 
Frigg ok Freyja, ok fleiri god, 
sem pt felldir mer far af handom! 
Oddr. Hnékaé-ek af pvf til hialpar per, 35 
q. at pu verir pess ... . aldregi. 
Hét-ek ok efndak, es ek hinig meelta, 





the black charger. She rode her horse through the flat paths of earth, 
till she came to the high-towering hall. She swept the saddle off the 
slender steed, and went in up the hall and spake this first of all: ‘What 
is the last news in this land, and what is the... .in Hunland?’ 

The Bondmaid answers: Borgny, thy friend, lies here overcome with 
the throes of labour. Ordrun, see if thou canst help her.—Ordrun 
answers: Who has brought this dishonour on her? Why have the 
sharp pains come upon Borgny ?—Bondawoman: Wilmund the hero is his 
name, he lay with the maid five nights, and she hid it from her father. 

They spake no more then I think, but the gentle lady went in to 
sit before the maiden’s knees [that is, to act as midwife to Borgny]. 
Mightily chanted Ordrun, powerfully chanted Ordrun keen charms over 
Borgny..... The child is born. ‘Then the labouring lady began to speak ; 
these were the first words she said: ‘ May the gracious powers, Frigg 
and Freyja, and many other divinities, help thee as thou deliverest me 
from my labour!’—Ordrun: ‘I did not bend to help thee because... . 





19. vifi] Bugge; visir, R. 23. Emend.; vetr alla, R. 28-29. Maimed 
text. 36. A word wanting. 


se | 

















§ 2.] ODDRUNAR-GRATR. 311 


at ek hvi-vetna hialpa skyldak 
p4-es ‘adlingar arfi skipto.’ 


Borgny Cér ertu, Oddrin, ok cervita, 40 
q. es pu mer-at fari flest ord of kvad! 
enn ek fylgdak per 4 fiorgynjo 
sem vid broedrom tveim of bornar veerim. 
[ Oddr. Man-ek hvat-pti meltir enn um aptan 
q:| p4-es Gunnari geerdag rekkjo: 45 
sliks demi kvadattu sidan mundo 
meyjo verda, nema mer einni. 


PA nam at setjask sorg-mé66 kona, 
at telja bal af trega st6rom :— 
Vas ek upp alin f iafra sal 50 
flestom fagnadi at fira rAdi: 
unda-ek aldri ok eign fador 
fimm vetr eina, sva-at minn fadir liféi. 
Pat nam at mela mal id efsta 
sid mé6ér konungr 4ér hann sylti: 55 
Mik bad hann gcéda golli raudo, 
ok suér'gefa syni Grfmhildar: 
enn hann Brynhildi bad borg geta, 
hana kvaé hann ésk-mey verda skyldo; 
kvada hann ina céri alna mundo 60 
mey { heimi, nema miatodr spillti. 
Brynhildr { buri borda rakdi; 
‘haféi hon l¥di ok land um sik;’ 
iard disadi ok upp-himin 





I vowed, and I fulfilled what I spoke, that ever I should render help, 
whereso.’.... 

Borgny: Thou art surely distraught, Ordrun, and beside thy wit, to 
speak so many hard words to me, [er words must have been in the preced- 
ing blank.| But I was wont to follow thee over the earth, as if we had 
been born of two brothers.—Ordrun.: I remember what thou saidst 
one evening to me when I took Gunnar to my bed. Thou didst say 
that such misfortune would never befall any maid but me. 

Then the sorrow-stricken maid [Ordrun] sat her down and began 
to tell over the tale of her wrongs and woes. ‘I was bred up in 
a king’s hall with every bliss, as men say. I enjoyed my life and the 
wealth of my father for five winters, as long as my father was alive. 
It was the last word he spoke, that stern king, ere he sunk in death. 
He bade them endow me with red gold, and send me south as wife 
to Grimhild’s son [Gunnar], and build a castle for Brunhild, saying 
that she should be a wish maid [to be wooed for], for he said that 
no maid more renowned than she should ever be brought up on earth, 
save the Judge [Fate] cut her life short. Brunhild wrought at the 
broidery in the bower, she had [a wall of flame] about her, the earth 





45. tekkjo] emend.; drecco, R. 51. Emend.; flestr, R. 58. borg geta] 
emend,; hialmgeta,R. 59. Readskiald-mey? 60. gpra,R. 63. Corrupt. 


312 THE BRUNHILD POET. [ox. v, 


pa-es bani Fafniss borg um patti. 65 
ba vas vig vegit Valsko sverdi, 

ok borg brotin, st-es Brynhildr Atti. 

Vasa langt af pvf, heldr v4-liid, 

unz peer velar vissi allar. 

Pess lét hon hardar hefndir verda, 70 
sva-at ver all hafom cérnar raunir: 

pat man 4 halda hvert land fara 

es hon let sveltask med Sigurdi. 

Enn ek Gunnari gatk at unna, 

bauga-deili, sem Brynhildr skyldi. 75 
Budo peir Atla bauga rauda, 

brédor mfnom, bcétr ésméar ; 

baud hann enn vid mer bt fimtdn, 

hlid-farm Grana, ef hann hafa vildi. 

Enn Atli kvazk eigi vilja \ 80 
mund aldregi at megi Gitka. 

Peygi vid mattom vid munom vinna, 

nema ek helt heitom vid hring-brota. 

Melto margir mfnir nidjar, 

kvédosk okkr hafa ordit bedi: 85 
enn mik Atli kvaé eigi myndo 

l¥ti rada né last goera: 

Enn slfks skyldi synja aldri 

maodr fyr annan, par-es munod deilir. 

Sendi Atli sro sfna go 
um myrkvan vid min at freista; 

ok peir kvémo par, es peir koma ne skyldad, 





quaked and the heavens above when Fafni’s slayer sought out the 
stronghold. Then a fight was fought with the Welsh sword [from 
Gaul], and the stronghold of Brunhild was broken. It did not last 
long, but a short space only before she knew all the wiles [that she 
had been deceived by Sigurd|. She wreaked a dire revenge for all this, 
of which we have proofs enough. It shall go forth through all lands 
how she let herself die with Sigurd. But I loved King Gunnar, as 
Brunhild should have loved him. They offered Atli, my brother, red 
rings enough and no small ransom. He [Gunnar] offered fifteen home- 
steads for me, and the burthen of Grani, if he [Atli] would take it. 
But Atli said that he would never take the bride-fee from a son of 
Giuki. Albeit we could not withstand our love, nor deny my promise 
[of Love] to the King [Gunnar]. Many of my kinsmen bore witness 
that they had found us two together, but Atli said that I should never 
devise any wrong-doing or dishonour; yet no man should speak words 
of denial on another’s behalf, in a matter of love. Atli sent his mes- 
sengers through Mirkwood to prove me, and they came where they 
should not have come, when we lay in one sheet together. We offered 





76. sana Rask; arla, R. 77. brédor] ok breir, R. 80. Read eiga? 


83. heitom] emend.; havfdi, R. 





i as tN a RY 








SY AG MET Roe Soren Lhe SE en a 





an Nas) OS 





$2.) ODDRUNAR-GRATR. 313 


p4-es breiddo vid blcéjo eina. 

Budo vid pegnom bauga rauda, 

at peir eigi til Atla seg@i: 95 
Enn peir hvatliga heim skundado, 

ok éliga Atla sagdo. 


Enn peir Gudrtino geerla leyndo pv{, 
es hon heldr vita halfo skyldi. 
Hlymr vas at heyra héf-gollinna 100 
p4-es { gard rido Gitka arfar: 
Peir or Hagna hiarta skaro ; 
enn f orm-gard annan lagdo. 
Nam horskr konungr harpo sveigja, 
pvi-at hann hugdi mik til hialpar ser, 105 
kyn-rikr konungr, of koma mundo. 
Vas-ek enn farin eino sinni 
til Geirmundar goerva drykkjo. 
Nam-ek at heyra or Hléss-eyjo, 
hve par af stridom strengir gullo. 110 
Baé-ek ambéttir biinar verda, 
vilda-ek fylkiss fiaorvi biarga. 
Létom fliéta ‘farland’ yfir 
unz ek alla s4k Atla garda. 
b4 kom in arma ‘ tt-skeevandi IIs 
m66éir atla,—Hon skyli morna!— 
ok Gunnari gréf til hiarta, 
sva-at ek mattigak mzerom biarga. 


Opt undromk bat, hve ek eptir mak, 











them red rings not to tell Atli thereof, but they hastened home forth- 
with and told it eagerly to Atli.... tli and his men thereupon devise 
a plot to avenge his Sister’s dishonour upon Gunnar, but they hid it [the 
treachery] from Gudrun, who should have been the first to know it. 
There was a clattering of gold hoofs to be heard when the Heirs 
of Giuki rode into the courtyard. They cut the heart out of Hogni, 
but put his brother in the pit of snakes. The good king began to 
strike the harp, for the noble king thought that I should come to his 
help. At that very hour I was away at Geirmund’s at a banquet. 
I began to hear as far as Hlessey how the strings rang amain. I bade 
my bondmaids to make ready, I wished to save the king’s life. We 
ferried over the Sound until we saw the halls of Atli. Then there 
came speeding out the accursed [snake-dam],—may she pine away !—and 
“#3 pierced to Gunnar’s heart, so that I could not save the famous 
ing. 





113. farland] far-lund, R; farlond, some localname of a water. 


314 THE BRUNHILD POET. [px. v. 


linn-vengiss ‘bil,’ lifi halda: 120 
es ek é6gn-hvatom unna pdéttomk 
sverda deili sem sialfri mér. 


Sattu ok hlfyddir medan ek sagdak per 
mearg fll um skap min ok peirra. 
Maé6r hverr lifir at munom sinom.— 125 


Nt es um genginn GrAtr Opprtnar. 


FRAGMENTS FROM LOST LAYS OF LACUNA. 


THESE are placed here as nearest akin to the poems yet preserved of 
the Brunhild section. The paraphrast has known and used them, and we 
are thus able to tell something about their contents, order, length, &c. 

Swerri’s Saga supplies the first fragment [King Swerri thus accosts 
his son flying before the enemy], which would seem to be part of 
a poem dealing with the early part of Sigfred’s life; we recognise it in 
two places in the paraphrase, Regin egging Sigfred on, Vols. Saga, ch. 
13 or 18. 

The second, from Wolsunga Saga, deals with Sigfred, but is part of a 
different poem. 

The third, from the same Saga, is part of the quarrel between Gudrun 
and Brunhild, in the same Brunhild-poem. 

The last, also out of Wolsunga Saga, is all that is left of a long and 
fine Sigfred Lay (Sigurdar Kvida), of which, judging from the passion of 
the fragment and the paraphrase, we must much regret the loss. 


¥: 
CouER ertu ySrom nidjom 
peim es fram-rAdir fyrri véro. 
II. 


Expr nam at cesask, enn iaréd at skialfa, 

ok har logi vid himni gneefa: 

Far treystisk par fylkiss rekka 5 
eld at rida né yfir stiga. 





I often wonder how I could keep alive after the king, for I thought 
I loved the dauntless hero as myself. 

Thou hast sat still and listened while I have told thee many evil haps 
of mine and theirs. Every one must live as his mind bids him. 

The Minstrel’s Epilogue. The LAMENTATION OF ORDRUN is finished. 





I. Regin to Sigurd: Thou art unlike thy kinsmen that were ever 
foremost in former days. 

Il. Sigurd riding through the Waver-lowe. The fire began to rage and 
the earth began to shake, and the lofty flame towered up against the 
sky. None of the king’s men dared to ride the fire or step over. it. 


Seog 





120. bor? Gunnar is meant. 1. olikr, Cd. 3. nam] man, Cd. 











§ 3.] GUDRUNAR KVIDA IN FORNA. 315 


Sigurdr Grana sverdi keyrdi, 
eldr sloknadi fyr adlingi, 
logi allr legdisk fyr lof-gizornom ; 
bliko reidi es Reginn Atti. 10 


Il. 


Brynh. Stcurpr v4 at Ormi; enn pat sidan mun 
: engom fyrnask medan ald lifir: 

enn hlyri pinn hvarki pordi 

eld at rida, né yfir stiga. 


IV. 


Ur gekk Sigurdr ann-spilli fr4, 15 
holl-vinr loféa, ok hnipnadi: 

sva-at ganga nam gunnar-fiisom 

sundr of sidor serkr iarn-ofinn. 








(3 THE GUDRUN’ POET. 


GUDRUNAR-KVIDA IN FORNA; ox, * 


THE OLD LAY OF GUDRUN. 


THE longest and most important of a little group of Songs, of which 
Gudrun is the heroine, giving the whole story of which the others take 
merely incidents. 

The poem rests on R and the Wolsunga paraphrast, whose text was 
slightly better than ours in the wording, though the derangement and 
disorder was the same. 

The framework of the poem is, that Gudrun tells the sad story of her 
life to Thiodrek, who was then an exile at the court of Attila. She 
begins with the death of Sigfred, slain in the wood, on the way to [or 
from] an assembly (1. 9). She tells us how she sat out in the wild wood, 





Sigurd spurred Grani with his sword, the fire slaked before the king, 
the flame abated before the fame-seeking hero; the saddle that Regin 
had owned gleamed..... 

III. Dialogue between Brunbild and Gudrun. Quoth Brunbild: Sigurd 
overcame the Serpent, and that shall never grow old [in men’s minds] 
while mankind remains, but thy brother never dared to ride the fire 
nor step over it. 

IV. Sigurd turns away after his last interview with Brunbild. Sigurd, 
the beloved friend of man, went out from their talk, bowed down 
[with grief], so that the iron-woven sark began to rive asunder from 
the sides of the war-eager hero. 





Io. reidi] reid, Cd. 16. hnipfdi, Cd. 


316 THE GUDRUN POET. [Bx. v. 


when the wolves were howling round her, over the body of her husband; 
a powerful scene, the mutilated text whereof we have but partly been able 
to restore. Thence she wanders off to Denmark, where she sits em- 
broidering the deeds of heroes, Sigmund, Sigar, and Siggeir, on tapestry, - 
—a circumstance which helps to fix the date of the poem, and reminds 
one of the Bryhtnoth tapestry at Ely, and the ‘toilette’ at Bayeux. 
The next scene is not quite clear, owing to gaps and faults, but we 
gather that her mother sends her brothers to offer atonement and bring 
her home. She comes home, and kings come wooing to her (Il. 79 sqq.), 
but like Penelope, though for other reasons, she refuses them all. At 
last Grimhild determines to marry her to Atli, who is at feud with her 
brothers on account of Brunhild his sister’s death. Still Gudrun is 
stubborn, but her mother has recourse to a potion of forgetfulness, and 
she is borne off to Hunland with a grand train. It has been necessary 
to make transpositions here in the text to get sense. For it is absurd, 
as the disordered text of R gives, that she should go on arguing with 
her mother after she has drunk the potion, but the tale goes clearly 
on when the necessary shifting is made, due allowance being made for 
gaps and slighter errors. Gudrun goes on to mention her arrival at 
Attila’s court; the great gates are thrown open, and—here the poem 
abruptly breaks off. In the MS. a fragment, headless and tailless, of ~ 
wholly different metre and subject, follows on here. This, from its 
manifest affinity to the Attila group, has been moved to § 4, after the 
Atli Lay. 

The text is rather disordered than corrupt on the whole. We have 
moved the Potion scene (ll. 120-133) down from before 1. 80, also inter- 
changing ll. 68 and 79. There are two interpolations (four lines after 
1, 4, and four lines after 1. 36),—a duplicate text from the Lay of Gudrun 
(Gudrunar Kvida), in which they occur in their proper place. These 
we have left out here. 

The poem is highly pathetic in parts, as where Grani grieves for his 
master ; interesting all through, from the fulness of the details intro- 
duced. Thus, the horn in which Grimhild gives the potion is the very 
fellow of the Golden Horn. The Homeric descriptions of the broidery, 
the wooing kings, and the journey are all to be noted. The #it/e is 
warranted by a passage in one of the prose pieces of R saying that in 
‘Gudrunar Kvida in forna’ it is told that they all rode to an assembly, 
and that then Sigurd was slain; which agrees with |. 9 of our poem. 


Gudrun M#8 vas-ek meyja, médir mik fceddi 
q: biaort { buri; unna-ek vel broedrom: 
unz mik Gitki golli reifdi, 
golli reif6i, gaf Sigurdi: 
Unnz mer fyr-munédo mfnir brcéér, 5 
at ek ztta ver allom fremra. 
Sofa peir ne mattod, né of sakar dceéma, 





Gudrun speaks ; 1 WAS a maid of maids, my bright mother brought me 
up in her bower. I loved my brothers dearly, till Giuki endowed me 
with gold, endowed me with gold and gave me to Sigurd, till my 
brothers begrudged me a husband who was foremost of all. They could 
neither sleep nor sit in court before they put Sigurd to death. 

Grani galloped from the assembly, the rattle [of his hoofs] was heard, 
but Sigurd himself never came back. All their horses were splashed 


§ 3.] GUDRUNAR KVIDA IN FORNA. 317 


4dr peir Sigurd svelta léto. 
Grani rann af pingi; gnyr vas at heyra; 
enn p4 Sigurér sialfr eigi kom: 10 
all v6ro swdul-dyr sveita stokkin, 
ok of ‘vanid’ vasi und vegandom. 
Gekk-ek gr4tandi vid Grana roéda, 
urug-hlfra; i6 frd-ek spialla: 
hnipnadi Grani pd, drap f gras hafdi; 15 
iér pat vissi, eigendr ne lifdot. 
Lengi hvarfadak, lengi hugir deildosk, 
4dr ek of freegak folk-vard at gram. 
Hnipnaéi Gunnarr; sagdi mer Hagni 
_ fra Sigurdar sérom dauda : 20 
[ Hogni Liggr of hoeggvinn fyr handan ver 
53 Gothorms bani, of gefinn ulfom. 
Litt par Sigurd 4 Sudr-vega! 
pa heyrir pu hrafna gialla, 
grno gialla zzli fegna, . 25 
varga pidta um veri bfnom. 
[ZR g.] Hvi pi mer, Hagni, harma slika 
vilja-laussi vill um segja? 
Pitt-skyli hiarta hrafnar slita 
‘vid land yfir; enn pt vitir manna.’ 30 
Svaradi Hagni sinni eino, 
traudr gédés hugar af trega st6rom: 
Pess Attu, Gudrun greti at fleiri, 
at hiarta mftt hrafnar slfti. 
Hvarf-ek ein padan ann-spilli fré 35 
4 vid-reessa varga leifar. 








with blood, and stained with soil beneath their riders. I went weeping 
f to talk with Grani, with wet cheeks I asked the steed to speak. Then 
Grani bowed his head and sunk it in the grass; the steed knew that his 
master was dead. I wavered a long while, for a long while I divided 
( my mind, before I asked the king [Gunnar] about the prince [Sigurd]. 
Gunnar bowed his head, but Hogni told me that Sigurd lay dead of his 
wounds; saying: ‘The slayer of Gothorm lies smitten beyond the water 
given to the wolves, Seek thou for Sigurd in South-way. Thou shalt 
| hear the ravens scream, the eagles scream for joy of their quarry, and 
| the wolves howl over thy husband.’ 

Quoth Gudrun: Why dost thou care to talk to me so cruelly, me a 
desolate woman? May the ravens tear thy heart..... 

Hogni made answer once and no more, with an angry heart greatly 
moved with pity : ‘ Thou wilt have more still to weep over, Gudrun, if 
the ravens tear my heart.’ 

I turned away from our talk into the heritage of the wide-roving 








8. letod, R. g. af] emend,; at, R. 16. idr pat] iorp., R. 7. 
hvarfap, R. 36. Emend.; auip lesar, R (Lex. 714). R here adds—Geerdiga- 
ek hiufra ne hondom sl& | ne kveina um sem konor adrar | pa es sat soltin um 
Sigurdi.—A duplicate, See p. 324, ll. 3, 4. 


Bide Th, BA S.A Bh AP ES Eee ite 
re REY are Samer orm * — 


318 THE GUDRUN POET. [BK. v. 


Nétt pétti mer nid-myrkr vesa, 

es ek sdrla satk yfir Sigurdi; 

ulfar puto allo megin, 

‘ef peir léti mik lffi tyna.’ 40 

eti birnir mik sem birkiu-vid. 

Fér-ek of fiall fimm dcégr talid, 

unnz ek hall Halfs hava pekdak: 

sat-ek med Péro siau misseri, 

dceétr Hakonar { Danmearko: 45 

Hon mer at gamni goll-békadi 

sali sudrcena ok svani Danska: 

hafdo vid 4 skriptom pat-es skatar léko, 

ok 4 hann-yrdom hilmiss pegna, 

randir raudar, rekka Hina, 50 

hiar-drétt, hialm-drétt, hilmiss fylgjo: 

skip Sigmundar skrido fra landi, 

gyldar grimor, grafnir stafnar : 

byrdo vid 4 borda pat-es peir bardosk 

Sigarr ok Siggeirr sudr 4 Fivi. 55 
b4 fra Grimhildr Gotnesk kona, 

hvar ek vera { vina bygdom... .; 

Hon fra broéér ok buri heimti 

pra-giaorn 4 tal, bess at spyrja: 

hv4rt [peir] vildi son systor beéta, 60 

eda ver veginn vildi gialda. 

Goerr lezk Gunnarr goll at bidda, 

sakar at beta, ok id sama Hagni. 





wolves [forest]. The night seemed moonless [pitch-black] to me, as I 
sat sorrow-stricken over Sigurd. The wolves howled on all sides.... 
[would they had devoured me, and] the bears had gnawed me to pieces 
as they do the young sap-shoots of the birch. I wandered over the 
mountain five whole days told, before I lit on Half’s high hall. I stayed 
with Thora, Hakon’s daughter, in Denmark, seven seasons [years]. She 
embroidered in gold, to please me, southern halls and Danish swans. 
We had on our rolls the play of warriors [i.e. pictures of battles 
wrought in needlework], and on our handiwork the king’s thanes, the 
red shield, the Hunnish warriors, a sworded company, a helmed company, 
the king’s guards. Sigmund’s ships were gliding from the shore, with 
gilt figure-heads and carved bows. We broidered on our broidery how 
Sigar and Siggeir fought south in Fife. 
But now Grimhild, the Gothic lady, heard where I was living, in a 
friend’s dwelling. She asked my brothers, her sons, holding a parley with 
them, asking over and over again if they would recompense their sister for 
her son, or pay her weregild for her slain husband, Gunnar said that he 





39. Emend.; Ulfar*pottuz ollo betri, R. 41. Emend.; eda brenndi mik 
sem birkinn vid, R. 42. Emend.; af fialli, R. 57. Emend. ; hvat ek 
vera hyggiop, R. 58. Emend.; hon bra boréa ok buri heimti pragiarnliga, R. 


60. Emend. ; hverr, R. 


See 


ie . 


5 aA 
Pe eae hee ae 

















PA ee Fe “TI 





i - Va! 
oli Shae ih A ei tea ttt oe 
a ena 


$3.] GUDRUNAR KVIDA IN FORNA. 319 


Hon frétti at pvi, hverr fara vildi, 

vigg at sadla, vagn at beita, 65 
hesti rida, hauki fleygja, 

erom at skidta af ¥-boga. 


Kvémo konungar fyr kné prennir: 

Valdarr Danom meé Iarizleifi, 

Eymundr ‘pridi’ med Iarizcari, 70 

inn gengo ba iafrom glikir 

Langbarz lidar, hafdo loda rauda, 

skreyttar brynjor, steypta hialma, 

skalmom gyrdir, hafdo skarar iarpar : 

Hverr vildi mer hnossir velja, 75 
 hnossir velja, ok hugat mela, 

ef beir mztti mer ‘margra stita’ 

trygdir vinna; ne ek trua goerdak— 


45r hon sialfa mik sdétti at méli. 

Grimh. Gef-ek per, Gudrtn, goll at piggja, 80 
q. ficold allz fidr, ‘at pinn fador daudan,’ 

hringa rauda, Hlcedvess sali, 

4rsal allan ‘at iofur fallinn,’ 

Hunskar meyjar, pzr-es hlada spialdom, 

ok goera goll fagrt, sva-at ber gaman pikki: 85 

ein skaltu rada audi Budla 

golli gafgod, ok gefin Atla. 
[ZR g.] Vilk-eigi-ek med veri ganga, 

né Brynhildar brddor eiga ; 

samir eigi mer vid son Budla go 





was willing to offer gold to recompense her claim, and Hogni said the 
same. Moreover, she asked who would go to saddle the war-horse, to 
horse the wagons, ride the steed, fly the hawk, shoot arrows out of the 
yew bow..... 

Three kings came before my knees: Waldar of the Danes and 
Iarisleif .... Eymund was the third of them, and Iariscar: in they came 
like kings, the company of the Lombards; they wore red fur, varie- 
gated mail-coats, enamelled helmets, were girt with short swords, had 
brown hair cut across their brows. Each of them would gladly give me 
choice gifts, yea, choice gifts, and speak lovingly to me, to try and make 
me comforted. ... but I would not put my trust in them.... 
ere she herself [my mother Grimhild] called on me to speak my 
mind, saying ; ‘I give thee gold to take, Gudrun, plenty of all wealth, 
thy dead father’s heritage, red rings, Lothwy’s hall, all the hall-hangings 
the fallen king left, Hunnish maidens that can weave checkered linen 
and work beautifully in gold, so that it shall please thee; thou shalt have 
all Budli’s wealth for thine own, thou shalt be endowed with gold and 
given to Atli..—Then I answered: 1 will not have him for husband, nor 
wed the brother of Brunhild; it beseems me not to have children by the 





71. likir, R, 73. skreyttar] thus R * stuttar, V. 


320 . THE GUDRUN POET. [BK. v. 


ett at auka né una Iffi. 
Grimh. Hirda-pu hildingom heiptir gialda, 
q po-at ver hafim valdit fyrri. 
Sv4 skaltu lata sem peir lifi badir 
Sigurér ok Sigmundr, ef pi sono fcé@ir. 95 
[ER g.] Maka-ek, Grimhildr, glaumi bella, 
né vig-risnom varar selja, 
sizt Sigurdar s4rla drukko 
hre-gifr heekin hiart-bl66 saman. 
Grimh., Pann hefi-ek allra zett-gafgastan 100 
q- fylki fundit ok framarst neckvi; 
hann skaltu eiga, unz pik aldr vidr 
verlaus vesa, nema pu vilir benna. 
[ZR g.] Hirda-pu bidda baolva-fullar 
pragiarnliga peer kindir mer: 105 
Hann mun Gunnar grandi beita, 
ok or Hagna hiarta slfta; 
munkaé-ek létta 46r lifs hvatan 
egg-leiks hvatod aldri nzemik. 
Gratandi Grfmhildr greip vid ordi, 110 
es burom sinom balva vetti 
ok magom sinom meina stérra. 
Grimh. Land gef-ek enn per, l¥da sinni, 
q. Vinbiarg, Valbiarg, ef pu vill pbiggja ; | 
eigdu um aldr pat, ok uni ddttir! 115 
[ZR g.] Munkadé-ek pann kidédsa af konungom, 
né pann af nidjom naudig hafa; 





son of Budli, or live with him. — Grimbild answered: Do not thou 
entertain hatred against the kings [thy brothers and Atli], albeit we 
were the first to begin it. Do thou rather, when thou bringest up thy 
sons, make as if Sigurd and Sigmund were yet alive.—Then I said: | 
cannot make merry, Grimhild, nor plight my faith to the hero [Atli], 
since the greedy corse-harpies drunk the heart’s blood of Sigurd 
together.—Grimbild answered: He is the best-born of all kings I have 
known, and the boldest of heroes. Him thou shalt wed, or else be 
husbandless until old age overcomes thee, save thou take him.—I said: 
Do not continue to thrust upon me, with importunity, that cursed race. 
He shall [one day] deal a deadly blow to Gunnar, and cut the heart out 
of Hogni, and I shall never rest till I have taken his life in the prime. 
Then Grimhild, weeping, broke in upon her words, when she [Gudrun] 
foretold ills to come upon her [Grimhild’s] sons, and sore affliction to her 


offspring.—Quoth Grimhild: 1 will give thee yet more lands and servants, 


Wincrag, Walcrag, if thou wilt take them; keep them all thy life and re- 
joice in them, daughter.—Then I said: I will not choose him among kings, 
nor have him thrust upon me, among all his kin. A husband will bring 





92. Emend.; havidom, R. 93. pvi at ver hofom, R, 97. Emend. ; 
ne vigrisins vanir telia, R. 99. hezkin] emend.; huginn, R. 102. vipar, R. 
109. nemik, R. 116-117. Emend.; pann mun-ek k. a. k, ok pd, R. 


ae 














al ba | 








§ 3.] GUDRUNAR KVIDA IN FORNA. 321 


verér eigi mer verr at yndi, 
né bani bro¢dra at bura_ skidli. 
Foerdi mer Grimhildr full at drekka, £20 
svalt ok sdrlikt, né ek sakar mundak ; 
pat vas um aukit iardar magni, 
sval-kaoldom sz, ok sdnar-dreyra. 
Véro { horni hvers-kyns. stafir, 
ristnir ok rodnir—rada ek ne mattak— 125 
lyng-fiskr langr, landz Haddingja 
ax éskorit, innleid dyra: - 
Voéro peim bidri bal marg saman, 
‘urt allz vidar ok akarninn,’ 
um-dag¢g arins, idrar bldétnar, 130 
svins lifr sodin, pvi-at hon sakar deyfdi. 
Enn pé gleymdu, es getid hafdo 
all iofurs ‘ior bivg’ i sal. 
Senn vas 4 hesti hverr drengr litinn, 
enn vif Valnesk hafid { vagna. 135 
Ver siau daga svalt land ridom, 
enn adra siau unnir knf{dom ; “3 
enn ina pridjo siau purt land stigom. 
- bar hlid-verdir harrar borgar 
grind upp luko es ver f{ gard ridom. 140 





me no joy, nor will he, that shall be the death of my brothers, be a 
shelter to my sons. . 

But Grimhild brought me a beaker of drink, cold and bitter, whereby 
I forgot my wrongs. It was blent with the might of the earth, with 
ice-cold sea-water, and with the blood of sacrifice. On this horn there 
was every kind of letter engraved and painted in red (I could not read 
them), long ling-fishes [snakes], and unreaped corn ears ‘ from the land 
of Harding [the cement and the guts of beasts. In this beer 
there were many evil spells mixed, . . . . and hearth’s soot, the inner 
hs of beasts slain in sacrifice, boiled hog’s liver because it allays 
Strife. 5: . 

Then every hero was seen on his horse, and the Gaulish wives 
lifted up on the wagons. We rode seven days over the cold land, and 
seven days more we worked our way over the waves, and the third 
seven days we went upon the dry land. The warders of the lofty forts 
opened the gates when we rode into the court .... (rest missing). 





119. bani] emend.; baul, R. 122. iardar} urdar, R. 129. akara 
brunnin, V. 135. hafit, R. 


322 OC THE GUDRUN: FORT. [BK. v; 


‘THE ORDEAL OF GUDRUN. 


THis little poem only occurs in R; the Wolsunga paraphrast, though 
he knew it, does not use it. We have been able to mend it, so that it 
is practically perfect. It is in close relationship of plot with the pre- 
ceding piece, dealing as it does with Gudrun and Theodric; the word 
‘spennor,’ 1. 15, refers expressly to the talks in which the lady told 
the tale of her woes to the hero. The chief value of the poem lies in 
its full account of the ordeal. 


Gudrun HY: es per, Atli, 2, Budla sonr? 
q: Es per hryggt f hug? pé hler-pti eva! 

Hitt moendi cdra iwrlom pikkja, 
at vid menn meltir ok mik seir. 

Aili Tregr mik pat, Gudrin Gitka daéttir, 3 

q: mer { hallo Herkja sagdi: 
at it Piéddérekr und paki sveefit, 
ok léttliga lfni verdit. 

Gudrun Per mun-ek allz bess eida vinna 

q: at inom hvita helga steini: 10 

at ek vid Pidémars son patki Attak 
es vard né verr vinna knatti: 
nema ek halsada herja stilli 
iofur oneisinn eino sinni, 
—aédrar va4rot okkrar spennor— 15 
es vid harmog tvau hnigom at rtinom. 
Her kom Pidérekr med prid tego; 
lifa peir ne einir pbriggja tega manna: 
hneppt em-ek at brcédrom ok at buri ungom, 
hneppt em-ek at allom hafod-nidjom. | 20 





Quoth Gudrun: How goes it with thee ever now, Atli, thou son of 
Budli? Art thou heavy of heart? thou never laughest! Thy gentle- 
men would be better pleased if thou wouldst talk with men and look 
upon me.— Quoth Atli: This is my grief, Gudrun, thou daughter of 
Giuki. Herkia told me in the hall that thou and Theodric had slept 
under one roof, and lightly spread one bed for the twain of you.— 
Quoth Gudrun; 1 will take an oath about all this matter, upon the white 
holy stone, that I have never dealt with the son of Theodmar as man 
and wife are wont, save that once I fell upon the neck of the king of 
hosts, the blameless prince,—and no more embraces had we,—as we 
twain bowed our heads together as we talked of our woes. Theodric 
came here with thirty men, no one of those thirty men is left. I am 
bereft of my brothers and of my young son, I am bereft of all my next 





2. pd] emend.; pv, R. 7. pit, R. 11. piddmars son] emend.; piod- 
mar, R. 12. vord] vordr, R. 15. varot] emend.; voro, R. okkrar]} 
crar, R. —spennor] not speccor, R. ey. xan R, 18. tego, Cd, 1g, 20. 


hneppt em-ek] emend.; hrinctomik,R. 1g. buriungom] emend.; brynjodom, R. ~ 





ae ir 
Se ee er Cenc pie ee tle cals 


* ieige 








$3.) GUDRUNAR KVIDA. oe 


Sentu at Saxa Sunnmanna gram! 
hann kann helga hver vellanda. 
Siau hundrod manna { sal gengo 
4dr kven konungs f ketil toéki. 
Gudrun Kemra ni Gunnarr, kalliga-ek Hagna ; a5 
q sékka-ek sidan svd4sa broéér: 
sverdi mcendi Hagni slfks harms reka ; 
nu verd-ek sialf fyr mik synja lyta. 
Bra hon til botz biartom léfa ; 
ok hon upp um t6k iarkna-steina :— 30 
Guirun Se nu, seggir !—sykn em-ek ordin 
q- heilagliga,—hve sia hverr velli! 
H16 pa Atla hugr f bridsti 
es hann heilar s4 hendr Gudrtinar :— 
Ailt Nu skal Herkja til hvers ganga, 35 
q. si es Gudrtno grandi veenti! | 


SA4at madr armlikt, hverr es pat saat, 
hve par 4 Herkjo hendr svidnodo. 
Leiddo p4 mey { myri fila. 


Své vars Gubriin sykn sinna harma. 40 


GUDRUNAR-KVIDA; or, THE TALE OF GUDRUN. 


A LAMENTATION also; this poem, from its lack of action, is not used 
by the Wolsunga paraphrast, so that we have only R to depend on. 

It alone among these songs has a refrain, and is of a more modern 
cast of thought, with a subject of psychological interest quite alien to 
the other poems. 

We have been able to mend some of the worst places, but it is pretty 
fairly preserved on the whole. 





of kin. Now do thou send to Saxi, the lord of the Southerners, he 
knows how to hallow the boiling cauldron. 

Seven hundred men came into the hall to see the king’s wife deal. 
with the cauldron. 

Quoth Gudrun: Gunnar shall not come, I shall not call Hogni, I shall 
never see my sweet brothers more. Hogni would have avenged me of 
this foul charge with the sword, but now I must clear myself of this 
charge with my own hand. 

She dipped her white hand to the bottom [of the cauldron] and took 
out the precious stones. ‘See now, men, how the cauldron boils! I am 
proved guiltless according to the holy custom.’ Atli’s heart laughed in 
his breast when he saw Gudrun’s hands whole. ‘Now Herkia must go 
to the cauldron, she that imputed guilt to Gudrun.’ 

He has never seen a pitiful sight that did not see how Herkia’s hands 
were scalded that day. They led the maid to a foul slough. 

Poet’s Epilogue: Thus was Gudrun proved guiltless of the foul charge. 





40. Emend.; sva pa Gudrun sinna harm® R. 
Y2 


324 THE GUDRUN POET. [BK. v. 


For lines 3-4 and 65-71, we have the assistance of the duplicate 
text, interpolated in the Old Lay of Gudrun (p. 316). On the other 
hand, we have to cast out two lines after 59 borrowed from the Brun- 
hild Lay, ll. 115-117, and wrongly inserted here: The silent weeping 
of the gentle heroine, with tears flowing through her tresses, is not to 
be confounded with the /Joud passionate crying of the Brunhild’s Lay 
Gudrun, to which the whole household responds, the geese screaming, 
the cups rattling, etc. This would alone authorise one in cutting out 
these lines here. 

The zit/e is warranted by the superscription in R. 


PN vas pat Gudrun goerdisk at deyja, 
es hon sat sorg-full yfir Sigurdi: 
Geerdit hon hitfra, né handom sla, 
ne kveina um sem konor adrar. 
Gengo iarlar al-snotrir fram, 5 
peir-es hardz hugar hana latto. 


Beygt Gubrin grata métt, 
své vas hon mébiug myndt hon springa. 


Sato ftrar iarla bridir 
golli binar fyr Gudrtno: 10 
Hver sagdi peirra sinn of trega, 
pann-es bitrastan um bedit hafdi:— 
Pa kvad [pat] Giaflaug Gitika systir: 
mik veit-ek 4 moldo munar-lausasta; 
hefi-ek fimm vera for-spell bedit, 15 
tveggja dcétra, priggja systra, 
Atta breedra.—P6 ek ein lifi. 


Peyot Gubrtin grata maith: 
svd vas hon mbdug at mig dauban, 
ck hart-hugus um hrer fylkiss. 20 


ba kvaé pat Herborg Hunalandz dréttning :— 


tn Vee ie ee! he ° 





It was in the olden time, Gudrun was nigh to death, as she sat 
sorrowful over Sigurd. She made no loud cry, nor wrung her hands, 
nor wept as other women use. The wise men came and tried to 
soothe her heavy heart. 

Nevertheless Gudrun could not weep, she was so oppressed, her 
heart was like to break. 

The gentle ladies, dight with gold, sate before her. Each of them 
told her her own sorrows, the bitterest woes she had endured. Then 


spake Giaflaug, Giuki’s sister: ‘I hold myself the most forlorn woman. 
on earth. I have lost five husbands, two daughters, five sisters, eight 


brothers. I alone am left alive.’ 


Nevertheless Gudrun could not weep, she was so oppressed at her — 


husband’s death, so heavy-hearted over the king’s corpse. 
Then spake Herborg, the queen of Hunland: ‘I have heavier losses 











§ 3.] GUDRUNAR KVIDA. 325 


Hefi-ek hardara harm at segja: 

Minir siau synir sunnan-landz, 

verr inn Atti, { val fello: 

fadir ok mdédir, fiédrir broédr, 25 
pau 4 vdgi vindr of lék; 

baréi bara vid bord-pili. 

Sialf skylda-ek geaofga, sialf skylda-ek gzatva, 

sialf skylda-ek haondla hroer peirra ; 

pat ek allt um beid ein misseri, 30 
sva-at mer mangi munar leitadi. 

b4 vard-ek hapta ok her-numa 

siau misseri ‘sidan verda;’ 

skylda-ek skreyta ok skua binda 

hersiss kvaon hverjan morgin; 35 
hon cégéi mer af afbrydi 

ok hardom mik heeggom keyrdi: 

fann-ek htiss-guma hvergi in betra, 

enn hiuss-freyjo hvergi [in] verri. 


Beygt Gudriin grata malt, 40 
své vas hon mbbug at mig daudan, 
ok hard-hugud um hrer fylkiss. 


b4 kvad pat Gollrand Gitika déttir— 

FH kantu, féstra, pétt-pi frdd ser, 

ungo vifi ann-spiall bera. 45 
Varadi hon at hylja um hreer fylkiss; 

svipti hon bleéjo af Sigurdi, 





to tell. My seven sons from the land of the South, and my husband the 
eighth, fell in battle. My father and mother, my four brothers, the 
wind of the deep played over them, the billow dashed them against 
the gunwales. They had none but me to wash them, none but 
myself to bury them, none but myself to lay out their corpses. All 
this I suffered in one season, nor was there any one to comfort me. 
After this I was taken captive, and for seven years held a prisoner 
of war [as the vilest of women], and put in bondage. I had to dress 
and bind the shoes on the lord’s wife every morning. She would 
threaten me in her jealousy, and drove me with heavy stripes. I never 
saw a better goodman anywhere, nor ever anywhere a worse goodwife.’ 

Nevertheless Gudrun could not weep, she was so oppressed at her 
son’s death, and so heavy-hearted over the king’s [her husband’s] 
corpse. 

Then spake Goldrand, Giuki’s daughter: ‘ Thou knowest not, foster- 
mother, though thou be wise, how to comfort the young wife.’ She 
bade them uncover the king’s body, and swept the sheet from off 
Sigurd, casting it to the ground before his wife’s knees. ‘Look on 





29. hroer] Bugge; h’ for (=hreor), R. 31. mangi] Bugge; \~ engi, R. 
33- Emend.; sams misseris, R, verda] read varda? siduSf varda ? 


3.26 THE GUDRUN POET. aeons 


ok vatt 4 vengi fyr vifs kniédm: 

Littu 4 lidfan! leggSu munn vid gran, 

sem pu halsadir heilan stilli! 50 
leit Gudrtin eino sinni; 

si hon daglings skar dreyra runna, 

franar sidnir fylkiss lidnar, 

hug-borg iafurs hiarvi skorna. 

b4 hné Gudrin hall vid bédlstri; 55 

haddr losnadi, hlyr rodnadi; 

enn regns dropi rann nidr um kné, 


Pé grét Gubrin Gitika dottir, 
svd-at lér flugo tresk % gagnom. 


b4 kvad pat Gollrand Gitka déttir:— 60 
Ykkrar vissa-ek Astir mestar 
manna allra fyr mold ofan: 
undir pi hvarki uti né inni, 
systir min, nema hia Sigurdi. 
b4 kvad pat Gudrtin Gitka déttir:— 65 
Sv4 vas minn Sigurér hid sonom Gitka, 
sem veeri geir-laukr 6r grasi vaxinn, 
eda hiartr ha-beinn um hvassom dyrom, 
e6a goll glé6d-rautt af gra silfri, 
eda veri biartr steinn 4 band dreginn, 70 
iarkna-steinn, yfir wdlingom. 
Ek pdétta ok pidédans rekkom 
hverri heri Herjans disi: 
ni em-ek sva litil sem laufi sé 
orpinn ialstr at iafor daudan. 75 





thy love, lay thy mouth to his lips as if thou wert clasping thy living 
lord,’ 

Gudrun cast one look upon him, she saw the king’s hair dripping 
- with blood, his keen eyes dead, his breast scored by the sword, Then 
she fell upon the pillow, with loosened hair and reddened cheek; her 
tears trickled like rain-drops down to her knee. And now Gudrun, 
Giuki’s daughter, wept so, that the tears soaked through her tresses. 

Then spake Goldrand, Giuki’s daughter: ‘The love of you two is 
the greatest I ever saw upon earth. Thou couldst never rest, my 
sister, within doors or out, save thou wert at Sigurd’s side.’ . 

Then spake Gudrun, Giuki’s daughter: ‘As the tall garlick above 
the grasses, or like a high-legged hart among the fleet deer, or like 
ember-red gold to the gray silver, or like the glittering gem upon a 
thread of beads, so was my Sigurd among the sons of Giuki, above 
all lords beside. Among the king’s champions I was held higher than 
any other maid of Woden, but now I am brought as low as a willow 
shrunk of her leaves, by the death ‘of the king; at board and at 





48. & vengi] emend.; vengi, R. 59. tresc, R (a Romance. word). 
59-60. R adds—ok gullo vid gess i tuni | merir foglar er mer atti—From The Long 
Lay of Brunhild, p. 297, ll. 115-117. 74-75. Emend.; lauf se opt iavlstrom, R. 





§ 3.] GUDRUNAR KVIDA. 04 


Sakna-ek f{ sessi ok { szingo 
mins mdl-vinar; Valda megir Gitka, 
valda megir Gitka mf{no [baolvi], 
ok systor s{nnar s@rom grati. 
Sv4 ér ‘um ly¥da landi eydit,’ 80 
sem ér um unnod eida svarda! 
Mana-pt, Gunnarr, gollz um nidta ; 
peir muno per baugar at bana verda, 
es pi Sigurdi svardir eida! 
Opt vas f tuni teiti meiri, 85 
p4-es mfnn Sigurér sadladi Grana, 
ok peir Brynhildar bidja féro, 
armrar veettar, fllo heilli. . 
b4 kvad pat Brynhildr Budla déttir :— 
Van sé sii vettr vers ok barna, ‘ go 
es pik, Gudrtin, gratz um beiddi, 
ok per {f morgon mél-rinar gaf! 
P4 kvad pat Gollrand Gitka dottir:— 
Pegi-pu, pidd-leid, peirra orda! 
Urér wdlinga pi hefir z verid. 95 
Rekr pik ‘alda hverr’ fllrar skepno, 
sorg sara siau konunga, 
ok vin-spell vifa mest. 
b4 kvad pat Brynhildr Budla déttir:— 
Veldr einn Atli allo bavi, 100 
of borinn Budla, brédir minn. 
P4-es vid { hall Hunskrar piddar 
elld 4 iafri orm-beds litom: 
Pess hefi-ek gangs goldit sfdan ; 





bed I miss my gossip. It was the sons of Giuki, it was the sons of 
Giuki that caused my misery, the sore tears of their sister. May ye 
[keep land and lieges] according as ye kept your sworn oath. Thou 
shalt never profit by the gold, Gunnar, those rings shall be thy death, 
for the oath’s sake which thou didst swear to Sigurd. There was 
far greater joy in the court when my Sigurd saddled Grani, and ye 
too went forth to woo Brunhild, that accursed being, in an evil day.’ 
Then spake Brunhild, Budli’s daughter: ‘ May that being lack both 
husband and children that moved thee to tears, Gudrun, and gave thee 
the power of speech this day!’ 
Then spake Goldrand, Giuki’s daughter: ‘ Hold thy peace, thou hate- 
ful woman, from such words. Thou hast been an Evil Fate to princes, 
. » a sore sorrow to seven kings, and a bereaver of many a wife.’ 
Then spake Brunhild, Budli’s daughter: ‘ Atli, my brother, the son 
of Budli, alone wrought this woe, when, in the hall of the people of 
the Huns, we saw the fire of the lair [Sigurd’s spoils, Fafni’s hoard]. 





78. bélvi] om. R. 80. Maimed text; read, sva vesid lyd ok landi sneyddir ? 


96. Thus hyerr (not hver), R. - 


328 THE GUDRUN POET. [BK. v. 


‘peirrar s¥nar s4mk ey.’ 105 
St6d hon und stod ‘strengdi hon elvi.’ 

Brann Brynhildi Budéla déttor 

eldr or augom, eitri fneesti 

es hon sar um leit 4 Sigurdi. 


TREG-ROF GUDRUNAR; or, 
GUDRUN’S CHAIN OF WOE. 


AT the end of R, last poem but one, under the title Gudrunar-hvaut, 
comes, as we have noted above (Book i. p. 52), a strange heterogeneous 
jumble of verses. When one looks into them, one sees that they fall into 
two lots. The frst Jot, broken fragments on the Hamtheow Story, 
some parallel to, others filling gaps in Hamtheow’s Lay, in a metre such 
as that of Hamtheow’s Lay, and with the fierce haughty Gudrun we 
know from Atli’s and Hamtheow’s Lays for a heroine.: In the second lot 
all this is reversed; the metre is that of Book v, the heroine is the 
sweet gentle woe-begone Gudrun of the later Epics, the subject, her 
Death-Song, is widely different from that of the jirst Jot, into which it 
cannot be linked; moreover, it is regularly finished off with an epilogue 
containing the title. One is forced to the conclusion that we have here 
tave fragments of two different poems, the first one being a B-text of 
Hamtheow’s Lay, the latter a separate poem, called Gudrun’s Chain of 
Woes, of which the first half or more is lost. This one we print here. 

Lines 16-18, and even 13-20, we incline to think belong to Ham- 
theow’s Lay, part of Gudrun’s address to hersons. Hamtheow’s words, 
ll. 30-37 of that Lay, azsqwer them. Moreover, the metre and wording 
are that of the old Lay. 

After all her weary life of sorrow, Gudrun comes forth while her 
funeral pile is being made ready in the fore court of the palace (ta), 
and ere she mounts it sings her Ta/e or Chain of Woes. Then she calls 
on her love Sigfred to come and welcome her among the dead, and 
throws herself into the blazing pyre. The poem unhappily is not per- 
fect; besides gaps, the beginning is lost save the first four lines, which, 
corrupt though they are, we can recognise by metre and meaning to 
belong here, and not to the place in which they are found in the 
vellum (at the head of Hamdis-mal). A few lines defy treatment as 
yet. We have, however, been able to recover the title of this poem, 
Treg-raf Gudrunar, from the last line, and by help of Skalld-Helga-Rimur, 
the author of which, Thomas, an Eastern Icelander of the sixteenth 
century, must have had the last verse in his head when he wrote, 
‘ ollum verdi er inni eg fra angr sitt at hegra;’ 1.56 has been put right. 





For that journey of Sigurd I have paid dearly, [for that never-to-be- 
forgotten sight ].’ 

She stood by the pillar, she.... Fire was kindled in the eyes of 
Brunhild, Budli’s daughter, the venom spirted from her mouth when 
she saw the wounds of Sigurd. 





105. Maimed verse. 106. Mangled text. 


“a Dial — 





§3.] _ TREG-ROF GUDRUNAR. . 329 


be ck ght 4 tai tregnar idir 
greeti alfa in glystomo 
4r um morgin manna balva 
stitir hverjar sorg um kveykva. 
Gudrtin gratandi Gitka déttir F 
gekk hon tregliga 4 tai sitja, 
ok at telja tarok-hlyra 
mdédug spiall 4 margan veg. 


brid vissa-ek elda; prid vissa-ek 4rna; 
vas ek brimr verom vegin at husi: 10 
Einn vas mer Sigurér allom betri, 
es broedr mfnir at bana urdo. 
‘Svarra séra’ s4kad ek né kunna 
meirr péttosk mér um str{da, 
es mik w6lingar Atla gafo. 15 
[Htina hvassa hét ek mer at rinom ; 
mattigak balva beétr um vinna 
ddr ek hn6éf hafud af Hniflungom. | 
Gekk ek til strandar; gram vas-ek Nornom ; 
‘vilda ek hrinda strid-grid peira:’ 20 
héfo mik, ne drekéo, havar bsror ; 
pvi ek land um sték at ek lifa skyldak. 
Gekk ek 4 bed—hugdak mer fyr betra— 
pridja sinni pidéd-konungi : 
6l ek mer i6d, erfi-vardo, 25 
. . +.  tonakrs sono. 





First four lines cannot be translated. Subject: The pyre is being reared 
in the court (ta). 

GUDRUN, Giuki’s daughter, sat weeping in the court; she [began 
sorrowfully to number her woes], and with tearful cheeks to tell over 
her sorrows in manifold ways. 

I have known three fires, three hearths; I have been carried to the 
houses of three husbands. The first was Sigurd, the best of them 
all, whom my brothers did to death. I neither saw nor knew.... 
I thought it a still harder trouble when they gave me to Atli. [I called 
my brave little sons apart to talk with me. I could find no recompense 
for my wrongs till I cut off the heads of the Hniflungs.] 

I went down to the strand; angry with the Fates I was, [I wished 
to defy their hateful curse]; but the high waves bore me up without 
drowning me. I reached the land, for I was fated to live. 

I went for the third time to the bed of a mighty king, hoping for 
better fate, and I bore children, sons,...to Ionakr. But the bondmaids 





4. Agreatlacunahere, 18, niflungom,R. 20. heiptom? 26, sonom, R. 


330 THE GUDRUN POET. [Bx. v. 


Enn um Svanhildi s&to pyjar, 
es ek mfinna barna bazt full-hugdak; 
sv4 vas Svanhildr { sal minom, 
sem veri scemleitr sélar-geisli. 30 
Geedda ek golli ok godvefjom, 
4dr ek gefak Godpiddar til: 
Pat eromk hardast harma minna, 
es peir inn hvfta hadd Svanhildar 
auri traddo und ioa fétom: 35 
enn sa sarastr, es beir Sigurd mfnn 
sigri rentan { seing vaogo: 
enn sa grimmastr, es pbeir Gunnari 
franir ormar til fiars skrido: 
enn sa hvassastr, es peir Hagna 40 
hilmi kvikvan til hiarta skaro. 
Fiald man-ek bualva.... 


Beittu, Sigurér, enn blakka mar! 

hest inn hrad-foéra l4ttu hinig renna! 

Sitrat her snor né déttir 43 
si-es Gudrino gefi hnossir. 

Minztu, Sigurér, hvat vid mzltom 

pa-es vid 4 bed bedi sxtom: 

at bi myndir min mdéugr vitja 

halr or Heljo, enn ek pin or heimi. 50 


Hladit ér, iarlar, eiki-keostinn ! 
l4tid bann und himni hestan verda! 
Megi brenna bridést bzolva-fult 





sat round Swanhild, whom I loved best of my children; she was like 
a glorious sunbeam in my bower. I endowed her with gold and goodly 
raiment before I married her into Gothland. That was.the hardest 
of all my sorrows, when they trod Swanhild’s fair hair in the dust under 
the hoofs of the horses: but the sorest when they slew my Sigurd, 
robbed of his victories, in my bed: and the cruellest when the fierce 
snakes pierced Gunnar to the heart: and the sharpest when they 
cut Hogni the hero to the heart, while he was yet alive. I can re- 
member many woes. Harness, Sigurd, thy white steed; let thy fleet 
horse gallop hither, for here sits neither daughter-in-law, nor daughter, 
to give gifts to me. Remember, Sigurd, what we promised one an- 
other when we both went into the bed of wedlock, that thou wouldst 
come from Hell to seek me, but that I would come to thee from earth. 

Then before she climbs upon the pile, she calls to those present to pile up 
the logs. 

Pile up, good gentlemen, the oaken pile; let it stand high under 





28. enn ek, R. 33. es mer, R. 34. es peir) emend.; of pann, R. 
40-41. Emend.; es til hiarta flé konung oblaudan kvikvan skdro, R. 45. sitr 
eigi, R. 52. himni] emend.; hilmi, R, 2 , 





§ 4.] -  ATLA-MAL, 331 


eldr-ae Iatta 
peace "i. sore. 55 


Iarlom allom angrs batni! 
snétom allom sorgar minki! 


Nu es um talid Trec-ror Guprunar. 








§4. THE ATLI POET. 


ATLA-MAL IN GRANLENZKO; or, 
THE GREENLAND LAY OF ATLI. 


FOUND only in R, leaves 41-43. The Wolsunga paraphrast used a 
sister text to ours, to which he adheres so strictly in his prose, contrary 
to his usual custom, that in some places we are able to correct our text 
from it [e.g. ll. 315, 345, 397]. In one instance [89-90] two lines have 
dropped out in our copy, which we have been able to recover from his 
prose. It is evident that our text was taken from a somewhat old and 
faded copy. We have transposed I. 268 three lines up. 

The tit/e is given in R, and is no mere name, for the ‘ White bears’ in 
the dream fix the locality, and we cannot date it earlier than the 
eleventh century. 

The story, though spun out, is the same as that of the old Atla-kvida 
(Bk. i. § 5), which this poet is well acquainted with and follows closely, 
sometimes even in phraseology, so that one is able to mend the text by 
the recurring words in the other poem [e.g. |. 231]. The chief peculi- 
arity is the original treatment of Gudrun, who is here a furious Medea, 
quite alien in nature to the gentle Andromache or Electra of the poems 
in §§ 2 and 3. There is a savagery and grimness altogether about this 
Lay which is very appropriate to the wild life of the early Greenland 
colonists, and their terrible climate. The characters, the brutish 
credulity of Atli, for example, are not over-well drawn—still the voca- 





the heaven. May my sorrow-laden breast burn, may the flame... . my 
heart . ... may my sorrows melt away. 


The Gleeman’s Epilogue :— 
May all gentlemen’s griefs be bettered! 
May all ladies have less of sorrow! 
Now is Gudrun’s CHAIN OF WOES told out. 





56. angrs] emend.; opal, R. 57. sorgar minki] emend.; sorg at minni, R. 
58. Nu es um. .. Gudrtinar] emend.; at petta tregrof um talid veri, R (cp. Lay 
of Ordrun, last line), . 


332 THE ATLI POET. [BK. v. 


bulary is rich, particularly in law terms, and contains a little hoard of 
rare words, some of which occur nowhere else. The style is marked 
by interjectional phrases, broken ‘asides.’ The metre is peculiar and 
almost monotonously regular. 


PRETT hefir ald ofo pa, es endr um geerdo 
seggir samkundo,—sti vas nyt feestom,— 
cexto ein-meli; uggr vas beim sidan, 
ok i6 sama sonom Gitka es véro sann-rddnir. 
Skap cexto ‘Skialdunga ;’—skyldo peir feigir !— 5 
fila rézk Atla; Atti hann pé hyggjo: 
felldi stod stéra; strfddi ser hardla; 
af bragdi bod sendi, at kvzemi brdtt magar. 
Horsk. vas huss-freyja, hugdi at manviti ; 
lag heyrédi hon orda, hvat peir 4 laun melto: 10 
PA vas vant vitri, vildi hon beim hialpa; _ 
skyldo um sz sigla; enn sialf ne komskat. 
Runar nam at rista. Rengdi ber Vingi— 
fars vas hann flytandi—déér hann fram seldi: 
Féro pa sidan sendi-menn Atla 15 
um fiard Lima, par es froeéknir bioggo. 
Olverir urdo ok elda kyndo, 
hugdo vetr véla, es peir varo komnir. 
Téko peir férnir es peim ‘fridr’ sendi, 
hengdo 4 stilo; hugdod pat varda. 20 
Kom p4 Kostbera,—kvan vas hon Hagna,— 
kona kapps-gélig, ok kvaddi pa baéa: 
Glad vas ok Glaumvar, es Gunnarr Atti; 





MEN have heard the dreadful tale, how the heroes held a parley 
together—good to nobody; they held a secret meeting, whence came 
woe upon themselves, and also to the sons of Giuki who were betrayed. 
The Norns let their doom wax high, since they were doomed to die. - Atli 
took an evil step although he was a wise man; he hewed down a mighty 
pillar and did himself great harm, when he sent off his messengers to bid 

his brothers-in-law seek him without tarrying. The goodwife was 

brave, she used her wit, she caught the drift of the words which they 
were speaking in secret. The wise lady was hard put to it, she desired 
to help them, but they must cross the sea, and she herself could not 
come, so she graved runes; but Wingi—bent on treason was he—put 
them wrong ere he gave them [to her brethren]. 

Forth went the messengers of Atli and crossed Lim-firth, where the 
princes dwelt. They were merry with wine and kindled the fires—they 
thought not on guile—when the messengers came. They took the gifts 
their sister had sent them, and hung them on the pillars, they thought 
them of no moment, Then came Kostbera,—she was Hogni’s wife,— 
a most merry lady, and greeted both the brethren. And Glaumvor, 





2. Emend,; su vas nytt festom, R, 3. yger, R. 5. Read Skuldir (Fates) 2 
peir] at, R. 1g. Friér? la Belle? 22. galig, R. 





§ 4.] ATLA-MAL, 333 


fellzkaS sadr svidri; sy¥sti um perf gesta. 
Budo peir heim Hagna, ef hann pa heldr feéri; 25 
—syn vas svipvisi, ef peir sin gadi— 
Hét p4 Gunnarr, ef Hagni vildi; 
Hagni pvi nytti es hinn um reeddi. 
Baro miad merar; margs vas allz beini; 
fér bar fiald horna unnz pétti full-drukkid. 30 
Hiti goerdo hvyflo sem peim heégst pétti. 
Kend vas Kostbera; kunni hon skil rina: 
innti ord-stafi at eldi lidsom: 
geeta vard hon tungo i géma bida; 
varo sv4 villtar, at vas vant at rdda. 35 
Seing féro sidan sfna pau Hagni; 
Dreymdi drétt-lata, duldi pess veetki. 
Sagéi horsk hilmi pegars hon ré6 vakna :— 
Kosi. Heiman geerisk pi, Hagni, hygg-du at rodom; 
g. Far es full-ryninn: far-pu f{ sinn annat: 40 
Réd ek peer rinar es reist pfn systir; 
biaort hefir per eigi bodid f{ sinn petta. 1 
Eitt ek mest undromk,—mdakadé-ek enn hyggja,— 
hvat p4 vard vitri, es skyldi villt rfsta: 
pvi-at svA vas 4 visat, sem undir veeri 45 
bani ykkarr beggja, ef id brdlla kvzemid. 
Vant es stafs vifi; eda valda adrir. 
Hlogni ‘Allar ro filiégar; Akka-ek bess kynni; 
g. vilka-ek pess leita, nema launa eigim.’ 





Gunnar’s wife, was glad also. She never lacked sure wisdom, she busied 
herself with the needs of the guests. They [Wingi and his fellow] 
begged Hogni to come, that Gunnar might be more willing to come— 
the treachery was clear, if they had but paid heed to it. Then 
Gunnar asked if Hogni would go. Hogni said that he would stand by- 
the other’s will. 

The ladies served the mead; there was store of all good cheer; they 
bore drink-horns a many, till men had drunk their fill. The two 
[Hogni and his wife] went to rest as seemed good to them. Kostbera 
the kindly, she knew how to read runes; she read through the letters 
by the light of the fire, she kept guard on her tongue between her teeth; 
the letters were so dark that it was hard to read. Then she and Hogni 
went to bed. The gentle lady had a dream—she hid it not, but told it to 
her husband as soon as she awoke. ‘ Thou art going away from home, 
Hogni, take heed to what thou doest. Few men weigh what is before 
them; go this journey another time. I have read the runes thy sister 
engraved, she has not bidden thee to her this time. And I wonder at 
one thing, and cannot make it out, how it came about that she cut them 
wrong, for there were hints therein as if the death of you both were 
awaiting you if you go now; either she missed a letter or another has 
put them wrong.’—Quoth Hogni: .... The king [Atli] will endow us 





28. nytti] emend. ; nitti, R. 48-49. Text unsafe. 


334 THE ATLI POET. [BK. Vv. 


Okkr mun gramr golli reifa gl66-raudo: 50 
Oumk-ek aldregi, pétt ver 6gn fregnim. 
Kosth. | Stopalt monod ganga, ef id stundit pangat ; 
g. ykkr mun 4st-kynni eigi i sinn betta. 
Dreyméi mik, Hagni,—dyljomk pat eigi,— | 
ganga mun ykkr anderiss, eda ella hredomk. 55 
Blejo hugda-ek pina brenna f eldi; 
hryti har logi hus min { goegnom. 
Hlogni = Liggja her lin-kledi, pau ér litt rcékit; 
g. pau munn bratt brenna par-es pu blejo satt. 
Kost. Biarn hugda-ek her inn kominn, bryti upp stokka, — 60 
g. hristi svi hramma, at ver hreedd yréim; 
munn oss marg hef6i, sv4-at ver meettim ekki; 
par vas ok prammun peygi sva litil. 
Hogni Vedr mun par vaxa, verda 6tt snemma; | 


g. hyita-biaorn hugdir, par mun hregg austan. | 65 
Kost. Orn hugda-ek her inn fliiga at endlango hisi, 
g. —pat mun oss dritigt deilask,—dreifdi hann oss all b166i ; 


hugda-ek af heiptom at veri hamr Atla. 
Hogni  Sl&trom sy¥sliga; sidm pa rodro; 
g. Opt es pat fyr cexnom es arno dreymir; 70 
Heill es hugr Atla, hvatki es pik dreymir.— 
Lokit pvi léto.—Lfér hver rcéda. 


Vaknodo vel-borin. Vas par sams demi: 
Geettisk bess Glaumvar, at veri grand svefna 
. vid Gunnar at ‘f4 tveer leidir.’ 75 





with ember-red gold, I am never in doubt, though I do hear any 
rumour of ill.—Quoth Kostbera; It shall be ill with you if ye go thither 
now, it will not be a friendly meeting this time. I dreamed, Hogni,—I 
will not hide it,—that it will go hard with you, and I fear it will be so. 
I thought thy sheets were burning in the fire, and that a high flame 
was showering sparks through thy house.—Quoth Hogni.: Here lie linen 
rags cast off, they will soon be burnt, and they are the sheets thou 
sawest in thy dream.—Quoth Kostbera : | saw a bear come in and tear 
up the seat-pillars, he shook his paws so that we were frightened. He 
held many of us in his mouth so that we could do nothing, there was 
no small trampling there too.—Quoth Hogni: The weather shall wax 
and soon grow to a gale; thou didst dream of a white bear, that means 
a snow-storm from the east.—Quoth Kosthera: 1 dreamed that an eagle 
flew in, all up the hall, spattering us all with blood, that will certainly bring 
us ill. I saw from his fierceness that it was the fetch of Atlii—Quoth 
Hogni : We shall make a big slaughter; then we shall see blood; it often 
means oxen when we dream of eagles, Atli’s heart is single whatsoever | 
thou dream. 

Then they ceased. Every speech comes to an end. 

The well-born [king Gunnar and Gleamwor] awakened, it was the 
same story with them. Gleamwor said that she had had evil dreams... . 





68. heiptom] emend,; heitom, R. 





§4.] - ATLA-MAL. © 335 


Glaum. Goervan hugda-ek per galga, gengir pti at hanga; 
g. ti pik ormar—yrda-ek pik—kvikvan ; 
goerdisk rak ragna. Raéd-pti hvat pat veri! 
Gunn. q. (The answer lost.). 
Glaum. Blédgan hugda-ek meki, borinn or serk binom,— 
g. {ilt es svefn slfkan at segja naud-manni,— 80 
geir hugda-ek standa { goegnom pik midjan; 
emjodo ulfar 4 endom biédom. 
Gunn,  Rakkar par renna; radask miak geyja; 
opt verér geira flaug fyr glaumi hunda. 
Glaum. A hugda-ek her inn renna at endlango hisi; 85 
gq. byti af-pidsti, peystisk of bekki; 
bryti foétr ykkra broédra Her tveggja;. 
goerdit vatn vegja. Vesa man pat fyr nekkvi. 
Gunn. [Par singe a 3 renna es bu 0 hugédir. | 
g. Opt nema-agnir foétr 6ra es ver akr gongom.| go 
Glaum. Konor hugéa-ek daudar koma { nétt hingat, 
g.  verit vart binar; vildi pik kidsa; 
bydi per brdlliga til bekkja sinna. 
Ek kved af-lima ordnar per Disir. 
Gunn.  Seinat es at segja; sv4 es nu rdit; 95 
gq. fordumka feigd, allz pé es fara etlad; 
| Mart es miak glikligt, at munim skamm-zir, 


Lito es lysti, Iétosk peir fusir 
allir upp risa; annor pau latto. 





warning Gunnar not to go.—Quoth Gleamwor : I dreamed of a gallows 


set up, and that thou wast going to be hanged thereon. I saw thee eaten” 


alive of serpents, so that I lost thee. There came the crack of doom. 
Tell me what it means.—Quoth Gunnar ; (Answer lost.)—Quoth Gleam- 
wor: I saw a bloody blade drawn out of thy shirt. It is hard to have 
to tell such dream to a husband, I thought I saw a spear smitten 
through thy body, while the wolves howled at either side.—Quoth 
Gunnar ; It was curs running, barking very sharply. The flight of spears 
often means dogs’ baying.—Quoth Gleamwor ; I thought I saw a river 
rushing up the hall; it roared with fury, dashing over the benches, and 
broke the legs of both of you brothers; the water was pitiless. That 
must mean something.—Quoth Gunnar : There corn-fields shall be waving 
where thou sawest a river; the awns catch our feet when we walk 
through a field.—Quoth Gleamwor; 1 thought I saw dead women, 
poorly clad, come in here to-night; they wished to choose thee, and 
bade thee come to their hall without tarrying. I fear thy good fairies 
have dropped away from thee.—Quoth Gunnar ; It is too late to talk ; 
now it is settled, we cannot escape our doom. We are bound to go 
now, yea, though it is not unlikely that our lives may be short. 

When the dawning showed they all arose and made them ready, but 





84. Transposed; opt verdr glaumr hunda fyrir geira flaugom, R, 89-90. 
From the Paraphrase, g6. feigd] emend.; for po, ®. 


of - 65° 


336 THE ATLI POET. [ BK. v. 


Féro fimm saman; fleiri til véro 100 
halfo his-karlar—hugat vas pvf flla:— 
Snevarr ok Sdlarr; synir véro peir Hagna; 
Orkning pann héto, es beim enn fylgdi, 
bliér vas beorr skialdar brééir hans kvdnar. 
Féro fagr-binar unz pau fiardr skildi; 105 
latto avalt lidsar; létoat heldr segjask. 
Glaumvar kvad at ordi, es Gunnarr Atti; 
melti hon vid Vinga, sem henni vert pétti: 
Veitkad-ek hv4rt verd-launid at vilja ossom; 
gloepr es gestz kvama, ef { goerisk nakkvad. a) 
Sér pa Vingi,—ser ré6 hann litt eira:— 
Figi hann Iatnar, ef hann at ydr lygi; 
galgi goervallan, ef hann 4 grid hygdi! 
Bera kvad at ordi, bIfé.{ hug sinom: 
Siglid ér selir, ok sigr Arnid! Lis 
fari sem ek fyr melik! ‘Feest eigi pvi nita.’ 
Hagni svaradi,—hugdi gétt na&dnom :— 
Huggisk id, horskar, hvegi es pat goervisk ! 
Mela bat margir,—missir pé st6rom,— 
‘margom rer litlo, hve verdr leiddr heiman.’ 120 
Sask til sidan, 46r { sundr hyrfi. 
ba hykk skaop skipto; skildosk vegir peirra. 
Roa namo riki; rifo kial halfan; 
beysto bak-fallom; brugdosk heldr reidir: 
Heamlor slitnodo; hair brotnodo; _ 125 
Goerdot far festa, 45r peir fra hyrfi. 
Litlo ok lengra—lok mun-ek bess segja— 





their wives would have held them back. They went forth five together, 
and twice as many henchmen—it was ill devised :—+they two, Snowar and 
Solar, Hogni’s sons ; and Orkning was the name of the last, this blithe hero 
was Gleamwor’s brother. The fair-clad ladies went with them till the 
firth parted them ; they would alway have held them back, but they were 
the more bent on going. Then Gleamwor, whom Gunnar wed, began 
to speak, talking to Wingi as she thought best: ‘I know not whether 
ye will reward us according to our desert. It is foul shame to the guest 
if any ill happens through him [to the host].’ Then Wingi swore, he did 
not spare himself: ‘May the giants take me if I lie to you; may the 
gallows have me body and bones if I thought on any breach of faith.’ 

Bera blithe-hearted began to speak: ‘Sail in safety, and speed ye 
well! May ye fare as I wish you....’ Lovingly Hogni answered his 
wife: ‘Comfort you, gallant ladies, whatsoever betide....’ Then they 
kissed each other ere they turned away; their fates lay apart when their 
ways parted. 

They began to row amain,.... keel....; they bent full on their 
backs, they waxed very furious, the oar-thongs split, the tholes broke. 
They did not moor the boat before they turned away. I must tell all 





Iig-120, Unsafe text. 122. hygg ek, R. 








$4.) — ATLA-MAL. 337 


bee s4 peir standa, es Budli Atti: 
hatt hrikdo grindr es Hagni kn{di. 
Ord kvad pa Vingi, paz 4n vesi: 130 
Farid firr hisi!—flatt es til scekja: 
bratt hefi-ek ykr brenda; bragds skolod hceggnir. 
fagrt bad-ek ykkr kv6mo; flatt vas pdé undir ;— 
ella hedan bfdit medan ek heegg yér galga! 
Ord kvad hitt Hagni,—hugdi litt vega, 135 
varr at vettugi es vard at reyna: 
Hirda pu oss hreda! hafdu pat fram sialdan! 
Ef pu eykr ordi, illt mundo per lengja! 
Hrundo peir Vinga, ok { hel dra&po 
exar at lagdo, medan { and hixti. 140 
Flykéosk peir Atli ok f6ro f brynjor; 
-gengo sv goervir at vas gardr milli; 
urposk 4 ordom allir senn reidir: 
Ailig.  Fyrr vérom full-r4da, at firra ydr Iffi. 
Hogni A sér pat fila, ef hafdot 4ér rddit; 145 
. enn erod é6btnir, ok hafom einn feldan, 
laméan til heljar; lids vas s4 ydars. 
Odir pd urdo, es pat ord heyrdo; 
‘fordodo0 fingrom,’ ok fengo f snceri; | 
skuto skarpliga, ok skialdom hiffdosk. 150 
Inn kom p4 ann-spilli, hvat uti dr¥gdo ; 
hatt fyr hallo heyrdo prel segja. 


Otul vas pa Gudrtin, es hon ekka heyrdi : 





to the end—they could see the hall that Budli owned standing a little 
farther on. The gate-bars creaked when Hogni shook it. 

Up spake Wingi then, he had best held his peace: ‘ Keep off from 
the house, ye may look for an ill welcome. I shall soon see you burnt, 
ye shall soon be slaughtered. With fair words I prayed you to come 
here, but there was falsehood beneath them. Get you gone, unless ye 
be willing to wait till I cut you a gallows.’—-Up spake Hogni, he had no 
thought of yielding, he feared nothing that might befall: ‘Never think 
to frighten us! Thou wilt not! If thou speak another word it will 
be the worse for thee.’ 

They thrust at Wingi and smote him to death, they hewed at him 
with their axes while the breath rattled in his throat. 

Atli’s men gathered, and did on their mail-coats; they marched in 
such wise that the wall was between them. They began to shout to 
one another, all in wrath together, 

Quoth Atli: ‘ We had settled beforehand to take your lives !’—Quoth 
Hogni: ‘It looks little as if ye settled it beforehand, ye are still unready, 
and we have slain one of you, smitten him to death; he was one of your 
host.’ They waxed wroth when they heard those words, they put forth 
their fingers and took hold on the strings, they shot sharply forth, 
covering themselves with their shields. 

With that there came a message into the hall that told what was 
doing outside ; they heard a thrall shouting loudly without: ... Gudrun 

“see - 


338 THE ATLI POET. [BK. v. 


hlaéin hals-menjom, hreytti hon beim gervallom ; 
sloengdéi sva silfri, at f sundr hruto baugar. 155 
Ut gekk hon sidan,—ypdit Iftt hurdom; 

fora felt peygi;—ok fagnaéi komnom; 

hvarf til Hniflunga,—st vas hinzt kvedja, 

fylgdi sadr slfko. Sagéi hon mun fleira: 

Leitada-ek { Ifkna, at letja ykkr heiman,— 160 
skapom vidr manngi,—ok skolod pé her komnir! 
Melti af man-viti, ef mundo settask; 
ekki at rédosk; allir nf kvado. 

Sa pa sel-borin, at peir sart léko: 

Hugdéi 4 hardredi, ok hraudzk or skikkjo; 165 
noek6an t6k hon meki, ok nidja fiar vardi ; 

hoeg vasat hialdri, hvars hon hendr festi. 

Déttir lét Gitka drengi tv4 hniga; 

brééor hié hon Atla, ‘bera varé pann sfdan ;’ 

skapéi hon sv4 skzero, skelldi f6t undan: 170 
annan ré6 hon hoeggva, sv4-at s4 upp reisat; 

{ heljo hon pann haféi,—peygi henni hendr skulfo. 

Piorko par goerdo; beirri vas vid brugdit ; 
pat br4 um allt annat es unno barn Gitka. 

Sv4 kvdo Hniflunga, medan 6-sarir lifdo, 175 
skapa s6kn sverdom, slitask af brynjor, 

hoeggva sv4 hialma: sem peim hugr dygdi. 

Morgin mest v@go, unz midjan dag lfddi, 





was roused when she heard this bad news; she was laden with necklaces, 
she tore them all away, she flung the silver down so that every link was 
snapped asunder. She went out of the hall forthwith; it was not softly 
that she threw back the doors, it was in no fearful mood that she went 
out to welcome the new comers. She turned to the Hniflungs—it was 
their last greeting, and there was earnest in it; moreover, she said, ‘I 
tried to save you and keep you at home, and yet ye are here. No man 
can fly from fate.’ She spake wisely, trying to make peace, but they 
would not be counselled [or accede to it], all of them said No. When 
the high-born lady saw that the game was a bloody one, she hardened 
her heart, and threw off her mantle, took a naked sword in her hand 
and fought for the life of her kinsmen. She was no weakling in the 
fight, wherever her hand fell; Giuki’s daughter struck down two 
warriors. She smote Atli’s brother ....she shaped her stroke so that 
she smote off his foot, and struck down the other so that he never rose 
again, sending him to hell. Her hand faltered not. 

The fight they fought, it was famed far and wide; it was greater than 
all the other feats of the children of Giuki. It is said that the Hniflungs, 
as long as they were alive unwounded, never ceased to deal blows with 
their swords, riving mail-coats and hewing through helmets, as their 
hearts bade them. They fought all through the morning, through the 
first watches and the forenoon till mid-day was past—less would be a 





158. nifl-, R, here and elsewhere, 175. O-sarir] emend, ; sialfir, Rs 





§ 4.] _ ATLA-MAL. 339 


étto alla, ok andurdan dag; 
—fyrr vesi full-vegit,—fl66i vallr bl16di; 180 
Atjan peir felldo—cefri peir urd6o— 
Bero tveir sveinar ok brddir hennar. 
Raskr t6k at roeda, pétt hann reidr veri: 

llt es um litask ;—yér es pat kenna,— 
vérom prir tigir begnar vigligir, 185 
eptir lifom ellifo,—or es par brunnit ; 
breédr varom fimm, es Budla mistom; 
hefir ni Hel halfa, enn hoeggnir tveir liggja. 
Meg6 gat-ek mikla,—mAakak pvi leyna, 
kona valiga!—knadka-ek bess nidta. 190 
Hliétt attom sialdan, sftz komt f hendr ossar; 
firdan mik frendom; fé opt svikinn; 
sendod systor heljo; sliks ek mest kennomk! 

Guir. Getr pti bess, Atli; goerdir sv4 fyrri: 

g. Médéor tdkt mina, ok myrdir til hnossa; 195 

svinna systrungo sveltir pu f ‘helli.’ 
Hleéglikt mer pat pikkir, es pi pfnn harm tfnir ; 
godom ek pat pakka, es per gengsk Illa. 

Athi Eggja-ek yér, iarlar, auka harm stéran 

g.  vifs ins vegliga,—vilja-ek pat lfta: 200 
kostit sv4 keppa,-at kloekkvi Gudrin; 
sid ek pat meetta, at hon ser ne yndit. 
Takid ér Hagna, ok hyldit med knffi; 
skerid or hiarta!—skolod pess gcervir! 
Gunnar grimm-tidgan 4 galga festit; 205 
bellit pvi bragdi; biddit til ormom! 





good fight—the field was a-swim with blood. The two sons of Bera and 
her brother slew eighteen. They were the victors. 

The hero {Atli] broke into speech, though he was very wroth: ‘It 
is ill to look on, it is your doing; we were thirty fighting men, but 
eleven of us are left alive; we are asa remnant from the fire. We 
were five brethren when Budli died. Hell holds half of us now; two 
lie smitten down. I made a hard match—it cannot be gainsaid—thou 
woeful woman, I have little comfort from thee. I have never had rest 
since thou camest into my hands; thou hast bereft me of my kindred, 
defrauded me of my wealth, sent’ my sister to death. Needs must I feel 
it sorely.—Quoth Gudrun; Speakest thou so, Atli, yet thou didst begin 
it. Thou tookest my mother and murdered her for her riches; my 
sweet cousin thou didst starve ina cave. It is a laughter to me, that 
thou talkest of thy wrongs. I thank the Gods that thou farest ill.— 
Quoth Atli: Now I rouse you all, my men, to heap up hurt on this 
proud wife of mine; I would fain see it. Do your best to draw tears 
from Gudrun, I would gladly see her in distress. Take Hogni, and 
flesh him with a knife, cut out his heart, make you ready! As for the 
fierce Gunnar, tie him up to the gallows; be not afraid; call the snakes 
to their meal! 





180, vesi] vas,R. 181. peir felldo} emend.; par fello, RR. 196. Read, i Heljo? 
’ Z2 


340 THE ATLI POET. [BK. V. 


Hogni Geer sem til lystir; glaér munk bess bfda; 
g. raskr munk per reynask; reynt hefi-ek fyrr brattara ; 
Hefdot hnekking medan heilir vérom; 
nui erom svA sarir, at-pG munt sialfr valda. 210 
Beiti pat meelti;—bryti vas hann Atla: 
Tako ver Hialla, enn Hagna fordom! 
hagom ver halft yrkjom;—hann es skap-daudi; 
lifira sv4 lengi, laskr mun hann ez heitinn. 
Hreeddr vas hver-getir; hélta in lengr rimi; 215 
kunni kloekkr verda, kleif { ra hverja. 
Vesall lézt vigs pess, es skyldi v4ss gialda ; 
ok sfnn dag dapran, at deyja fra svfnom, 
allri cer-kosto, es hann 4ér hafdi. 
Téko peir brads Budla, ok brugdo til knifi ; 220 
cepdi fll-prali, 46r oddz kendi; 
tom lézt at eiga, tedja vel garda, 
vinna id vergasta, ef hann vid rétti; 
feginn lézt pé6 Hialli, at hann fiar pegi. 
Gettisk bess Hagni—goerva sv4 feeri— 225 
at 4rna 4nauédgom, at undan gengi: 
Fyrir kved-ek mer minna at fremja leik penna ; 
hv{i mynim her vilja heyra 4 pa skrekton! 
Prifo peir pidd-gédan; pa vas kostr engi 
rekkom rakklatom rad in lengr dvelja: 230 
hl6 p& Hagni, heyrdo drétt-megir ; 
keppa hann sv4 kunni; kval hann vel poldi. 





Quoth Hogni: Do thy will, I shall gladly endure it; I shall prove 
myself steadfast; I have been tried more sorély. Ye were shamefully 
beaten as long as we were sound, now we are so wounded thou must 
have thy way..... 

Then said Beiti, Atli’s steward: ‘Let us take Hialli and spare Hogni. 
Let us do half the work only. Hialli is only fit to die, however long he 
live he will always be known as a good-for-nothing.’ The kettle-keeper 
was sore afraid, he did not wait, [but ran away and] fell to whimpering, 
and hid away in every corner he could find, crying that it was a woeful 
battle indeed if he were to pay for all the hurt done, and a black day 
when he must die and leave his swine, and all the good fare that he had 
had. But they took Budli’s cook and lifted up the knife; the coward 
thrall cried out before he felt the blade, praying them to spare him ; 
he said that he would be glad if his life were but left him to dung the 
field, to do the meanest work, if only he might live. 

Hogni heard this; few would have done as he did, plead for the thrall 
that they would let him go: ‘It would trouble me less to play out the 
play, why should we be made to listen to this screeching ?’? Then they laid 
hands on the hero; there was no further choice for them to put it off 
any more. And Hogni laughed, the henchman heard it; he knew 
how to bear it, he suffered the torture bravely. : 





231. drétt-megir] emend. (cp. Atla-kvida, 1. 5); dag-megir, R, 





§ 4.] _ ATLA-MAL, 341 


Harpo t6k Gunnarr, hreérdi il-kvistom ; 
sl4 hann sv4 kunni, at snétir gréto ; 
klukko peir karlar es kunno geerst heyra. 235 


Rikri 148 sagdi. Raptar sundr brusto. 
‘D6 pa dyrir,’ dags vas heldr snemma, 
‘léto peir alesti lifa iprotta.’ 


Stérr péttisk Atli; sté hann um p4 b4da; 
horskri harm sagéi, ok ré6 heldr at bregda: 240 
morginn es nt, Gudrtin! misst hefir-bii per hollra ; 
sums ertu sialf-skapa, at hafi sv4 gengit.. 
Gudr. Feginn ertu, Atli, ferr pu vig l¥sa; 
g- & muno ber idrar, ef pu allt reynir: 
Si mun erfd eptir.—ek kann per segja:— 245 
fllz gengsk per aldri, nema ek ok deyja. 
Atl Kann-ek sliks synja; sé-ek til ra46 annat 
gq.  halfo hégligra—hafnom zva gédo! 
Mani mun-ek pik hugga, mztom Agzetom, 
silfri snze-hvito, sem pu sialf vilir. 250 
Guor. On es pess engi; ek vil pvi nita; 
g. _ Ssleit-ek-p4 sattir, at véro sakar minni; 
afkar ek 46r pétta; 4 mun nt gcéda; 
hrefSa-ek um hot-vetna medan Hagni lifdi. 
Alin vid upp vérom { eino hisi; 255 
lékom leik margan, ok { lundi é6xom; 
- gceeddi okkr Grimhildr golli ok hals-menjom 


bd 





“Gunnar took a harp and struck it with his toes, he knew how to play, 
so that the ladies wept and the men fell a weeping when they heard it. 


When he died the day was yet young..... 

Atli thought much of this, that he had overcome them both; he spake 
to the gallant lady and spared not to taunt her: ‘It is still morning and 
thou hast lost both of those thou lovedst. Much of what has happened 
is thine own doing.—Quoth Gudrun ; Thou art merry, Atli, giving 
notice of thy murders. Yet shalt thou rue it if thou try it to the end. 
A heritage of woe shall remain, I tell thee verily, which will always go 
ill with thee as long as I live.—Quoth Atii: I will traverse that, I can 
see another way, better by half. Let us not throw away our good luck: 
I will atone to thee with gifts of slaves, and costly treasures, and snow- 
white silver to thy heart’s content.—Quoth Gudrun: There is no hope 
of that. I refuse it. I have broken atonements where there was less cause. 
I was always thought hard to deal with, but now I shall be so; I could 
put up with everything as long as Hogni was alive. We were brought 
up in one house, we have played many a play together, we grew up to- 
. gether in the Grove. Grimhild used to deck us with gold and necklaces. 





238. Corrupt; read, lito es lysti? 248. eva] emend.; opt, R. 251. engi] 
engia, R. 254. hovetna, R, e 


342 THE? ATLI POET. [BK. v. 


bana muntu mer brcédra betta aldregi ; 
né vinna pess ekki, at mer vel pikki. 
Kostom drepr kvenna karla ofriki. 260 
I kné gengr hnefi, ef htinar_pverra. 
Tré tekr at hniga, ef hoeggr tag undan. 
Nt mattu einn, Atli, allo her rada. 
Gnétt vas grunn-yégi, es gramr pvi{ tridi; 
syn vas sveip-visi, ef hann sin gedi. 265 
Krapp vas p4 Gudrin; kunni um hug mela; 
létt hon ser goerdi; lék hon tveim skialdom. 
Lokit pvi léto,—lagat vas drykkjo; 
CExti hon al-drykkjor at erfa broédr sina; 
sumbl lét ok Atli at sina goerva: 270 
si vas sam-kunda vid svarfon of-mikla. 
Strang vas stér-hugud striddi hon ett Budla; 
vildi hon ver sinom vinna ofr-hefndir : 
Lokkadéi hon Iftla, es léko vid stokki; 
glipnodo grimmir, ok gréto peygi; 275 
foro { faém mddor; frétto hvat pa skyldi. 
Guér. — Spyrit litt eptir! spilla ztla-ek baddom ; 
g. lyst varomk pess lengi, at lyfja ykkr elli. 
[Svezn.] ‘Blott sem vilt barnom; bannar pat manngi;’ 
g. skammo ro reidi ef pu reynir gefa. 280 
Bra p& barnésko breééra in kapp-svinna ; 
—Skiptit skapliga—skar hon 4 hals bada. 





Thou canst never recompense me for my brothers’ death, nor do any- — 


thing to please me. Men’s tyranny often over-rides women’s wishes. 
The king is mated if the pawns are taken. The tree must fall if the 
roots be cut; thou shalt have thine own way now, Atli. - 

The king believed her, through his over-foolishness, yet the treachery 
was easy to see if he had paid heed withal. Gudrun was crafty, she 
knew how to dissemble; she made as if she took it lightly, she played a 
double game. 

They ceased speaking, the banquet was prepared; she made a 
banquet of ale for the funeral of her brothers, and Atli one for his men. 
This feast was uproarious; her heart ‘was hardened, she waged war 
against the race of Budli. She planned too great a vengeance on her 
husband. | 

She called to her children that were tottering about the pillars of the 
seats, the fierce boys whimpered but they did not weep, they went to 
their mother’s arms and asked her what she wanted.—Quoth Gudrun : 
Do not ask me, I mean to kill you both. I have long meant to save 
you from old age. [The bearing of the boys’ answer not clear,] Try to 
give rest to thy anger for a little while. The passionate woman slew 
the two brothers in their childhood—an evil deed it was—she cut both 
their throats. 





261. Emend.; i kne gengr nefi ef kvistir p., R. 270. sumbl lét] emend. ; 
samr lezt, R. 273. vinna] om. R. 274. es léko] emend.; ok esa 
280. Emend. ; ském mun ré reidi ef pu reynir gerva, R. 281. breedra] brapa, R 


alien lla ee ee 





§ 4.] ATLA-MAL. 343 


Enn frétti Atli, hvert farnir veri 
sveinar hans leika, es hann s& pé hvergi. 
Guir.  Yfir rddomk ganga Atla til segja ; 285 
g.  dylja munk pik eigi, déttir Grimhildar. 
Glada mun pik minnzt, Atli, ef pu geoerva reynir ; 
vakéir va mikla, es pi vatt broedr mina. 
Svaf-ek miak sialdan sfdans peir fello ; 
hét-ek per hardo; hefi-ek pik nui minntan ; 290 
morgin mer sagdir, man-ek enn pann goerva; 
ni-es ok aptan; 4tt-pu slikt at frétta. 
Maga hefir pi pbfnna misst sem pt sizt skyldir ; 
hausa veitz-pi peirra hafda at al-skdlom; 
drygda-ek per sv4 drykkjo, dreyra blétt-ek peirra; — 295 
t6k-ek peirra hiarto, ok 4 teini steikdak; 
selda-ek per sidan; sagdag at kalfs veeri;— 
Atztu bau med allo; ekki réttu leifa; 
teeggtu tidliga; tridir vel iaxlom. 
Barna Atztu pinna,—bidr ser far verra— 300 


hlut veld ek mfnom; hclomk pé ekki. 
Alli Grimm vastu, Gudrun, es pu goerva sv4 miattir, 
g.  barna pinna bl6éi at blanda mer drykkjo; 
snytt hefir-pé sifiungom, sem put sizt skyldir; 
mer letr-pi ok sialfom millom fillz lfid. 305 
Guir. Vili mer enn veri at vega pik sialfan; 
g. Att es full-flla farid vid gram slfkan. 
Dr¥gt pu fyrr hafdir, pat-es menn démi vissod 





But Atli asked where the boys had gone to play, since he saw them 
not.—Gudrun answered: 1 will tell thee a thing, Atli, that passes all 
others; I will not hide it from thee. Thy joy shall be minished, Atli, 
when thou hast heard it all. Thou didst waken no small woes when 
thou slewest my brethren. I have slept little since they fell. I promised 
thee evil, I gave thee full warning. It was in the morning that thou 
didst speak to me, I remember it well [of my brother’s death], now it 
is evening and it is thy turn to give ear. Thou hast lost thy sons in 
the worst of ways! know that their skulls have been used as ale- 
cups. I eked out thy drink, I mixed it with blood, I took their 
hearts and roasted them on the spits, and gave them to thee, telling 
thee they were calves’ hearts. Thou atest them up all, leaving nought; 
thou didst mumble them greedily, trusting in thy teeth. Thou hast 
eaten thine own children, the worst fate a man can have. It was 
my doing, yet I do not boast thereof.— A¢/i said: Cruel indeed thou 
wast, Gudrun, to do such a deed as to mix my children’s blood with my 
drink. Thou hast slain thine own children, the worst thing thou 
couldst do; thou leavest me no peace, evil follows evil. — Quoth Gudrun: 
I am minded to do more, to slay thee also. One cannot do too much 
harm to such a king as thou art. Thou hast done deeds such as none 





298. atztu pau med dllo] emend.; einn pu pviollir, R. 300. dtztu] veiztu, R. 
308. vissod til, R. - 


344 THE ATLI POET. _[BK. v. 


heimsko hardreediss f heimi bessom: 
nu hefir-pi enn aukit, pat-es 4dan fradgom, 310 
greipt gloep stéran; goert hefir-bti pftt erfi. 

Aili Brend mundo 4 bali, ok barid griéti 4ér; 


gq. pa hefir-pt 4rnat, patzti 2 beidizk. 
Guor. Seg per sialfom slikar sp4r morgin; 
g.  frfdra mun-ek dauda fara { lids annat. 315 


Séto sam-tyniss, sendosk far-hugi, 
hendosk heipt-yréi; hvArtki ser undi. 
Heipt 6x Hniflungi; hugdi 4 stérredi; 
gat fyr Gudrino, at hann veri grimmr Atla. 
Kémo { hug henni Hagna viéd-farar ; 320 
taléi happ hanom, ef hann hefnt ynni. 
Veginn vas pa Atli; vas bess skamt bfda; 
sonr va Hagna ok sialf Gudrtn. 
Raskr t6k at reeda;—rakéisk or svefni; 
kenndi bratt benja; bandz kvaé hann barf cenga:— 325 
Ati Segit i6 sannasta, hverr v4 son Budla! 
g.  Emka-ek lftt leikinn; lffs tel-ek van cenga. 
Guér. Dylja mun pik eigi déttir Grimhildar; 
g.  letomk pvi valda, es lfér pina cevi; 


enn sumo sonr Hagna, es pik sar mcéda. 330 
Aili Vadit hefir pu at vigi, pétt veerid skaplikt. 
q: fllt es vin véla, pannz per vel truir. 





have ever done, foolish cruelties in this house; and now thou hast 
added to it as I have lately heard, falling into great crimes. Thou hast 
drunk thine own funeral feast.—Quoth Atli: Thou shalt be burnt on a 
pyre, and stoned to death. Then thou shalt have earned that which 
thou hast always been seeking.—Quoth Gudrun: Tell to-morrow such 
prophecies of thyself. I am minded through a seemlier death to pass 
into another light. 

They sat in the same chamber, each bearing a deep grudge against the 
other, bandying words of hate; neither of them was happy. The 
Hniflung’s [Hogni’s son’s] wrath waxed high, he planned a mighty 
revenge, telling Gudrun of his hate for Atli. She remembered how 
they had dealt with Hogni; she said that she should be happy if she 
could revenge his father. Within a little space Atli was smitten. 
Hogni’s son and Gudrun herself smote him. 

The king broke into speech; starting from his sleep, he felt his 
wound and said that he was past need of bandages: ‘Tell me the 
whole truth, who has smitten the son of Budli. I have been hardly 
dealt with, I have no hope of life.’-—Quoth-Gudrun : Grimhild’s daughter 
will not lie to thee. It was my doing that thy life is fleeting, and the 
doing of Hogni’s son that thy wounds overcome thee. — Quoth Atii : 
Ye have made haste to slay, though it was wrong of you; it is ill to 
betray the friend that trusted in thee. I left my home in love to woo 





314. Emend. (V); seg mer slikar sorgir ar morgin, R. 315. Emend. (V) ; 
fridra vil-ek daudra, R. 


A ie 
we 





§ 4.] ATLA-MAL. : 345 


Beiddr fér-ek heiman at bidja pin, Gudrin. 
LeyfS vastu ekkja, léto stdér-rada ; 
varda van-lygi, es ver um reyndom. 335 
Fértu heim hingat; fylgdi oss herr manna; 
allt vas ftarlikt um érar ferdir; 
margs vas allz s6mi, manna tiginna ; 
naut v6ro cerin, nutom af stérom; 
par vas field fja4r; fengo til margir. 340 
Mund gallt-ek mzrri: meidma fiald piggja, 
preela pri tigo, pyjar siau gddar ; 
—scéemd vas at sliko,—silfr vas p6 meira. 
Létztu per allt pikkja sem ekki veeri,. 
nema pt landom rédir, es mer leifdi Budli; 345 
groftu sva undir, ‘goerdit hlut biggja ;’ 
svero léztu pina sitja opt gratna ; 
fann-ek { hug heilom hiéna veetr sfdan. 

Gur.  Lygr pu nd, Atli, pdétt ek pat Iftt rekja; 

gq: _heldr vas-ek heeg sialdan; hdftu pdé stérum. 350 

Bardosk ér broédr ungir, bérosk rég milli ; 
halft gekk til Heljar or husi pino; 
hrolldi hot-vetna pat-es til hags skyldi. 
Prii vérom systkin; péttom dédvegin; 
férom of landi; fylgdom Sigurdi; 355 
skeva ver létom; skipi hvert vart st¥rdi; | 
erkodom at audno, unz ver austr kv®mom. 
Konung drapom fyrstan; kurom land padra; 





thee, Gudrun ; thou wast praised in thy widowhood, and renowned for 
thy pride; it has turned out no lie now that it has come to the proof, 
Thou didst come home hither and a host of men with us, our company 
was altogether glorious ; there was a mighty show of noble men, store 
of cattle, and we had great pleasure therein, there was wealth of money, 
and many took share thereof. I paid thee the bride-price, abundance of 
treasure, thirty thralls, seven good bondmaids,—that was an honour to 
thee,—and silver to boot; but thou didst take all this as if it were nought, 
unless thou shouldst rule over the land which Budli left me. Thou didst 
plot [under mine].... Thou didst make thy mother-in-law to sit oft- 
times in tears. I never found any household at peace since thy coming. 

Quoth Gudrun ; Thou liest now, Atli, though I reck little thereof. I was 
seldom easy to deal with, but thou didst magnify my wrath. Ye young 
brethren fought with one another, strife arose between you, the half of 
thy house went to hell thereby; all that should have been peaceful 
quivered with hate. We were three, brothers and sisters, deemed 
unyielding; we went abroad and followed Sigurd, we roved about, 
every one steering his own ship; we set forth to seek adventures, until 
we came to the east [here]. Before that we slew kings, and divided 
their lands; the nobles did homage to us, in token of their terror of us. 





333. Read beidr? 335. van lygi, R. 345. Emend. (V); medan lénd 
pau lago, R. 350. hdftu] emend. (V); hostu, R#* . 


346 THE ATLI POET. [BK. v. 


hersar oss 4 hand gengo,—hrzzlo pat vissi ; 
vagom or skégi pannz vildom syknan; 360 
settom pbann selan es ser ne Attid.- 
Dauér vard inn Hunski; drap p4 br4tt kosti; 
strangt vas angr ungri, ekkio namn hlidta. 
Kveaol potti kvikri, at koma f hts Atla; 
Atti 4dr kappi; fllr vas s4 missir. 365 
Komta-pu af pvi pingi, es ver bat fraegim, 
at pu sak scéttir ne sloeckdir adra ;— 
vildir avalt veegja; enn veetki halda; 
kyrt um pvi lata . . Ere : 
A tli Lygr pd ni, Gudrin! Litt mun vid beétask 370 
g. ,hluti hvérigra; hafom all skardan. 
Geer-pu nd, Gudrtin, af geézko pinni 
okkr til 4gzetiss, es mik Ut hefja! 
Guér. Knarr mun-ek kaupa ok kisto steinda; 
g. vexa vel blceéjo at verja pitt liki; 375 
hyggja 4 perf hverja, sem vid holl verim. 


Nar vard pé Atli; nidjom strid céxti; 
efndi ftr-borin allt patz ré6 heita. 
Fré6 vildi Gudrin fara ser at spilla ; 
urdo dval dégra; dé hon f sinn annad. 380 


Sell es hverr sfdan, es slfkt getr foéda 
i66 at afreki, sem 6l Gidki: 
Lifa mun pat eptir 4 landi hverjo 
peirra Pré-mexi, hvargi-es pidd heyrir. 





We inlawed by force those whom we would justify, and filled him that 
* had nought with good things. When the Hunnish king [Sigurd] died, 
our glory departed in a moment. Sore grief was mine to be called a 
widow, bitter pain to me to come into Atli’s household. A champion 
was my first husband, his loss was ill to bear; but thou, as far as I know, 
never camest from the Court, whether thou wast pleading thy suit or 
sitting on the suit of another—thou couldst never carry it, or hold thine 
Own..... —Quoth Aili: Thou liest, Gudrun, there is little to choose 
between our lots, our lives now are maimed altogether. But I pray 
thee, Gudrun, entreat me honourably when they bear me out [to bury 
me].—Quoth Gudrun: 1 will buy thee a ship and a stained coffin, I will 
wax the sheet well that shall shroud thy body, and provide all ‘that is 
needful, as if we had loved one another. 

Now Atli became a corpse; the grief of kinsmen was pies the 
high-born lady fulfilled all that she had promised. The wise Gudrun 
tried to slay herself, but she was respited; she died another time. 

Poet’s Epilogue: Happy is he that shall beget such a bold lady as 
Giuki begat. The TALE of their QUARREL [Gudrun’s and Atli’s] shall 
live after them, in every land, wheresoever men hear it told. 





363. namn] nam, R. 367. slekpir, R. 369. Blank in R. 














ain ee ee a ee ey 


cantieieliee a! eeee 








§ 4.] FRAGMENT OF AN ATLI LAY. 347 


FRAGMENT OF AN ATLI LAY. 


THIs little fragment is found tacked on to the Old Lay of Gudrun 
(p. 316), from which it differs in both style and metre: whereas its 
whole character is near in kind to di/a-ma/. But that the metre is not 
exactly the same, one would have supposed it a piece somehow dropped 
out of that poem. And one would be led to favour that conjecture the 
more from the fact that there seems to be something lacking in Atla- 
mal, just where the poet would be dealing with the same subject as our 
fragment here. 

Asa piece of, at all events, a parallel Lay, we have placed it here. 


yee mik Atli, enn ek vesa pdéttomk 
full illz hugar at [mina] freendr dauda. 
All Sv4 mik nyliga Nornir vekja 
gq.  Vil-sinnis spa, vildak at pd rédir :— 
Hugda-ek pik, Gudérin Gitka déttir, 5 
le-blandnom hizrvi leggja mik { goegnom. 
Guir. Pat es fyr eldi es iarn dreyma, 
g.  fyr dul ok vil drésar reidi: 
mun-ek pik vid balvi brenna ganga, 
likna ok lekna, pdétt mer ‘leidr sér.’ TO 
Aili Hugéa-ek her f{ tuni teina fallna 
q. pa-es ek vildigak visna lata, 
rifnir med rétom, rodnir { bl6di, 
bornir 4 bekki, beedir mik at tyggja. 
Hugda-ek mer af hendi hauka fliiga 15 
braéa-lausa bzol-ranna til : 
hiaorto hugdomk peirra vid hunang tyggja 
sorg-m6d6s sefa sollin bl6di. 
Hugéa-ek mer af hendi hvelpa losna 
glaums andvana ‘gvlli’ badir: . 20 





Gudrun speaks ; ATLI woke me, but I lay thinking, full of evil designs, - 
on my kinsmen’s death.—Said Atli: The Norns have just waked me 
with forebodings of evil. I would have thee interpret them. I dreamed 
that thou, Gudrun, Giuki’s daughter, thrust me through with a poisoned 
sword,—Gudrun answered ; To dream of iron means fire, to dream of a 
woman’s anger means sickness and sorrow.... I shall blister thee 
against some sickness, heal thee, and nurse thee, though thou art.... 
to me.—Said Atli: 1 dreamed that there fell down in the croft two 
saplings, which I would not have seen withered, torn up by the roots, 
red with blood; they were laid on the table, and ye bade me eat them. 
I dreamed that two hawks flew off my hand famished for food into.... 





4. Emend. ; vildi at ek reda, R. 6. hior, R. 12. visna] emend. ; vaxna, R. 
14. bedit, R. 17. hugda-ek . . . tuggin, R. * 


348 THE HUNS’ CYCLE. (BK. v. 


hold hugda-ek peirra at hraom ordit, 
naudigr nai nyta ek skyldak. 

Guér. Par muno seggir um scefing déma, 

gq. Ok hvitinga [tva] haféi nema; 

peim muno feigom farra natta 25 
fyr dag litlo dréttir bergja. 

Alli Lega-ek sidan, ne sofa vildak, 

g.  pra-giarn { ker. Pat man-ek goerva..... 








§s. THE HUNS’ CYCLE. 


HLOD AND ANGANTHEOW’S LAY. 


In the introduction to the Battle of Samsey and the Waking of 
Angantheow (Book iii. § 1, p. 159), the first part of the Angantheow 
cycle has been told, down to the death of King Heidrek the Riddle-wise, 
with whom Woden capped riddles (see Book ii. § 1, p. 86). Woden’s 
prophecy came true. Heidrek was slain by his own thralls, with his 
own sword Tyrfing. He left an Amazon daughter, a second Herwor, 
and a son, Angantheow the Second (called after his great grandfather), 
by his wife; and by his bondmaid the daughter of Humbli, king of the 
Huns, a bastard named Hlod. Angantheow recovers the sword from 
the thralls and takes the kingdom of Arham, ruling at Danpstead after 
his father. Hlod comes from the court of his grandfather, Humbli, to 
claim his share of the heritage. Angantheow will not acknowledge his 
right, but offers him wealth and favour. All might have gone well but for 
Angantheow’s old counsellor, Gizur, king of the Greothings, who rouses 
Hlod’s pride and Angantheow’s anger. Snorri (1238) makes Gizur to be 
Wodenin disguise, who eggs the kings against each other,—an evil mentor. 
(See Hakonar S., Rolls Ed., ch. 194.) Whether Woden or no, he has 
wakened war. Messages of defiance pass between Goths and Huns, and 
on Dunheath at Dylgy is fought a famous fight between countless hosts 
of either king. Herwor is slain, Hlod is wounded to death by Tyrfing, 
and the Goths remain the victors. Anganthéow’s last interview on the 
battle-field with his dying brother is touching, and closes the scene. The 

. curse of Tyrfing is working still. Hauks-book fails us for these poems; 





I dreamed that in sorrowful mood I ate their hearts, all full of blood, 
dressed with honey. I dreamed that I slipped two whelps from my 
hand, they were mute, they both..... I dreamed that they were 
turned to carrion, and that I was forced to eat them, though it was 
a sin to do it.— Gudrun answered ; Men will soon be fixing the slaughter- 
ing [the autumn butchery for the winter’s food] and shall cut off the 
heads of two young white bears, the household will feed on their car- 
cases a few nights hence..... 

Atli went on: Afterwards I lay, without being able to sleep, hard put 





to it, on my sick bed. I remember it well..... 
22. naudigr nai] Bugge; naudigra na, R. 25. Emend.; peir m, feigir... 
dréttum, R. 


“a 








~— 





§ 5.] HLOD AND ANGANTHEOW’S LAY. 349 


‘the B vellum (Cod. Reg. 2845) helps us down to I. 37, after which we 


depend upon bad copies from what was probably a blotted and fading 
vellum. Much of the poem is in so bad a state that we have printed it 
in small type. The end verses are again clearer. 

Saxo knew fragments of this poem, and paraphrases the story. For 
ll. 98-103 see Appendix. Skioldunga also contained a paraphrase of 
part of it. The poem is interesting historically, as containing faint 
reminiscences of the great wars between Goths and Huns in the east of 
Europe. Such words as Danp (Danube or Dnieper) and Harvada-fioll 
(Carpathian Hills) have survived in it to the eleventh century. 

The readings borrowed from the copies of Hauks-book we mark a. 


a kv630 Humla Htinom rédéa, 
Gitzor Grytingom, Gotom Anganty, 
Valdar Danom, enn Valom Kiar, 
Alrekr inn froékni Enskri piddo. 
Hlcedr vas par borinn f Hunalandi 5 
saxi ok me@ sverdi, sfdri brynjo, 
hialmi hring-reif6om, hvassom meki, 
mari vel tomom 4 Moark-inni-helgo. 
Hlcedr reid austan Heidreks arfi; 
kom hann at gardi, par-es Gotar byggja, 10 
{ Arheima arfs at kvedja, 
; par drakk Angantyr erfi Heidreks. 
Segg fann hann uti fyr sal havom, 
ok s{d-foorlan sidan kvaddi: 
Inn gakktu seggr { sal havan! 15 
bid mer Anganty and-spiall bera. 
Her es Hlcedr kominn, Heidreks arf-begi,- 
br6éir pinn inn bed-skami ; 
mikill es s4 madr ungr 4 mars baki, 
vill nG, piddan, vid pik tala. 20 
Rymr varé f ranni, ‘riso med Gotom,’ 





In the days of old, they say Humli ruled the Huns, Gizur the 
Greothings, Angantheow the Goths, Waldar the Danes, and Kiar the 
Welsh [Gauls], Alrick the Bold the English people. It was then that 
Hlod was born in Hunland on the Holy Mark, with knife and with 
sword, with long mail-coat, with ring-fitted helm, and the whetted brand, 
and well-broken war-horse. 

Hlod, Heidrek’s heir, rode from the East; he came to the Hall in 
Arham, where the Goths dwell, to seek his inheritance, where Angan- 
theow was drinking the arval over Heidrek. He found a warrior 
outside before the high hall, and spoke to the late roamer: ‘Go in, 
man, to the high hall; ask Angantheow to talk with me.’ 

The Warder goes into the Hall, and spake to Angantheow, saying: ‘Hlod, 
Heidrek’s heir, is come hither, thy bastard brother; the young man sits 
high on his horse’s back, he wishes to speak with thee, O king.’ 

There was an uproar in the hall, a stir among the Goths, every one 





1. Hinom] a; fyr her, B. 2. Grytingom] emend.; Gautom, B, 18. 
bed-skami] thus B, — 21, Gotom] godom, B. « 


350 THE HUNS’ CYCLE. [BK. v. 


vildi hverr heyra hvat Hloedr meelti, 
ok pau es Angantyr andsvar veitti. 
Hllobr Hafa vil-ek halft allt pat-es Heidrekr Atti, 

q: ki ok af kalfi, kvern pidtandi, 25 
‘al ok’ af oddi, ‘einom skatti,’ 
pyjo ok preli ok peirra barni : 
hris pat i6 mera, es Myrkvidr heitir, 
graf pa ina helgo, es stendr 4 Godpiddo : 
stein bann inn meera, es stendr 4 stadom Danpar, 30 
halfar her-borgir, pzr-es Heidrekr Atti, 
land [ok lyda] ok lidsa bauga. 

Angant. Bresta mun fyr, brédir, lind in blik-hvita, 

q: ok kaldr geirr koma vid annan, 
ok margr gumi f gras hniga, 35 
an ek munu Humlungi halfan [arf] lata, 
e6a Tyrfing { tvau deila. 
Ek mun bidéa per bauga fagra, 
fé ok fiold meidma, sem pik fremst tfdir: 
Tolf hundrud gef-ek per manna; 40 
tolf hundrud gef-ek per mara; 
tolf hundrud gef-ek per skalka, beirra-es skiaold bera: 
Manni gef-ek hyerjom ‘mart at biggja’ 
‘annat cé6ra, an’ 
mey gef-ek hverjom manni at biggia; 45 
meyjo spenni ek hverri men at halsi: 
Mun-ek um ik sitjanda silfri meela, 
enn ganganda pik golli steypa, 
sva 4 vega alla velti baugar ; 





wished to hear what Hlod wanted, and what answer Angantheow 
would make. 

Then Hlod came in and said: 1 will have half of all that Heidrek 
owned ; of cow and calf, and the murmuring hand-mill, of awl and of 
edge .... of bondwomen and thralls and their children; the famous 
Forest that is called Mirkwood, the Holy Grave that stands in Gothland, 
the famous Stone that stands in Danpstead, half the war-harness that 
Heidrek owned, the land and folk and bright rings. 


Angantheow made answer : The white-shining shield shall be cloven, — 


brother, and cold spear strike on spear, and many a man sink to the 
grass, before I give thee half of the heritage, or cut Tyrfing in two 
between us, thou son of Humli. I will offer thee fair rings, wealth and 
treasures in plenty, as many as thou couldst wish. I will give thee twelve 
hundred men, I will give thee twelve hundred horses, I will give thee 
twelve hundred grooms to bear their shields. I will give every man.... 
I will give a maid to every man, and to every maid a necklace to clasp 
her neck. I will measure thee in silver as thou sittest, and cover thee 





27. Emend.; py ok af prali, B. 29. sige] a; gdd0, B. Godpiddo] a; 
goto piodar, B. 31. her-borgir] a; heruodir, B. 34. B om. this verse. 





! 
/ 








<a a eae SaaS: a Claim 








— 


§ 5.] 


HLOD AND ANGANTHEOW’S LAY. 


35! 
pridiung Godpidédar, pvi skaltu einn rdda. 50 
Greurr Petta es biggjanda pyjar barni, 
grytinga barni pyjar, pétt sé borinn konungi; 
foi g. pa hornungr 4 haugi sat, 
es wOlingr arfi skipti. 
Humli q. Angantyr q. 
Sitja skolom ver i vetr ok sezlliga lifa, Miék voro ver margir es ver mid 
drekka ok dma dyrar veigar, 56 drukkom, 


kenna Hunom her-vapn bua 
pau er freknliga skolom fram bera. 
Vel skolom ver Hldr herlid bua f 
ok ramliga randir knyja 60 
med tolf vetra mengi ok tvevetrom fola, 
sva skal Huna her of safna, 
Ormarr q 
Skal-ek vist riba ok rond bera 
Gotna piddom gunni at heyja. 
Sunnan em ek kominn, at segja spidll 
pessi 
svidiu er 6ll Myrkvidar heidr, 
drifin dll Godpidd gumna blddi 
Mey veit ek Heidreks . . 
systur pina svigna til iardar, 
hafa Hunar hana felda 70 
ok marga adra ydra pegna, 
léttari geerdisk hon at bodvi an vid 
bidil réeda 


nu ero ver feri, er ver fleiri skyidim. 75 
Sékkat-ek mann i mino lidi 
pott ek bidja ok baugom kaupa, 
es muni rida ok rénd bera, 
ok peirra Huna herlid finna. 
Gizurr q. 
Ek mun pik einskis eyris krefjfa_ 80 
ni skiallanda skarfs or golli: 
pé6 mun-ek rida ok rénd bera 
Hina piddom . . . bidda. 
Hvar skal ek Huinom her vig kenna? 
Angantyr q. 
Kendo at Dylgio ok at Dunheidi, 85 
ok 4 peim dllom Iosor-fiollom ; 
par opt Gotar gunni hado 
ok fagran sigr fregir vago. 
Gizurr q. 
Felmtr er ydarr fylkir, feigr er ydarr visi, 


‘gnefar’ ydur gunnfani, gramr er ydr 


eda i bekk at fara at brudar-gangi. Odinn! go 





with gold as thou standest,.so that the rings shall roll all over thee; the 
third part of the Gothic people for thee to rule alone. 

Then Gizur, the hero of the Greothings, Heidrek’s foster-father ,when he 
heard this» offer, said: This is surely an offer to be taken by a bond- 
woman’s son, by a bondwoman’s son; yea, though he is | begotten by a 
KMS Sines 

Hence only a partial translation : 

Hlod, angry at Gizur’s words, refuses Angantheow’s offer, and goes home 
to his grandfather Humli, who agrees to help him to avenge him on his 
half-brother, saying, ‘{We will go forth with the full war-levy] with 
men twelve winters old, and foals two winters old!’ 

_Wormbere is sent to bid defiance to Angantheow ; he says; 1am come from 
the south to tell thee this message; all the march is burnt up and the 
forest of Mirkwood, all Gothland is soaked with the blood of men. [TAy 
sister is slain], she that was merrier in the battle than when she talked 
with her wooers, or walked to the bench at a bridal. 

When Angantheow in his anger offered a reward to him that would go 
and pitch a battle-ground against the Huns, Gizur said: 1 will never ask 
thee tor a single ounce, nor the ringing shard of gold [dut will go 
gladly|. Where shall I challenge the Huns to battle? 

Angantheow answered ; Challenge them to Dylgy, and to Dunheath, 
and under Iosur-fells, where the Goths have often fought and gained a 
glorious victory. 

Gizur accordingly challenges the Huns and casts his spear against them: 
Your ranks are panic-stricken, your king is doomed, your war-banner 
droops, Woden is wroth with you! I challenge you to Dylgy and to 


352 THE HUNS’ CYCLE. [BK. v: 


Byd-ek ydr at Dylgio ok at Dunheidi Gizurr q. 

orrosto undir Josor-fiollom. Vélad oss Huinar horubogar yOrir ! 

hresi ydr & ha hverri, [meeli, Miki’ 

ok lati sva Odinn flein flitiga sem ek fyr S mrseiy a. peng! pelts: 
Hladr g Sextan ero seggija fylki, 100 


i fylki hverjo fimm pusundir, 
{ pusund hverri prettan hundrud, 
i hundradi hverjo halir fidr-taldir. 


Takiéd ér Gieur [Grytinga-lida] 95 
mann Angantys kominn or Arheimom. 

Humili q. [saman. 

Eigi skolom arom spilla peim-s fara einir 


Angant. Baud-ek per, brdédir, basmir déskerdar, 
q. fé ok fialé meidma, sem pik fremst tfddi. 105 
Nut hefir pi hvarki hildar at gialdom, 
lidsa bauga, né land ekki. 


Balvat es okkr, brdédir, bani em-ek pinn ordinn, 
pat mun ez uppi; illr es démr Norna! 


FRAGMENT OF AN ANGANTHEOW LAY. 


ESS galt hon gedda fyrir Grafar-ési 
es Heidrekr vas veginn und Harvada-fiallom. 





Dunheath, to battle under Iosur-fell,....and may Woden let the 
javelin fly according to my words.—Cried Hlod: Take Gizur, Angan- 
theow’s man of Arham!—Humbli: Nay, never hurt a single man !— 
Gizur: Your Bastards shall not frighten us out of our wits. 

He comes back and tells his lord; Great is the company of them! There 
are sixteen hosts of men, in every host five thousand, in every thousand 
thirteen hundred, in every hundred four times forty men. 

The Battle was fought. Hlod was wounded to death, and Angantheow 
came where he lay and spake to him: 1 offered thee, brother, wealth 
unstinted, riches and store of wealth, as thy heart could most fully 
desire. Now thou hast neither the bright rings nor yet the land as 
battle-wages. 

There is a curse on us, brother. I was ordained to be thy slayer—it 
shall never be forgotten! Evil was the Doom of the Fates. ? 





When Angantheow was wandering through the woods after his father’s 
murder, he came on some runaway thralls fishing in a river. One of them 
caught a big pike, and called for the knife to cut off its head, saying as he 
used it— 

Tuis pike hath paid here at Grafe-mouth, for the slaughter of 
Heidrek under the Carpathian hills. In the gleaming blade Angantheow 
recognised the lost Tyrfing, and knew that the thralls were his father’s 
murderers. He therefore caught up the sword, and slew them with it. 
But in regaining the sword, he brought the curse that accompanied it upon 
himself. 


i Leff 


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——— << =< = 


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§ 6] HEROIC MUSTER-ROLLS. 353 


§6. HEROIC MUSTER-ROLLS. 


THERE are here printed the remains of a class of compositions, of 
which the chief example must have been the Catalogue of the Heroés 
at the Battle of Bravailia, which was to the early Scandinavians what 
the struggle at Troy was to the Greeks. The names of the Heroes 
are, for the help of the memory, thrown into a chain of alliterative 
couplets, just as we now roughly index things in alphabetic order. The 
Thulor-compilers applied the same system to their lists of words in a 
later age. 

The original poem on the Bravalla-battle, besides the Catalogue 
(which is of an Homeric character, giving information respecting the 
names and nicknames of over fifty heroes, their countries, and their 
place in the battle-array), seems to have dealt with the struggle itself. 
We have two prose paraphrases, one in Latin, by Saxo, Book ix. 11, 
which is amplified in that author’s usual style, even Icelanders being 
introduced; the other, in Skioldunga, we print here :— 


Margir kappar adrir véro komnir dr Noregi til pessarrar orrosto :— 

préndr proenzki, pdrir Moerski, Helgi inn Hviti, Biarni, Hafr, Fidr Firzki, 
Sigurér, Erlingr Snakr af Iadri, Ségo-Eirekr, Holmsteinn Hviti, Einarr Egdzki, Hrutr 
Vafi, Oddr Vidforli, Einarr pritigr, Ivarr Skagi:—pDessir véro kappar miklir Hrings 
konungs : Aki, Eyvindr, Egill Skialgi, Hildir, Gautr Gudi, Tolo-Steinn’ af Veni, 
Styrr enn Sterki:—pessir hofdo enn eina sveit: Hrani Hildar son, Sveinn Upp-skeri, 
Hiaumbodi, ok Séknar-Séti, Hrokkell Héekja, Hrolfr Kvensami:—peir véro enn : 
Dagr enn Digri, Gerdarr Gladi, Dukr Vindverski, Glimr Vermski.—Vestan af 
Elfinni: Saxi Flettir, Sali Gauzki.—pessir voro ofan af Sviaveldi: Nori, Haki, Karl 
Kekkja, Krékarr af Akri, Gunnfastr, Glysmakr G6di.—pessir véro ofan af Sigtinom : 
Sigmundr Kaupangs-kappi, Tolo-Frosti, Adils Oflati fra Uppsdlom; hann gekk fyrir 
framan merki ok skidldo, ok var eigi i orrosto.—Sigvaldi er komit hafdi til Hrings 
konungs ellifo skipom*. Tryggvi ok Tvivivill hoféu komit tolf skipom. Lesir 
hafdi skeid ok alla skipaéa med k6ppom: Ejirekr Helsingr hafdi dreka mikinn vel 
skipadan her-ménnom.—Menn véro ok komnir til Hrings konungs af pelamérk, er 
kappar voro, ok h6fdo minzt yfir-lat, pviat peir pétto vera drag-méalir ok tém-latir. 
pessir véro padan: porkell prai, porleifr Goti, Haddt Hardi, Grettir Rangi, Hrdaldr 
Ta,—Sa& madr var enn kominn til Hrings konungs er hét Régnvaldr Hai eda 
Radbarér Hnefi, allra kappa mestr; hann var fremstr i rananom, ok nest honom 
voro peir Tryggvi ok Lasir, ok ut i fra Alreks synir, [Alfr] ok Yngvi. pa voro 
pilirnir, er allir vildo sizt hafa, ok hugdo litla lidsemd mundo at vera. peir véro 
bogmenn miklir. 


But besides this, we have in the spurious poems of the Mythical Sagas 
Lists of Champions which are manifestly the echoes of genuine older 
verse, and may probably contain passages borrowed from them. Of 
these we have the list of Half’s Champions, No. 1, which is the nearest 
of all to the Bravalla Catalogue. No. 2, the List in the Death-Song 





1 Emend.; Tollus Steinn, Cd. 2 An echo from Try®gvason and Swolder. 
Aa 


354 HEROIC MUSTER-ROLLS. [BK. Vv. 


of Hialmar (as in Orvar-Odd’s Saga) of ‘the mighty men that sit in 
the hall of my father.’ No. 3, the List of Wickings in the Lay (late 
and imitative, see Book ix) of Asbiorn the Proud. No. 4, one of the 
late and spurious fragments relating to Starkad in Gautrik’s Saga. Far 
more interesting than any of these would have been the poem on the 
Crew of the Long Serpent which has been used for the prose lists of 
King Olaf Tryggvason’s mighty men in the Book of Kings. Of this 
there are five recensions, three in Odd, one in the Heimskringla text, 
one in the full Life of the King; they should some day be carefully har- 
monised and edited. They tell, like the Bravalla Catalogue, the names, 
homes, and quarters of some forty-five of King Olaf’s picked guard, 
—a bird’s eye view as it were of Norwegian politics and patriotism. 
The splendid roll of the Conquerors and their exploits in Wace’s 
spirited account of the fight at Senlake will at once strike the reader 
as a later parallel. 


I. 


BOkER ok Brynidlfr, Balverkr, Haki, 

Egill ok Erlingr Aslaks synir. 
Mest véro mer manna hugdir 
Hrékr brééir minn ok Halfr konungr, 
Styrr inn sterki, Steinar badir, 5 
snar-radir menn synir Gunnladar. 
Hringr ok Halfdan, Haukar badir 
réttir d6mendr Dana pidéar, 
«4. 05.0 a a oe 
Starri ok Steingrimr, Styrr ok Gauti, : 10 
finnr pt aldri fridari drengi: 
Valr ok Haukr { verdungo 
badir froéknir budlungs vinir. 
Vé bar Vémundr es vega pordi, 
Biarn ok Bersi fyr budlungi. 15 

II. 

Drukku ver ok dé@médom dcgr mart saman: 
Alfr ok Atli, Eymundr trani, 
Gitzurr glama, GodvarGr starri, 
Steinkell stikill, St6rolfr vffill : 
Hrafn ok Helgi, Hlcedver fgull, ; 20 
Steinn ok K4ri, Styrr ok Ali, 
Otzorr, Agnarr, Ormr ok Trandill, 
Gylfri ok Gauti, Giafarr ok Raknarr, 
Fiolmundr, Fialarr, Frosti ok Beinir, 
Tindr ok Tyrfingr, tveir Haddingiar, 25 
Valbiarn, Vikarr, Vemundr, Flosi, 
Geirbrandr, Gauti, Gothormr snerill, 
Styrr ok Ari, Steinn ok Kari, 
Veaottr, Veseti, Vémundr ok Hnefi: 








ee ee 


i 

= 

# 
oF 








FRAGMENT OF A STARKAD LAY. 


Snarfari, Sigvaldi, Seebiarn ok Kolr, 

Prainn ok Piéstolfr, Péralfr ok Svalr, 

Hrappr ok Haddingr, Hunfastr, Knui, 
Ottarr, Egill, med Ingvari. 


III. 


Annat var ba es inni allir saman vérom: 


Gautr ok Geiri, Glimr ok Starri, 
Samr ok Semingr synir Oddvarar, 
Haukr, ok Hama, Hrékr ok Toki, 
Hrani ok Hagni, Hialmr ok Stefnir, 
Grani, ok Gunnarr, Grfmr ok Szorkver, 


Tumi ok Torfi, Teitr ok Geitir. 


IV. 


b4 samnadéi Scerkvi ok Gretti 
Haraldz arfpegi Hildigrfmi, 

Erp ok Ulfi, An ok Skiémo, 

Hroa ok Hrotta Herbrandz syni, 
Styr ok Steinpdéri fra Stadi nordan ; 
Par var inn gamli Gunnolfr blesi. 


FRAGMENT OF A STARKAD LAY. 


ANN hef ek manna menzkra fundit 
hring-hreytanda hrammastan at afli. 


355 


30 


35 


40 


45 


PRESERVED in Skalda, part of a poem paraphrased by Saxo; see 
Appendix, in which the Danish hero reviews his past life and exploits. 
Our lines answer to Saxo’s ll. 118, rrg. 





we 





OF all human warriors this is the strongest I ever met. 


Aa2 


BOOK; Vi. 


SCHOLIA, 


TuIs Book contains a small anthology of Ditties or Scholia, sponta- 
neous improvisations of a popular character; these are classified according 
to metre and subject. More ditties of a like kind might be picked out 
of Sturla’s work, but we suspect their authenticity; they have the 
look of book-made, not spontaneous ditties, and there is a flatness and 
sameness about them: are they by Sturla himself? 


SECTION 1 comprises the scholia proper, in epic short metre, with few 
exceptions, No. 13a in didactic metre; with rhymes Nos. 1, 2, 18, 28, 
30, 35, 38, 42, 46, 48, 50, 55, 60, 61-65, Nos. 22, 61, 67-69 with end 
rhymes (No. 71, without alliteration, stands alone as a modern ballad), 
arranged as follows :— 


Nos. 1 to 14: Ditties referring to myths, ghosts, dreams, goblins, 
etc. 


Nos. 15 to 36: Improvisations of historical or anecdotic interest 
touching Icelanders. 


Nos. 37 to 56 are of a like character, but refer to Norwegian 
history. 


Nos. 57 to 71: Epigrams and Satires, ‘nid,’ ‘flimt,’ ‘ qvidling,’ 
‘danz,’ as they are called; see Dict. sub voce danz, p. 96. 


No. 72 sqq.: Epitaphs on Rune-stones, all, save the Norwegian 
No. 80, from Sweden. 


SECTION 2, Compositions of a song-like or lyrical character in a 
marked and rare metre, which we may style the Turf-Einar metre, 
a metre which forms a link between the Epic of earlier and the court- 
metres of later times. We have set first Turf-Einar’s own Poem, and 
after it a few snatches and staves of Wicking song. 


> 
% 
r 
» 
’ 








— Se ee a ee ee er Le 





a ee ee eae 








§ 1. DITTIES. 


By rough estimate we should put Nos. 1-11, 15-35, 37-41, 57-63 
to the tenth century [900-1010], Nos. 12, 42-48, 72 sqq. to the eleventh, 
Nos. 13, 14, 49-55 to the twelfth, and Nos. 56, 66-71 to the thirteenth 
century. Of several the age must be doubtful. 


I. Mythical, Ghosts, Dreams. 


1. Lrollk, ROLL kalla mik: tungls-iét-rungni, 
q: at-sigs iatun, el-sidtar-baol, 
vil-sinn valo, vard natt-ferda, 
hleif-svelg hifins—Hvat es Trott nema bat? 
Bragt Sxatp kalla mik: skap-smid Vidurs, 5 


g. Gautz giaf-ratod, grepp éhneppan, 
Yggs al-bera, 66s skap-mdda, 
hag-smid bragar.—Hvat es skaLD nema bat? 
Edda (Sk.) 
a. Trautt man-ek trua ber troll, kvad Haskollr. 
Sturlunga vii. ch. go. 
3. Her ferr Gryla { gard ofan, Io 


ok hefir 4 ser hala fimtdn. 
Sturlunga vii. ch. 44. 





1. Poet and Ogress, emblems as it were of the two spirits of Destruction 
and Creation, meet in the twilight and hail one another—Who art thou? 
The Monster answers: They call me Troll [fiend]: Gnawer of the 
Moon, Giant of the gale-blasts, Curse of the rain-hall [heaven], Com- 
panion of the Sibyl, Night-roaming hag, Swallower of the loaf of heaven’ 
[sun]. What isa Fiend but that? Says Bragi: They call me Poet: 
Mixer of Woden’s wine, Finder of Woden’s gift, guileless Bard, Bearer 
of Woden’s ale, Brewer of Modi’s inspiration, Craftsman of song. What 
is a Poet but that? 

2. 4 proverb (relating to some adventure, the tale of which is lost), 
quoted by Sturla as ‘Timeo Danaos et dona ferenteis :’ I dare not trust 
thee, fiend! quoth Hoskold. | 

3. The many-tailed Goblin-Vixen (like the Vampire-Cat of Nabeshima), 
an Icelandic Bogie: Here comes Gryla down to the farmyard, with 
fifteen brushes behind her, 





2. Emend.; audsug iotuns el solar bél, Cd. 3. Emend.; nattf., re 8. 
4. 1eB; hvel-svelg, r. * 


358 DITTIES. [BK. VI. 


ry Kalt vatn augom, enn kvett tannom, 
lérept liki: Lat mik aptr f sid. 
Dregr mik engi 4 degi sidan 
madr upp f skip af marar-botnom. 15 
Halfs §., ch. 7. 
5. Geirhildr getta, gétt es al petta, 
ef pvi ann-markar engir fylgja: 
ek sé hanga 4 hadvom galga 


son pinn, kona, seldan Odni. 
Halfs S., ch. 1. 


6. Tuttr lftl, ok toppr fyrir nefi! 20 
meiri vas Godmundr { ger borinn. 
Orvar Odds Saga, ch. 18. 


". Ek r{6 hesti hélog-barda 
urig-toppa, illz-valdanda : 
eldr es { endom, eitr es { midjo: 
sva es um Flosa rad sem fari kefli, aes 
svA es um Flosa r46 sem f. k. 
Niala, ch. 126. 


8, Rodin es Geirvar gumna bldéi, 
hon man hylja hausa manna. 
Eyrbyggja S., ch. 43. 





4. A merman is caught, they try to get good counsel from him (as Mene- 
laos does from Proteus), asking him what is best, but he will not speak till 
they promise to let him go again, then he cries out: Cold water for the 
eyes! Flesh for the teeth! Linen for the body! Put me back in the 
sea. No man shall draw me up to his boat from the bottom of the 
deep again. 

5. King Alrek promised to marry which of two ladies brewed him the 
best ale. Signy prayed to Freya, but Geirhild vowed to Woden what was 
between her and the brewing-vat. When it came to trying the ale, hers 
proved the best, and King Alrek cried: Geirhild, my girl, good is thine 
ale, if there be no curse on it; but I can see thy son, woman, hanging 
on a high gallows given to Woden. For Geirhild was with child. Her 
son Wikar afterwards met the predicted fate. 

6. A Brobdignagian story, the hero Arrow-Ord in Giant-land dandled 
by the Giantess, who sings this lullaby: Little babe with tufted chin. 
Godmund, born yesterday [the giant-child], was bigger than thee. 

7. Before the burning of Nial dire portents are seen. One night there 
appeared in the west a halo of fire, in the midst of which was a dark form 
on a grey steed whirling lighted firebrands in his hands, as be sped swiftly 
through the air. As he dashed past the horror-stricken gazers, he shouted: 
I ride a steed with rimy mane and dewy crest, and evil foreboding. 
Then, as he hurls his brands through the air, he goes on,—There is fire 
at the ends and poison in the midst thereof. Flosi’s plans run like 
a roller. 

8. The shepherd hears a voice from the earth at Geirvor-shore, where 
a battle is to be fought. Geirvor is reddened with the blood of men. 
She shail hide the skulls of men. 

















* 


$1] MYTHICAL. 359 


9. Hangir vét 4 vegg, veit hatt-kilan bragéd, 
pvegit ‘optarr’ burr; peygi dyl-ek hon viti tvau. 30 
Laxdela, ch. 57. 


IO. Kosti fyrdar, ef framir pykkjask 
at varisk vid sv4 vélom Snorra, 


engi m4 vid varask, vitr es Snorri. 
Ibid, 


II. Sitk 4 htsi, sé-ek til pess, 
hedan muno ver oss hefnda venta! 35 
Sudr es ok sudr es, sv4 skolom stefna, 
her er, ok her es, hvi skolom lengra! 
Dynr es um allan dal Svarfadar, 
ero vinir é6rir vals ‘um fylldir.’ 
Kniom kniom Karls of lidar! 40 
Laétom liggja Lidtolf goda 
f urd ok f urd. 
Svarfdela, ch. 19. 


12. Segir vetr-gaomul, veit ekki st: 
segir tvze-vetr, truig eigi at heldr: 
enn pre-vetr segir, bykkira mer glikligt : 45 
kvedr mik roa 4 merar hafdi, 
enn pik, konungr, piédf mins fijar. 
Konunga Sigur Olafs Kyrra S. 





9. A voice heard from a cloak hung up to dry: Hoodie-cloak hangs 
wet on the wall, washed and set to dry. She knows a ‘braid.’ I will 
not say she does not know two. : 

10. The fetch of a doomed man sings: Let those that think themselves 
the best strive to beware of Snorri’s wiles. But no one can beware; 
Snorri is so cunning. 

11. The ghost on the housetop beckoning his friends up to avenge him 
on his slayers: 1 sit on the house and look down on the game, hence 
will come revenge for me. To the south, to the south, thither go we! 
It is here! It is here! Why should we go farther? Later on he cries ; 
There is a din over all Swarfad’s dale, our friends are at the slaughter. 
Push on! Push on, Charles’ men! Let Liotolf the chief lie under 
the stone-heap ! 

12. A king hears of a yeoman who knows the language of birds ; he sends 
his men to kill his horse secretly and bring the head to him, then he bids them 
fetch the old man. When he comes he seats him on the skull and talks to 
him as he rows. While they are talking a crow flies over their heads 
cawing ; the yeoman is rather disturbed. A second follows the first ; the old 
man drops his oar in astonishment. But when the third flies by, cawing 
louder than the rest, he springs to his feet in his agitation. What is the 
matter? says the king. The old man replies: This year’s bird speaks ; 
she knows nothing! The two year old bird speaks, but I don’t believe 
her either. The three year old bird speaks, but I don’t think it likely: 
she says I am sitting rowing on my mare’s skull, and that thou, O 


king, art the thief of my cattle! - 


360 DITTIES. [BK. vr. 


13 a. Faraldr ek heiti, ferr-ek um aldar kyn, | 
emka6-ek szettir svika: 
daprom dauda ek mun drengi vega, 50 
ok nyta mer nai. 
13 3b. Sedu hvarfa heima f milli 


syn6-audigra sdlor manna, 
kveljask andir {i orms gini, 


skelfr rammr radull. Red-ek per at vakna. 55 
_ Hrafns S., ch. 14. 
14. Roum vit ok roum vit, rignir bl6di, 


Guér ok Gandul fyr gumna falli: 
vit skolom radask { Rapta-hlid, 
par munom blétadar ok balvadar. 
Hoeggvask hart seggir, enn hallask veggir, 60 
illa ero ver settir, es inn koma grair hettir: 
verk muno upp innask ba es aldir finnask, 


engi er 4 sémi, at efsta ddémi. 
Sturlunga vii. ch. 28. 


Il. Historical and Anecdotic of Icelanders. 


r% Tveir ro inni—trui-ek bddom vel— 





13. In 1209 a man in Selardale in Iceland dreams that he sees a black 
hideous-looking man, who says: My name is the Death that walks. I go 
among mankind. I am no appeaser of treasons; I will slay men with 
dismal death and batten on their corses. He wakes, but falls asleep 
again and sees the same figure, who sings to him: Lo, where the souls of 
sinful men are fluttering between the worlds! Spirits are being tortured 
in the jaws of the Serpent, the mighty sun quivers; I bid thee awake. 

14. 4 vision of two Walkyries (degraded to hags, like Shakespere’s weird 
sisters) sitting blood-dabbled in a hail rocking sideways, while a shower 
of blood drips on them through the luffer. One of them sings: Let us rock, 
let us rock, it is raining blood. War and Battle are we, before the fall 
of men. Let us go to Raft-lithe, where we shall be cursed and banned, 
Another man dreams he sees two men clad in black with grey hoods in a little 
room, sitting on a bench hand in hand, rocking backwards and forwards so 
violently that the walls tottered and were nigh to fall, and while they rocked 
they sung: Men deal hard blows and the walls are tottering. Peace 
does not hold long when we Greyhoods [Woden and his mate?] come 
in. Deeds, in which is no honour, shall be reckoned up when men 
meet at the last day. Like the former visions, these portents refer to the 
Civil Wars of Iceland. 


15. King Hior’s wife gave birth to two sons while he was away 
warring, one called Geirmund, the other Hamund; her bondmaid bore a son 
called Leif. He was so fair and the twins so dark-skinned, that the queen 
changed sons with her, and the young thrall was brought up as a prince. 
One day, while all the men were out hunting and the women nutting, the 
three boys were playing in the empty hall, and no one by but old Bragi the 
poet. Seeing the boldness of the twins and the cowardice of Leif, he went 
up to the dais-curtain behind which the queen was sitting, and touched 
it with his staff, saying: There are two here whom I trust well, both 























§1.] , HISTORICAL. 361 


Haémundr ok Geirmundr Hiarvi bornir, 65 
enn Leifr pridi Lodhattar son, 
Foeddira-pu pann, kona! far mun in verri! 
Landn. ii, 19. 
16. Ek bar einn af ellifo 


bana-ord—Bldstu meirr! 
Landn. iv. 12. 


17. Dripir Hafdi, daudr es Pengill, 70 
hleja hifdir vid Hallsteini. 
Landn. iii. 17. 
18. Her liggr, kidla keyrir, Kalda-kinn um aldr; 
enn ver forom heilir, Hialmun-Gautr, 4 braut! 
Landn. iii. 17. ° 
TQ. Belg hid fyrr mer Boeggvir snoeggvan, 
en fyr Aleifi 1 ok verjo: 75 
Sv4 skal verda, ef ver lifom, 
vid bal buinn Boeggvir hoeggvinn. 
Landn. iii. 13. 
20. Bana sé-ek okkarn beggja tveggja, 
allt es amorligt, tit-nordér { haf: 
frost ok kulda, feikn hvers-konar, 80 





of them, Hamund and Geirmund, Hior’s sons; but as for the third, 
Leif, Shag-hood’s son, none viler could be. Thou didst not bear him, 
queen! So the queen took heart of grace and presented her two black boys 
to the king when he came home. ‘Take them away, said he,‘ I never saw 
tavo such Hell-skins.’ But the Hell-skins grew up famous men, and after 
lives of war settled and founded a notable family in Iceland. 

16.-Wemund, a great smith and renowned fighting-man, chaunts at his 
forge, to his brother, who blows his bellows: 1 alone have overcome and 
slain eleven men! Blow harder thou! 

17. Hallstan, sailing out to his heritage in Iceland, after his father 
Thengil’s death, cries as he makes the haven and sees the dark gloomy 
hills and fair green slopes: The Hill o’ Head is mourning, for Thengil 
is dead, but the hill-sides are laughing to greet Hallstan. 

18. Thori, leaving his old home Kaldakinn and sailing off to find another 
settlement, looks back to land and cries to his captain, Helm-Gaut: There 
lies Cold-Side for ever, master! But we two, mess-mate Helm-Gaut, 
are sailing safely away. 

19. Thorleif the Earls poet and his brother Olaf had been gathering 
herbs for dyeing on Boggwi’s land; Boggwi hacked the herb-bag in pieces in 
his anger at their trespass, whereon Thorleif said; Barleycorn [Boeggvir] 
hacked my neat bag in pieces and Olaf’s strap and gaberdine, so shall 
Barleycorn be miserably hacked in pieces in the same way if we live. 
Hence arose the Swarfdale tale. 

20. A prophecy from a dream of Snowbiorn, portending woe to the early 
explorers of Greenland. 1 foresee the death of both of us; it is altogether 





67. Emend. ; fedat pu p. k. fair munu verti, Cd 75. Olafi, Cd. 


362 DITTIES. [ BK. VI. 


veit-ek af sliko Snzbiarn veginn. 


| Landn. ii. 30. 
21. Bersi brunnin-arsi beit geit fyrir Heriolfi, 
enn Heriolfr holkin-arsi hefndi geitar 4 bersa. 
Landn. ii. 9. 
22.  Hliép-ek f hauginn forna, hvilt hefkak lengr um morna, 
let-ek 4 braut of borna beltis-hringjo Korna. 85 


Landn., (Hauksbok) ii. 8. 


23.  Allar vildo meyjar med Ingolfi ganga 
peer-es vaxnar voro—Vesol em-ek e til lftil! 
Sva skal-ek ok, kvad kerling, med Ingolfi ganga 
medan mer tver of tolla tenn { efra gémi. 
Hallfredar §. (Vatzdela), ch. 2. 
24.  Lifda-ek lengi, lét ek r4da god, 90 
hafda-ek aldri hoso mé-rauda, 
batt-ek aldri mer belg at halsi 
vilta-fullan. 6 ek enn lifi, 
Kormaks §., ch. 12. 
25.  Liggjom baéir f bekk saman, 
Halldérr ok ek, hvergi feérir: 95 
veldr cska per, enn elli mer: 
bess batnar per, enn peygi mer. 
Kormaks S. (Laxdela), ch. 16. 





dismal north-west in the ocean; frost and cold and horrors on all sides. 
I think that Snowbiorn will be slain by them. 

21. Heriwolf, when a boy, slew a wood-bear because it had killed one 
of his goats, whence came the ditty; Bear the burnt-buttocked bit Heri- 
wolf’s goat, but Heriwolf the rough-buttocked revenged the goat upon 
Bear. 

22. The song of the cairn-breaker. 1 leaped into the old barrow; I did 
not sleep late into the morning; I carried away the clasp of Corn’s 
belt. Thorarin Corn was a noted hero of the Settlement days. 

23. 4 ditty on the beautiful Ingolf, the fairest man in all the North: 
All the maids wished to go with Ingolf, they that were full-grown. 
‘Woe is me, I am too young,’ says the child. ‘1 too,’ says the old 
crone, ‘will go with Ingolf as long as two teeth dangle in my upper 
gums.’ 

24. Two champions swimming a match, Steinar Dallasson tears the 
bag of charms off Bersi’s neck, and cries: 1 have lived long; I have 
let the gods have their way. I have never worn a murrey stocking 
about my neck, 1 have never carried a bag at my neck full of charms, 
yet I am still alive. - 

25. Bersi the old champion is lying in the hall alone with Halldor the 
baby, while all the household are out haymaking. The baby tumbles out 
of his cradle and lies sprawling on the floor, but Bersi is bed-ridden and 
cannot pick him up. He looks at him and cries: We are both of us lying 
helpless on the floor, Halldor and I. Youth is the matter with thee, 
and old age with me. Thou wilt get better, but I never shall. ~ 





82. -razi, Cd. 84, Emend.; hefi ek, Cd. 85. Emend.; hringin, Cd. 











ENP 











§1.] HISTORICAL. 363 


26.  Eigom ekkjor all-kaldar tveer, 
enn per konor purfo blossa. 
Egils Saga, end. 


24.  Latom Gamminn geisa, gerra Prainn vegja! 100 
Niala, ch. 89. 
28. Gall Gunnlogi, gaman vas Saxo, 
hroekk hree-frakki, hié-ek til Skeggja. 
Gisla Saga, p. 6. 
29. Heyr undr mikil! heyr cerlygi! 
heyr m4l mikit, heyr mannz bana! (eins edr fieiri). 
Gisla Saga, p. 15. 


30.  Ballr 4 byrdar stalli brast, kannka-ek pat lasta: 105 
Geirr { gumna s@rom gnast, kannka-ek pat lasta. 
/ Gisla Saga, p. 26. 
31. Hefi-ek par komit, es Porvaldi 
Kodrans syni hvfléar Kristr of lér: 
par es hann grafinn { ha-fialli 


eino { Drafni at Johannis-kirkjo. 110 
Kristni Saga, ch, 12. 


32. Vel kann Skapti skilja, skaut Asgrimr spidti, 


villat Holmsteinn flyja, vegr Porketill naudigr. 
Niala, ch. 146. 





26. Egil in his old age lying at the hearth thrusting his feet close up 
to the fire. The servants tell him he is in their way. He answers: Here 
are two frozen widows [heels]: poor women, they need the fire ! [c. 990]. 

27. Thrain’s cry of defiance as his good ship the Vulture runs out to 
sea out of the king’s power with the prisoner whom he has saved on board : 
Let us make the Vulture fly. Thrain will never quail. 

28. Skeggi cuts with his sword Warflame at Gisli, at their wager of 
battle on Saxey, and shouts: Warflame is whistling, gladdened, is Saxey. 
Gisli answers with a blow of his halberd which hews off Skeggi’s foot, 
The carrion-halberd quivers, as | cut at Skeggi; and Skeggi limps home 
with a wooden leg. 

29. Thorkettle, Gisli’s brother, as he overhears the women’s gossip which 
causes all the lifelong misery of Gisli, says: Hearken to a great marvel! 
hearken to words of doom! hearken to a great speech! hearken to 
the doom of men, of one or more! 

30. Gish and Thorgrim are playing at curling; Thorgrim is tumbled 
down roughly, and gets up in anger, muttering, in allusion to a past quarrel: 
The spear clashes in the wounds of men, and right it is that it should 
do so. Gisli strikes the ball so that it hits Thorgrim between the shoulders 
and fells him, saying: The ball bursts on the shoulders of men; and 
right it is that it should do so. 

31. Brand the traveller tells of the grave of Thorwald Kodransson, the 
famous missionary to Iceland: 1 have been where Christ gives rest to 
Thorwald Kodransson. He is buried on a certain high mountain at 
John’s Church of Dramn [in Russia]. 

32. Snorri’s epigram on the battle at the Althing : Skapti [the speaker] 
knows it well, it was Asgrim [who wounded Skapti] shot the spear. 
Holmstein would not flee, but Thorkettle fightg against his will [c. toro]. 


364 DITTIES. [ BK. VI. 


33. Waskad-ek dasi, es ek pessa dré 
opt désialdan ér at bordi: 
sid goerdi mer sdra léfa 115 


medan heim-dragi hnaud at rauda. 
Floamanna S. (Fornségur), 177. 


. 34. — Elto seggir, all-satt vas pat 

einn Einfcting ofan til strandar: 

enn kynlegr seggr kostadi rAsar 

hart of stopi. Heyrdéu Karls-efni. 120 
Eiriks Rauda Saga, ch. 14. 


35.  E/jgi leyna augo, ef ann kona manni. 
Gunnlaugs S., ch. 11. 


36. ba vas betra es fyr baugom réd 
Brandr inn arvi ok burr Skata: 
enn nu es fyrir londom, ok lengi man, 
Hakon konungr ok hans synir. 125 
Sturlunga vii. ch. 293, v.1. 


Historical and Anecdotic of Norsemen. 


37. Pat es va Iftil pétt ver seidim 
Karla barn ok kerlinga: 
es Ragnvaldr sfér Rettil-beini 
hr6d-magr Haraldz 4 Hadalandi. 
Konunga Ségur (Har. 8. Harf.), ch. 36. 


38. Par gaf hann Tre-skegg trollom Torf-Einarr drap Skurfo. 
Konunga Sigur (Har. S. Harf.), ch. 27. 





33. Thorgils finds an oar floating on the sea off Greenland, on the blade of 
which was cut this verse in runes: 1 was no laggard when I was pulling 
thee all day on the gunwale; it made my hands sore, whilst the stay-at- 
home [the man the sailor is mocking] was hammering at the red- 
hot iron. 

34. One of Karlsefni’s men in America calls to Karlsefni about a one- 
Sooted man whom they had found and given chase to; The men chased 
a One-F ooter down to the shore, (my tale.is very true); but the strange 
fellow ran as hard as he could over the stubbles. Listen, Karlsefni ! 

35. An old Icelandic ditty on love: The eyes tell the tale if a woman 
loves a man. : 

36. A dream in which a woman appears on horseback bewailing in a 
verse the lost freedom of Iceland: Times were better when Brand the 
open-handed and the son of Skati swayed the rings, but now King 
Hakon and his sons rule the land, and long will they do so [c. 1260]. 


37. The Hord Warlock Witgeir reproached for his witchcraft, answers the 
King Harold Fairhair: It is little hurt though we yeomen’s sons and 
old wives work witchcraft, since Harold’s proud son Reginwald 
Spindle-shanks works witchcraft in Hadeland. 

38. Earl Einar of the Orkneys slew two Wickings, Thori Wood-beard 
and Calf Scurf, and boasted of it: He gave Woodbeard to the Fiends, 
yea, Turf-Einar slew Scurf [c. 920]. 





ae See) | Oe 








SE EIT SPM 


TOP a 











§1.] HISTORICAL. 365 


39. Ey standa mer augo of eld til Grafeldar. 131 
Agrip., ch. 8. 
40.  Hefi-ek { hendi til hafuds geerva, 
bein-brot Bua, bal Sigvalda, 
vo vikinga, varn Hakonar :— 
Su skal verda, ef ver lifom 135 


eiki-klubba éparf Danom. 
Iémsvlkinga §., ch. 42. 


41. Geoerda-ek iarli or 4 vari 
pat vas mer pé4 tftt, enn petta nu. 
Fagrskinna, p. 51. 
42. Nut let-ek skég af skdégi skreidask litils heidor: 
hverr veit nema ek verda, vida fregr um sfdir. 140 
Konunga Ségur (Har. Hardr. 8.) 
43.  Mel-pi vid mik, Magnts konungr, 
pvi-at { fylgjo vask med fador binom, 
p4 bar-ek hoegginn haus mfnn pbadan 
es beir um daudan dagling stigo. 
pu elskar pA ina armo pidéd, 145 
dréttins-svika es Diafulinn hlégdo. 
Konunga Sogur (Magnus Géda 8.) 


44. Skrapp or handom Haraldr Danom. 
Konunga Ségur (Har. Harér. 8.) 





39. Popular ditty on the beauty of King Harold Greyfell, Gundhild’s scn: 
My eyes are ever drawn across the fire towards Greyfell [c. 970-976]. 

40. Wigfus carries a huge club into the battle against the loms-Wickings ; 
Earl Hakon asks him what it is for;~he answers: 1 hold in my hand 
ready for head-breakjng the breaker of Bui’s bones, the bane of Sig- 
wald [4e and Bui are the two Wicking leaders], the woe of the Wickings, 
the buckler of Hakon. This oak club, if I live, shall be a curse to 
the Danes [c. 980]. 

41. Hrut, one of the Toms-Wickings, after the battle in which their 
power was broken, is led a prisoner to be beheaded. As he walks to the 
log, he says ; 1 gave the earl a scar last spring, it was my turn then, but 
now itishis. | 

42. The boy Harold fled after the battle of Sticklestead in which his 
brother St. Olaf had fallen, and while he was lurking about in hiding, till he 
could leave the country, he was heard one day to hum over to himself: 1 am 
creeping now from copse to copse in little honour enough, who knows 
but later on I may become a famous man! [c. 1030]. 

43. A franklin who cannot get audience of King Magnus, son of St. Olaf, 
grows wrath and shouts to him across the crowd of courtiers: Speak 
to me, King Magnus, for I was in thy father’s following, and bore 
my head off hacked from the spot where they put the king to death. 
But thou lovest this wretched set, the traitors who made the Devil 
laugh! For among these courtiers were St. Olaf’s slayers [c. 1038]. 

44. King Harold the Stern on one of his forays in Denmark escapes from 
the Danes by a stratagem, so that it became a proverb in his camp, Harold 
bolted out of the hands of the Danes [c. 1054], 


366 DIT TIES. ; [BK. VI. 


45.  Framm gango ver f fylkingo 
brynjo-lausir und blar eggjar, 
hialmar skina,—hefkat-ek mina, 150 


nu liggr skruéé vart at skipom niGri. 
Konunga Ségur (Har. Harér. 8.) 


46. Boendr pykkja mer baztir, byggt land ok fridr standi. 
Konunga Ségur (Olafs Kyrra 8S.) 


47.  Heill at handom: enn hrumr at f6tom— 


Vérom félagar fiorir, feréom einn vid styri. 
Konunga Sigur (Magnus Berf. S.) 


48.  Of-lengi dvelr Ingi ofan-reid inn pié-breidi. 155 
Konunga Ségur (Magnus Berf. S.) 


49.  Flagd hvatto mik til Fyrileifar, 
ze vas ek 6fiss 4 orrosto: 
mik bito eggjar af alm-boga, 


skal-ek aldregi 4 Ask koma. 
Konunga Ségur (Harold Gilli). 


50.  Vard eigi vel vid styrjo Vatn-ormr { Portyrjo. 160 
Konunga Sigur (Harold Gilli). 


51. Gott vas f gamma, es ver gladir drukkom, 
ok glaér grams son gekk medal bekkja: 


; 





45. King Harold’s last verses, which he sung as he saw the English march 
upon him on the morning of the battle at Stamford Bridge: Forth we 
march in battle-array without our mailcoats against the blue edges; 
helmets are glittering, but I have not mine; our rigging is lying down 
at the ships [c. 1066]. 

46. The motto of Harold’s son, Olaf the peaceful [died 1093]: I like 
the farmers best, tilled land, and standing peace. 

47 King Magnus Bareleg chases the rebels of whom Thori is chief. As 
his ship comes up with theirs, a king’s man halloos, ‘What cheer, Thori?’ 
‘ Hale hands, but tottery legs,’ answers he. When Thori was taken and led 
to the gallows, he looked up at them and said: We were four messmates, 
we put one at the helm [c. 1094]. 

48. Magnus Bareleg is harrying in Gautland; his men, eager for battle, 
make the ditty: Ingi Broad-buttocks [the Swedish king] is long coming 
down! [c. 1095]. 

49. Ingomar of Ash, one of the first victims of the Civil Wars, doomed 
to death at the battle at Fyrileif [1134], bemoans himself: The Devils 
egged me to Fyrileif; I never wished to go into battle. The arrows 
of the elm bow have bitten me; I shall never get home to Ash again. 

50. A ditty made on the cowardice of Worm at a battle in one of Sigurd 
Ill-deacon’s forays: He did not quit him well at Portyria, Water- 
Worm! [c. 1139]. 

51. A stave of Sigurd Ill-deacon about his merry days when he lived 
in the waste with the Fins: There was mirth in the wigwam when 
we were drinking merrily, and the joyous prince [myself] was walking 














§1.] HISTORICAL. 364 


vara bar gamans vant at gaman-drykkjo, 
pegn kvaddi begn, par landz er ek var. 
Konunga S. (Sigurd Slembi). 


52. Fatt eitt fylgir furo Haleyskri, 165 
svipar und segli sin-bundit skip. 
Ibid. 
53.  ‘Dtsi er’ enn Asa, atatata! liggr { vatni, 
hutututu! hvar skal-ek sitja, heldr er mer kalt, vid elldinn. 
Orkneyinga Saga. 
54. Baro lung lendra manna 
fyrir Prasnes Porbiarn svarta 170 
trad hlyn-biarn und hafud-skaldi 
Ata iar’ Akrs-borgar til: 
Par s4-ek hann at hafud-kirkjo 
siklings vin sandi ausinn: 
Nu prumir grund gr¥tt um hanom 175 
sélo signod 4 Sudrlondom. 
Ibid., ch. 95. 
55a. Aitla-ek mer ina mero munn-fagra Ingunni, 
hvegi-er fundr med fregjom ferr Magntsi ok Sverri. 


55 4. Esa sem kol-vid klidfi karl sa-es vegr at iarli. 
Sverris Saga, ch. 47. 


56.  Skal-ek aldregi, pétt ek e lifa, 180 
syslo bidja 4 Sunn-Meéeri, 





between the benches [from friend to friend]; there was no lack of 
sport at our drinking bouts; man pledged man, where I was then. 

52. Sigurd’s boat was so fast that nothing could catch her, as his ditty 
runs: Few can follow the Haloga-land boat; she flies under sail, the 
sinew-sewn craft [c. 1137-1139]. 

53. A girl falls into a well ona cold autumn day, and comes dripping into 
the hall where Earl Rognwald is, her teeth chattering so that she can hardly’ 
speak. But the Earl says that he can interpret her words..... Asa, ata- 
tatta! is dripping with water; hotar-totta! when shall I sit close to the 
fire? I am very cold [c. 1148]. 

54. While the Earl lay at Acre on his crusade, his poet, Thorbiorn the 
black, died. His friend and fellow-poet, Oddi the Little, a Shetlander, made 
these verses on him: The war-ship of the lords bore Thorbiorn the 
black past Thrasness [Cape St. Angelo]. The plank-bear [ship] trod the 
field of Ati [sea] under the chief poet as far as Acre. I saw the Earl’s 
friend sprinkled with sand at the head church there. The stony sun- 
blest earth is now weighing upon him in the South lands [c. 1152]. 

55. Swerri in one of his speeches quotes this ditty, applying it to the 
careless'and lukewarm politicians of his day: 1 mean to have the lovely 
fair-mouthed Ingunn, no matter how things are shared between Magnus 
and Swerri.—In another speech he quotes: Fighting an earl is other-guess 
work than chopping fire-wood! [c. 1180]. 

56. In the civil war between King Hakon and Duke Skuli, Snowbiorn, an 
Orkney chief and Skuli’s partisan and steward, is taken prisoner, and cries : 
Never more shall I, though I live for ever, agk for a stewardship on 


368 DITTIES. [ BK. VI. 


pvi at flutto mik fidnd-menn padan 
Biargynjar til at bodi hilmiss. 
Hakonar S., ch. 208. 


Ill. Lpigrammatic (nid, kviblingar, danzar). 


57. Hefir barn borit biskop nio, 


peirra es allra Porvaldr fadir. 185 
Kristni Saga, ch. 4. 


58. Spari ek eigi god geyja, grey pykki mer Freyja, 


ee man annat-tveggja Odinn grey eda Freyja. 
Niala and Libellus Islandorum. 





59. Munkat-ek nefna—nzr man-ek stefna, 
nidr-biigt es nef 4 nfdingi— 
pann es Svein konung sveik or landi, 190 
ok Tryggva son 4 talar dré. 


Kristni Saga, ch. 12. 


60. Esa gap-riplar gédir, gégr er per { augom. 
Niala, ch. 34. 
61. Hirdmadér es einn, hann es einkar-meinn, 


truit honom vart, hann es illr ok svartr. 
. Gunnl. Saga, ch. 6. 


62. | Hverso pykkja ketils per, Kormakr, ormar?— 195 


G6ér pykkir sodinn mar syni Ogmundar. 
Kormaks S., ch. 4. 





South More, for foemen carried me thence to Bergen by the king’s 
command [1240]. 


57. The libellous satire made on the missionary bishop Frederick and bis 
Jriend Thorwald by the heathen Icelanders: The bishop has borne nine 
children, Thorwald was the father of them all [c. 980]. 

58. Hiallti Skeggisson makes this epigram on the heathen gods in full 
Moot, for which blasphemy he was outlawed: 1 do not refrain from 
mocking the gods. Freya seems to mea bitch. One of the two will 
ever be a bitch, Woden or Freya [c. 999]. 

59. Stephen, in his wrath on the betrayers of King Olaf Tryggvisson, 
makes this satire on Earl Sigwald, for which he is put to death; 1 will 
not name him, but I will point clearly at him; a crooked nose the 
nithing has. He decoyed King Sweyn [Forkbeard] out of his land, and 
drew Tryggvisson into the toils [c. roor]. 

60. Thorhild the poetess seeing her husband Thrain looking at another lady 
at a wedding-feast, calls out to him: ‘Thy gaping is not good, lust is in 
thine eyes;’ for which aspersion he divorced her |c. 974]. 

61. Gunnlaug Snake-Tongue on one of King Aithelred the Unready’s hench- 
men; There is a certain henchman, who is very mean, trust him little, 
he is ill-looking and dark [c. 1006]. 

62. The cook pulls out a string of sausages and shows them to Kormak 
the poet: How do you like the snakes of the kettle, Kormak? The son 
of Ogmund [i.e. I] is very fond of boiled suet-meat, answered he [c. 960]. 














$1] EPIGRAMMATIC. 369 


63. Pegi-pu, Périr! pegn ertu édgegn, 
heyrt hefi-ek at héti Hvinn-gestr fadir pfnn.— 
Enn pétt héti Hvinn-gestr fadir minn, 
pa goerdi hann aldri gard, um hest-redr 200 


sem Sigurdr syr, s4 vas pinn fadir. 
Konunga S. (Harald Hardrada). 


64. Hvadan kennir bef penna? Pérdr andar ni handan.— 
Andi es Ingimundar ekki gédr 4 bekkinn,— 
Ryrir { barka rikis-manni; 
glitrar skallinn vid 4 goda ydrom.— 205 
Vaxa bldstrar 4 pann bekk badra; 
raun-illr goerisk pefr af ropom manna.— 
Pat er va litil, pdtt ver reptim, 
bidu-nautar af bola-kiatvi: 
reptir Pérdér Porvaldar son, 210 
Kiartans sonar af kana sinom.— 
Godinn repti svi es ver gengomz hia, 
skalf 4 hnakka hy; hverr madr kvad ff! 


Sturlunga i, ch, 10. 


65. Fingr ero prir af peiri—pé skyldo mun fleiri— 
sundr { selings hendi (slikt es Baggvir) ni hoeggnir. 215 
Sturlunga i, ch. 18. 


66. Hotvetna grét—hefi-ek pat fregit, 
bysn pétti pat—Baldr or Heljo: 
p6 hefir hera pa-es hafud foérdi 
Porvaldr potid—pat es dlogit. 
Hrafns Saga, ch. 7. 


67. Sitr fimligt fli66—fram greidi-ek 1i6é6, 220 
_ vex greppi sit—at Gntpi tt: 
enn hafdo heim pat-es héfdi peim, 





63. Harold the Stern, sitting at meat with his men, tries to get a laugh 
out of Thori of Steig, and cries to him in verse—Hold thy peace, Thori! 
thou art a self-willed fellow! I have heard that thy father was called 
Guest the Pilferer. hori caps him with—Though my father was called 
Guest the Pilferer, he never put covers on his mares’ rumps as Sigurd 
Sow did, who was thy father, 

64. The satire made on Ingimund at the riotous banquet at Rykholar in 
1119. See Sturlunga Saga. 

65. Mock made of the chief Haflidi when he was wounded at the fray at 
the Althing in 1120. There are three fingers, would there were more, 
cut off the chief’s hand. He is a regular ‘cripple’ now. 

66. Epigram made on Thormod’s cowardly behaviour. Everybody 
(I have heard tell) wept Balder out of hell (that was a great marvel) ; 
but Thormod cried louder still, when he yielded himself. That is true 
indeed [year 1197]. 

67. Epigram by Magnus the priest on Bergthor’s ill success in wooing, 
e.1200, There lives a buxom maid out at CIfff (so runs my song). 

Bb 


370 EPIGRAMS. [ BK. VI. 


var hundr { for med hialma bar. 
Hrafns Saga, ch. 7. 
68. From gildan grepp Ioseppi, 
sa skal rida, rfkom til Sddéavikr. 225 
‘Hrafns Saga, ch. 13. 
69. Upp skaltu 4 kiaol klffa, kald er seevar drifa; 
kostadu hug pinn herda, her skaltu lifit verda: 
skafl beygjattu skalli, pétt skiirr 4 pik falli! 
Ast hafOir-bu meyja. Ett ‘sinn skal hverr deyja. 
Sturlunga vii. ch. 143. 
70.  Loptr er { Eyjom bitr lunda-bein: 230 
Semundr er 4 heidom, étr berin ein. 
Sturlunga vii. ch. 44. 


“1. Minar ero sorgir pungar sem bly. 
Sturlunga vii. ch. 329- 
IV. Ditties on Runic Stones in Sweden and Norway (11th century). 


42. Hann opt siglt til Simgala 
dyrum knerri um Domisnes. 


Bautil, 165. 
73. Her mun liggia med aldr lifir 235 
bru aré-slegin { rid eptir: 
gé6ir sveinar gardu at sinn fadur, 
ma igi brautar kuml betra verda. 
Bautil, 41. 


44. Her ma standa stain midli bua,- 





He [the lover] is sad at heart. They brought home with them a fit 
parting-gift. ‘There was a dog with the men on their way. » 

68. A ditty made in Iceland on the removal of a pauper. Let us carry 
the pauper to Joseph. Let him bear rule over Southwick. 

69. A sailor’s boat has been capsized, they call to him. Thou must 
climb up on to the keel, cold is the drift of the sea. Keep a bold heart, 
thou must lose thy life here. Never whimper, o/d baldhead, though a 
shower fall upon thee; thou hast had maiden’s love in thy time. ‘A man 
must die sometime.’ Quoted after the fight of Orlygsstead, Aug. 21, 1238, 
by Thori, who was stepping up to the block to be beheaded. 

70. Two chiefs quarrel, and their feud runs so high that they go of where 
they may be out of each other’s way, whence the ditty is made. Loft is in 
the Islands [Westmen’s Isles] picking puffin bones, Semund in the 
Deserts eating nought but berries [year 1221]. 

71. Quotation made by Thord, Sept. 27,1264, just before he is put to death. 
My sorrows are heavy as lead. 


72. On the grave of Sweyn: ‘ Sigrid let raise this stone over Sweyn her 
husband.’ He often sailed to Singallia on a dear bark by Dumisness 
[the south cape of the entrance to the Mere of Riga]. 

73. Eostan and Iorund and Biorn, three brothers, made a bridge as a 
memorial to their father Thrum. Here shall lie while the age lives this 
strong-built bridge in time to come. Good lads made it after their 
father, no better road-mark can there be. 

74. Withox on his father’s memorial-stone, carved by Bali. Here shall 





ee | 
REE Oe OS Ferrier, 





a at 











§2.] WICKING SONGS. - 371 


radi tekr paz runsi runum pessom. 240 
Bautil, 584. 
75. Her mun standa stainn ner brautu. 
Bautil. 
“6.  Vidraldi let auk L..... 


stain all-mikinn or staéi fora. 
Bautil, 596. 


“7. Su var mer hannast 4 Hadalandi. 


Norway. 
78. Skal at minnum manna medan menn lifa. 245 
Bautil, 165. 
79.  Ristu merki at mann ‘ietan’ 
synir al-gddir at sinn fadur Sterkar. 
Bautil, 93. 
80. Merki mikit eptir mann gédan. 
Bautil, 43. 
81. Sar flo aigi at Uppsalum 
an va medan vapn afdi. 250 
Bautil. 








§2. TORF-EINAR METRE. 


WICKING SONGS. 


I. EKAT-EK Hrolfs or hendi né Hrollaugi flitiga 
daorr 4 dolga mengi, dugir oss fador hefna: 
Enn { kveld par es knyjom at ker-straumi r6mo 





stand the stone between the farms. Devil take him that disturbs these 
runes. 

75. Ona stone at... Here shall the stone stand near the road... 

76. Ona stone at... W.and L. let move a huge stone out of its place. 
_ 977.On a stone in Norway at... She was the cleverest maiden in 
Hade-land. © 

78. A stonein... It shall be in men’s minds as long as men live. 

79. Astonein... Right good sons raised a monument after a goodly 
man, their father Stirkar. 

80. A stonein... A mighty monument to a good man. 

81. Saxi on his mate Asborn, son of Toki: He fled not in the battle at 
Upsala, but fought whilst he had weapons.—4 great battle at Upsala 
[one such was fought c. 980, between Styrbiorn and King Eric]. 


1. Earl Turf-Einar’s Song of Triumph over the death of Halfdan High-leg, 
son of K. Harold Fairbair, which he brought about in revenge for his own 
father, Reginwald Earl of More. A tradition, which we take to be derived 
from a misunderstanding of the words of this poem, makes Einar to have cut 





the ‘blood-eagle’ on his foe, but this is incredible. Harold would never have 


made peace with one who had committed such an outrage. 1 cannot see 
the dart speeding from Rodwolf or Rodlaug’s hand among the foemen’s 





2. dela. Fagrsk, * 
Bba2 


372 TORF-EINAR METRE. [BK. vI. 


pegjandi sitr petta Périr iarl 4 Metri. 

Margr verdr sénn at saudom seggr med breido skeggi; 5 
enn ek at ungs { Eyjom allvaldz sonar falli: 
heett segja mer haldar vid hug-fullan stilli. 

Haraldz hefig skardé { skildi, skalat ugga pat, hoeggit. 

Ey mun-ek gladr sizt geirar (gott es yinna prek manni) 
ba6-fikinna bragna bito pengils son ungan: 10 
peygi dyl-ek nema pykki (par fl6 grar at sérom 
hrzva nagr of holma) holund-vala geéli. 

Rekit hefig Ragnvalldz dauéda (enn rédo pvi Nornir, 
ni es folk-studill fallinn) at fiordungi minom: 
verpit snarpir sveinar, pviat sigr hafom fengit 15 
(skatt vel-ek hanom hardan) at Hafcéto gridti. 

Ero til mins fiars margir menn of sannar fréttir 
or ymissum attom ésmabornir giarnir: 
enn p6 vito pbeygi peir 46r mik hafi feldan 


hverr il-bornom arnar undir lytr af stundo. ~ 20 
Orkney S., ch. 8. 
z, Hafnit Nefjo nafna; nu rekit gand or landi 


horskan haléa barma! MHvf bellit pvf, stillir? 
Illt es vid ulf at ylfask Yggs val-brikar slfkan; 





ranks. It is our duty to avenge our father, but while we are pressing 
on the fray this evening Earl Thori the Silent is sitting over the cup- 
stream in More. 

Many a broad-bearded Franklin is guilty of sheep-slaughter, but I 
am guilty of killing the mighty king’s young son out here in the Islands. 
Men tell me my life is in jeopardy from the proud-hearted ruler. I have 
made a gap in Harold’s shield. Never fear for that! 

I shall never be sad again since the spears of the war-greedy warriors 
bit the prince’s young son. It is good for a man to have wrought 
a deed of fame. I confess that the charmer of war-hawks will be 
wroth. The grey bird of carrion was swooping down to the wounds 
over the island. 

I have wreaked Reginwald’s death for my fourth share. The Fates 
have ruled it so, the pillar of the people is fallen. Cast the stones over 
High-leg, my brave lads, for we have gotten the victory. It is with hard 
money I pay him his taxes. 

I know of a truth that many men of no mean kindred, from divers 
quarters, are seeking after my life: but they can never know until they 
have felled me, whether it is to be I or they that shall one day bow 
beneath the foot-thorns [talons] of the Eagles. 

2. Rolf the Walker’s mother Hild, daughter of Rolf Neb, tries to induce 
the king to spare her son, and revoke the sentence of outlawry + ; and when be 
refuses, warns him of what may happen. Thou refusest the namesake 
of Neb, and art driving him as a wolf out of the country, the noble 
kinsman of gentlemen. Why dost thou make so bold? It is ill to play 





4. pessi, Fsk. 5. sekr of saudi, Hkr. I. grar] ar, Fsk. ae 
holundvala geelis, Fsk. 17. deildir, Hkr. 





§ 2.] WICKING SONGS. 373 


mona®é vid hilmiss hiardir hoégr ef hann renn til skdégar. 
Konunga S. Har. Harf., ch. 24. 


3. Pat melti min mdéir, at mer skyldi kaupa 25 
fley ok fagrar rar, fara 4 braut med vikingom: 
standa upp f stafni, styra dfyrom knerri; 
halda sv4 til hafnar; hoeggva mann ok annan. 
Egils S., ch. 40. 
‘ Skalat madr rtinar rfsta, nema r4éa vel kunni; 
pat verdr margom manni, at um myrkvan staf villisk: 30 
sd-ek 4 telgdo talkni tio laun-stafi ristna, 
pat hefir lauka lindi lengs of trega fengit. 
Egils S., ch. 75. 
5. Upp skolom érom sverdom, ulfs. tann-litodr glitra 
—eigom dé at dr¥gja—i dal-miskunn fiska: 
leiti upp til Lundar lyéa hverr sem tfdast, 35 
goeromepar fyrir setr sdlar seid 6fagran vigra. 
Egils S., ch. 47. 
6. Hvat skaltu sveinn f sess minn? sialdan hefir pu gefnar 
vargi varmar bradir, vesa vil-ek ein um mfna: 
sAttattu hrafn 4 hausti of hree-solli gialla ; 
vasattu at par-es eggjar 4 skel-punnar runnosk. 40 
Farid hefi-ek bl6édgom brandi, sv4 at mer ben-pidurr fylgdi 


v4 


ok giallanda geiri, gangr vas hardr 4 vikingom: 





the wolf with a wolf, yea, such a shield-wolf as he is. He will not deal 
gently with the king’s flocks if he takes to the woods. 

3. The young wicking’s cradle-song, ascribed in the Saga to Egil, but 
hardly bis. My mother said they should buy me a boat and fair oars, 
and that I should go abroad with the wickings, should stand forward in 
the bows and steer a dear bark, and so wend to the haven, and cut 
down man after man there. 

4. 4 man carves runes in a charm wrongly, so that instead of a love- 
charm it turns out a sickness-spell. A man should not carve runes unless 
he knows their power, for it happens to many a man to miswrite the 
mysterious letter. I saw ten secret letters carved on the smooth 
whalebone. They have cost the lady a pining sickness. Ascribed to 
_ Egil. 

a A wicking stave ascribed to Egil. Let us up with our swords, let 
the dyer of the wolf’s teeth [blade] gleam in the joy of the fishes of the 
valley [warm sunlight of summer], we have a deed to do. Let every 
man go up to Lund [in Sweden] as quick as he can; before the sun sets 
let us make a grim sorcery with spears. 

6. The earl’s daughter scorns the boy who is her partner at table, and 
says ; What dost thou, boy, in my seat? I will keep it for myself alone. 
Thou hast never given a warm meal to the wolf. Thou hast never 
seen the raven in the autumn scream over the carrion-draught. Thou 
hast never been where the shell-thin edges crossed. The young 
wicking replies: 1 have walked with bloody brand and with whistling 
spear, with the wound-bird following me. The wickings made a fierce 
attack; we raised a furious storm, the flamg ran over the dwellings 


374 TORF-EINAR METRE. [px. vi. § 2.] 


geerdom reidir résto, rann eldr of siat manna ; 
létom blédga btka f borg-hlidom scefask. 
Egils S., ch. 48. 
ie Kennir pt kyrtil, penna? ki 4ttt skialdungi gialda, 45 
svin ok ali-gés eina Atti skialdungi gialda, 
ok al-vaxinn oxa Atti skialdungi gialda, 
barn ok allt patzi d4rnar Atti skialdungi gialda ; 


margar ero manna vélar, mos att ok skialdungi gialda. 
Har-haror. S. F'ms. vi. ch. 95. 


8. Stundo ver til stikka—starf vex { Danmarko— 50 
esa Sveins synir sdttir at sinn fadur daudan: 
Haraldr skal vigi verja—p4 es vel tamidr stikki— 
iord af cérno megni fyr ellifo bro&édrom. 

Skidldunga Saga (Reader, p. 198). 

9. Amb-haféi kom nordan, enn Orkn-hafdi sunnan, 
Hiart-hafdi kom vestnu, hafdo r46 und skauti: 55 
té6ko mart at mela, es menn spakir fundosk: 
p6 vas ulfbiéd cérin { Amb-hafda bridésti. 


Sturlunga S., i. ch, 20. 





of men, we laid the bleeding corses to rest in the gates of the city. 
Ascribed to Egil. 

7. This story is told of Harold the Stern and his thrall Wolf, but it is 
probably a traditional tale. The king reclaims his slave, who has been 
allowed to live freely and make money. The king holds out the white kirtle 
of a thrall to the wretched fellow, who had thought that the bitterness of 
slavery was past, and says, mockingly: Knowest thou this kirtle? A cow 
thou owest me as my due. Both a swine and a fat goose thou must pay 
me as my due. And a full-grown ox thou owest me as my due. Thy 
children and all that thou earnest, thou owest me as my due. Many 
are the wiles of men. Thy ‘wench,’ too, thou owest me as my due. 

8. At the death of K. Sweyn Estrith’s son of Denmark, there was a 
struggle for the throne between Harold Hone on the one side, and his eleven 
brethren on the other, as the ditty runs. Now my ditty begins, trouble is 
brewing in Denmark. Sweyn’s sons are not of one mind since their 
father’s death; Harold must guard his land in fight with might and 
main against his eleven brethren. 

9. The three chiefs of Iceland, Haftidi, Hall, and Thord Thorwaldson, are 
meeting im council in 1120. This ditty was made on them. ‘ Amb’- 
head from the North, and Ork-head from the South, Hart-head from 
the West, had a plot under fheir coats. There was talk enough when 


these wise men met, and yet there was deadly hate in ‘Amb’-head’s — 


breast. 





46 and 47 interchanged. 


SET EE Air Se gene oR et eee ee el ol ee VL ee ae ea on ee 











APPENDIX TO THE FIRST VOLUME. 





A. 


DUPLICATE OR DOUBLE TEXTS MENTIONED IN THE INTRODUC- 
TIONS TO THE RESPECTIVE POEMS. 


To Page 52. 


Text A. 


Sprvtto atéi tregnar idir greti alfa in 
glystavmo. 4r um morgin mana bavlva 
svtir hveriar sorg vm qveyqva. Vara 
pat nv ne iger pat hefir langt lipit sipan 
er fatt fornara fremr var pat halfo er 
hvatti gudrvn givca borin ss. sina vnga 
at hefna svanhildar. Syster var yccor 
svanhildr vm heitin sv er iormvnreccr 
iom vm traddi hvitom oc svortom 
ahervegi gram gang tavmom gotna 
hrossom. Eptir er ycr prvngit piod 
konvnga lifip einir er patta ettar minar 
einstod em ec ordin sem aysp iholti 
fallin at frgndom sem fvra at qvisti 
vadin at vilia sem uipr at lavfi pa er in 
qvist scepa komr vm dag varman hitt 
qvap pa hampir in hugom st¢ri litt 
myndir pv pa gvdrvn |, d. h. er p. sigvrd 
$. or. V. saztv a bep en banar hlogo becr 
v. p. i. b. h, ofnar vavlondom fivto i vers 
dreyra. Svalt pa sigurpr saztv yfir 
davpom glyia pv ne gadir gvnaR per sva 
vildi atla pottiz pv stripa at erps mordi 
oc at eitils morpi aldr lagi pat var per 
€N verra sva scyldi hver avprom veria til 
aldrlaga sverpi sar beito at ser ne strid- 
dit. Hitt qvap savrli svina hafdi hann 
hycio yilcat ec vid mopvr malom scipta 


Text B. 


Gyirvn gece pa til sevar er hon hafdi 
drepit atla. gecc hon vt aseinn oc vildi 
fara ser. hon matti eigi savequa, rac 
hana yfir fiordinn aland ionacrs konvngs. 
hann fecc hennar. beirra synir voro beir 
sarli oc erpr oc hamper. par foddiz 
vpp svanhildr sigvrdar d. hon var gipt 
iormvynreck enom rikia, med hanom var 
bicci. hann rep pat at randvér konvngs 
son scyldi taca hana.... pat sagdi 
bicci konvngi. Konungr let hengia 
randué enn tropa svanhildi vndir hrossa 
fotom. Enn er pat spvrpi gvdrvn pa 
qvaddi hon ss. sina: Gvdrvnar hvavt: 

pa fra ec senno slipr fengligsta travp 
mal talid af trega storvm er harp hvgvp 
hvatti at vigi grimmom orpom gvdrvn 
sono. Hvi sitit hvi sofit lifi hvi tregrap 
ycr teiti at mela er iormvnrecr ydra 
systor vnga at aldri iom of traddi hvitom 
oc svortom ahervegi gram gang tavmom 
gotna hrossom, Vrpva ip glicir beim 
gynnari ne in heldr hvgdir sem var 
havgni hennar mvndop ip hefna leita ef 
ip m6p ettib minna brgdra epa harpan. 
hvg hvn konvnga. pa qvap pat hampir 
inn hvgom stori litt mvndir pv leyfa dap 
havgna pa er sigvrd vocpo svefni or becr 
voro pinar enar bl4 hvito ropnar ivers 
dreyra folgnar ivalblopi. Vrpo_ per 
brgpra hefndir sliprar oc sarar er pu sono 
myrpir knettim a iormynrecki sam hyg- 
giendr systor hefna. Berip hnossir fram 
hvn konvnga hefir pv ocr hvatta at hior 
pingi. Higiapdi gvdrvn hvarf til scemo 





376 APPENDIX. 


orz piccir en vant ycro hvaro hvers bipr 
pv nv gvdrvn er pv at grati ne forat. 
Bropr grat pv pina oc bvri svasa nipia 
na borna leipa ner rogi ocr scaltv oc 
gvérvn grata baba er her sitiom feigir 
amavrom. fiaRi mvnom deyia. Gengo 
or gardi gorvir at g¢iscra lipo pa yfir 
vngir v. 


kvymbl konunga er kerom valpi sipar 
brynior oc sonom ferpi. Hlopvz modgir 
a mara bogo; pa qvap pat hamper enn 
hugom stori sva comaz meirr aptr mopyr 
at vitia geir niorpr hniginn a godpiopo 
at pv erfi at oss avll dryckir at svanhildi 
oc ss. pina. Gvdrvn gratandi givca d. gece 
hon tregliga atai sitia oc at telia tarok 
hlyra, etc. [see p. 329]. 


To Page 61, Book II. 


(a) Text from Grimnismal. 


Or ymis holdi var iord vm scavpvd 
en or beinom biorg himinn or havsi ins 
hrimkalda iotvns enn or sveita sior, 


(6) Text from Vafprudnismal. 


Or ymis holdi var iorp vm scavpvd 
enn or sveita ser biorg or beinom baémr 
or hari enn or havsi himinn enn or hans 
bram gerdo blid regin mid gard manna 
sonom enn or hans heila voro pav in hard? 
modgo scy avll vm skavpvp. 


To Page 129. 


Text A. 


Enn peir sialfir fra svarins havgi med 
hermpar hvg her kavnnopo. Fra gob- 
borinn gupmvndr at pvi. hver er land- 
reki sa er lipi styrir oc hann feicna lip 
forir at landi. Sinfidtli qvap slavng vp 
vip ra ravpom scildi ravnd var or gvlli. 
par var svnd vorpr sa er svara kunni oc 
vip avplinga orpom scipta, Segdv pat 
iiaptan er svinom gefr oc ticr ydrar 
teygir at solli at se ylfingar avstan com- 
nit gynnar giarnir fra gnipalvndi. ‘par 
mvn havd broddr helga finna flavgtravpan 
gram i flota mipiom sa er opt hefir orno 
sadda mepan pv akvernom kystir pygiar. 
Fatt manttv fylcir fornra spialla er pv 
avplingom osavnno bregdr pv hefir etnar 
vifa crasir oc bropr pinom at bana ordit 
opt sar sogin mep svavlom mvnni hefr 
ihreysi hvar leipr scripit. Pv vart vaviva 
ivarins eyio scoll viss cona bartv scravce 
saman qvaztv engi mann eiga vilia segg 
bryniapan nema sinfiotla. pv vart en 
scepa .q. scass valkyria avtvl amatlig at 
alfavdvr mvndo ein heriar allir beriaz 
svevis kona vm sacar pinar. Nio atto 
vip anesi sagav vifa alna ec var einn 
fapir peirra, Fadir varattv fenris vlifa 


Text B. 


Ett attv in gopa er ec siame [see p. 
151,1.16]. Helgi samnadi pamiclom scipa 
her oc for til freca steins oc fengo ihafi 
ofvidri mann hett. pa qvomo leiptr yfir 
pa oc stobo geislar iscipin. peir sa iloptino 
at valcyrior ix. ripo oc kendo par sigrvno. 
pa legdi storminn oc quomo beir heilir 
til landz, Granmars. ss. sato abiargi 
noccoro er scipin sigldo at landi. Gvd- 
mvndr hliop ahest oc reid aniosn abergit 
vip havfnina. pa hlépo volsvngar seglom, 
pa quad q. gvdmvndr. Sva sem fyrr er 
ritap i helga qvipo. MHverr er fylcir sa 
er flota styrir oc feikua lip forir at landi. 
Sinfiotli sigmundar s. sv. oc er pat enn 
ritab. Gvémvndrreip heim mephersavgo, 
pa savmnopo granmars ss. her. Como 
par margir konvngar. par var havgni 
fadir sigrvnar oc ss. hans bragi oc dagr, 
par var orrosta micil oc fello allir gran- 
mars ss. oc allir peirra havfpingiar 
nema dagr havgna s. fecc grip oc vann 
eiba volsvngom. sigrvn gecc i valinn 
oc hitti havdbrodd at kominn davpa. 
hon quap. mona ber sigrvn fra seva 
fiavllom havp-broddr konvngr hniga at 


armi lipin er evi opt nair hreifi gran 


stop Gripar granmars ss. a hitti hon 
helga oc varp allfegin. hann quap. 
Erat per at aullo alvitr gefib po quep ec 


nocqvi nornir valda fello i morgon at 


freca steini bragi oc havgni varp ec 
bani peira, Enn at styrkleifom starcapr 
kr’ enn at hlebiorgom hrollavgs ss. 





1 hridfelldo, Edda (better). 





ee 














_ —- wreger cearene. 
—————— Seneca — 


DUPLICATE TEXTS. 


ollom ellri sva at ec mvna sizt pic geldo 
fyr gnipa lyndi pvrsa meyiar a pors nesi. 
Stivpr vartv siggeirs latt vnd stavbom 
heima varg liopom vanr a vibom vti 
komo per ogogn oll at hendi pa er 
bropr pinom briost ravfadir. Gorbir pic 
fregian af firin vercom. Sinfiotliq. ‘pv 
vart brvpr grana a bravelli gvllbitlvp 
vart gor til rasar hafda ec ber mopbri 
mart sceip ripit svangri vnd savpli simvl 
forbergis, Gvpm. q. Sveinn pottir pv 
siplavss vera pa er pv gvilniss geitr mol- 
capir enn iannat sinn impar dottir tavt- 
trvg hypia villpv tavlo lengri. Sinf. q. 
Fyrr vilda ec at freca steini hrafna sepia 
a hreom pinom enn ticr yprar teygia at 
solli epa gefa gavltom deili gravm vip 
pic. Veriycr. Sinfiotli,.q. Semra myclo 
gynni at heyia oc glapa orno en se 
onytom orpom at bregdaz pott hring 
brotar heiptir deili. ‘picciat mer godir 
granmars synir po dvgir siclingom satt 
at mela peir hafa marcat a moins heimo 
at hvg hafa hioriom at bregda, peir af 
rici renna leto [and so on, Il. 190-230]. 
iofvr pann er olli egiss davda. Oc per 
byplvngr samir bepi vel ravpir bavgar oc 
in rikia mer. heill scalpv bvdlungr bepi 
niota havgna dottor oc hring staba sigrs 


oc landa pa er socn locit [here ends Text 
A}. 


_vnd sic prvngit. 


377 


pann sa ec gylfa grimmvbgastan er 
bardiz bolr var a brot havfup. Liggia 
at iordan allra flestir nipiar pinir at nam 
orpnir vanntattu vigi var per pat scapad 
at pu at rogi ric menne vart. a gret 
sigrvn. hann quap. Hvggaztu sigrvn 
hildr hefir pu oss verip vinnat scioldvngar 
scavpom, Lifna mvnda ec nv kiosa er 
lipnir ero oc knetta ec per po ifadmi 
felaz [see p. 151}. 

petta qvab gvdmvndr granmars son. 
Hverr er scioldyngr sa er scipom styrir 
letr gvonfana gvllinn fyrir stafni piccia 
mer frip ifarar broddi verpr vigroba vm 
vikinga. Sinfiotli sigmvndar s. sv. oc 
er pat enn ritap. Her ma hopbroddr 
helga kenna flotta traupan i flota mipiom, 
hann hefir epli ettar pinnar arf fiorsvnga 
pvi fyrr scolo at freca 
steini sattir saman vm sacar dogma mal 
er havdbroddr hefnd at vinna ef ver 
legra lvt lengi barom. Fyrr mvyndv 
gvdmvndr geitr vm halda oc bergscorar 
brattar klifa hafa per ihendi hesli kylfo 
pat er per blibara enn brimiss domar. 
per er sinfiotli semra myclo gvnni at 
heyia oc glapa érno enn onytom o. a. d. 
pott hildingar heiptir deili. piccit 
mer gopir gran. s, p. d. s. s. a. m. peir 
merch h, a. m. r. at hvg hafa hior. a. b. 
ero hildingar havllzti sniallir. Helgi 
fec sigrvnar oc atto pbav sono, var 
helgi eigi gamall. dagr havgna s. blo- 
tapi opin til favdvr hefnda. Obinn lepi 
dag greis(!) sins. dagr fann helga mag 
sinn- par sem heitir at fioturlvndi hann 
lagdi igognom helga mep geirnom. par 
fell helgi enn dagr reip til fialla oc sagdi 
sigrvno tipindi, ‘Travpr em ec systir trega 
per at segia [eéc., see p, 240, 1. 252]. 


To Page 181. 


(a) Volospa (Cd. R). 


Nam sciota | baldrs brodir var of borin 
sng¢mma sa nam obins | sonr ein nettr 
vega. po hann eva hendr ne havfvp 
kembpi abr | a bal vm bar baldrs and- 
scota. en frie vm grét ifensavlom ua | 
valhallar v. e. e, e, h. 


(6) Doom of Balder (Cd. AM. 748). 


Heipt hedi hefnt of vinna er balldrs 
bana a bal vega. Rindr berr | i vestr 
solym sa man odins son ein nettr vega 
hond vm pver new hofud kem | bir adr 
abal vm berr balldrs andskota navdévg s. 
n. myn e. p. pegiattv v. p. 


To Page 192 at the bottom. 
(a) Text R, (6) Text H. 


Ena pridio. per lavg lavgdo per lif Skaru aa skidi skulld hina pridiv. 
kvro alda bornom 6r | lavg secia. at per log logdu per lif kuru all | da born- 
man hon fole uig fyrst iheimi er gull um orlgg at ségia. ba gengy regin gll aa 













TT 


NA ME ctl tacit 


pene genet, oh hee pent 
——— 


ALL AS ho ky 





a ee ae nie nad 
= er 


rg VA) ibaa Nad 


378 


ueig | geirom studdv oc ihavll hars hana 
brendo. prysvar brendo | prysvar borna 
opt osialdan po hon en lifir. Heidi 
hana | heto hvars til hvsa com udlo uel 
sp& uitti hon ganda seid | hon kvni 
seip’ hon leikin ¢ var hon angan illrar 
brvdar | pa g. r. a. a. huart scyldo g¢sir 
afrad gialda epr scyldo godin | avll gildi 
eiga. Fleygdi odin oc ifolc um scavt 
pat var en folc | vig fyrst iheimi. brotin 
var bord uegr borgar asa knatto | vanir 
uig spa uollo sporna. pa g. r. a. hverir 
hefdi lopt | alt levi blandit epr ¢tt iotuns 
ops mey gefna. porr ein | par var 
prvngin modi hann sialdan sitr er hann 
slict vm fregn age | ngoz eidar ord oc 
seri mal avll meginlig er amedal foro. | 
Veit hon heimdalar hliod vm folgit undir 
heid vonom helgom | badmi a ser hon 
avsaz avrgom forsi af uedi ual fodrs uit | 
op er ene. hvat. Ein sat hon uti pa er 
in aldni com yciongr | asa oc iavgo leit. 
hvers fregnit mic hvi freistip min alt | 
ueit ec opin hvar pv avga falt pit ienom 
mera mimis | bruni dreckr miod mimir 
morgin hverian af vepi v. v. e. e. h. | 
Valpi henni herfavpr hringa oc men fe 
spioll spaclig oc spa | ganda sa hon uitt oc 
vm vitt of verold hveria. Sa hon valkyr | 
ior vitt um komnar gavrvar at rida til 
godpiodar scvid | helt scildi enn scavgvl 
avnor gvnr hildr gavndul oc geir || 


[Fresh page.] 
scavgul nu ero talpar navNnor herians 
gorvar at riba grvnd | valkyrior. Ec sa 
baldri blodgom tivor odins batni or log | 
folgin st66 vm vaxin vollo heri mior oc 
mioc fagr mistil tein. | Vard af beim 
meidi er m’ syndiz harm flavg hettlig 
havpr | nam sciota baldrs brodir var of 
borin sngmma sa nam obins | sonr ein 
nettr vega. po hann eva hendr ne 
havfup kembpi apr | abal vm bar baldrs 
andscota. en fric um grét ifensavlom 
ua | valhallar v. e. e. e. h. Hapt sa 
hon licia undir hvera lundi le | giarn lici 
loca apeckian. bar sitr sigyn pbeygi vm 
sinom ver | vel glyiod v. p. e. h. A 
fellr avstan um eitr dala savxom oc 
sverpom | slidr heitir sv stod fyr nordan 
anipa fiollom salr or golli sin | dra ettar. 
enn annar stod a ocolni bior salr iotvns 
en sa brimir | heitir. Sal sa hon standa 
solo fiaRi na strondo a norpr hor | fa 
dyr fello eitr dropar in vm liora sa er 
undin salr orma | hryciom. Sa hon par 
vaba bvnga stravma men mordvargar | 
meins vara oc. oc banz anars glepr eyra 


APPENDIX. 


rokstola ginnheilugh | god ok um pat 
gizttuz hverir hefdi loft allt levi blandit 
gdr ett ig | tuns ods mey gefna. porr 
einn par vaa prunginn modi hann sialld- 
an | sitr er hann slikt of fregnn aa 
genguz eidar ord ok ok seri maal gil | 
meginlig er aa medal voru. || 


[Fresh page. ] 
Veit hun heimdallar hliod ‘um folgit 
vndir heid uonvm helgum badmi aa ser 
hun | ausaz grgum forsi af uedi valfodrs 
uitu per enn edr hvat. Austr byr hin 
alldna i | iarnvidi ok fedir par fenris 
kindir verdr af beim gllum einna nokkur 
tungls tiu | gari i trollz hami fylliz figrfi 
feigra manna rydr ragna sigt raudum 
dreyra svort verda | solskin um sumvr 
eftir uedr gll ualynd vitu per enn edr 
hvat. pat man hon folk | uig fyrst i 
heimi er gullueig geirum studdi ok i holl 
haars hana brendu prysvar bren | du 
prysvar brendy prysvar borna opt o 
sialldan po hon enn lifir, Heidi hana 
hetu huars | til hvsa kom ok volu vel 
spa uiti hun ganda seid hon hvars hon 
kunni seid hon huglei | kin 2 var hon 
angann -illrar brudar. 
gll aa rok stola ginnheilvg god ok vm | 
pat giettuz hvart skylldv esir afraad 
giallda edr skylldu gudin oll gilldi eiga. | 
Fleygdi odinn ok i folk um skaut-pat 
var enn folk uig fyrr i heimi brotinn 
var bord | veggr borgar aasa knaattv 
vanir vig spa vgllv spornna. pa kna vala 
vigbond sn | ua helldr vora hardgior 
hoft or pormum par sitr sigyn beygi um 
sinom ver uel | glyiut vitv per enn eda 
hvat. 


fram se ek lengra | figld kann ek segia 
um ragna rgk romm sigtiva. Sat par 

aa haugi ok | slo horpu gygiar hirdir 

gladr egdir gol yfir i galg vidi fagr raudr ~ 
hani enn sa fia | larr heitir, Gol yfir 
aasum gullin kambi sa vekr holda at 
heria fodrs enn annarr gelr | fyr igrd- 





pa gengv regin  ~ ; 


Geyr garmr migk fyr gnupa| — a 
helli festr man slitna enn freki renna _ 





Beh 
: 











fone, 4 ete TS oa aan 


> 


DUPLICATE TEXTS. 


runo par svg nip|haver nai fram 
gengna sleit vargr vera v. e, ee. h 
Austr sat | in aldna icarnuipi oc foddi 
par fenris kindir verdr af peim | avilom 
eina noccorr tungls tivgari i trollz hami, 
Fylliz fior | vi feigra manna rypr ragna 
siot ravdom dreyra svart varpa sol | scin 
of sumar eptir vepr oll valynd v. e. h. 
Sat par ahavgi | oc slo havrpo gygiar 
hirpir gladr ecper. gol vm hanom 
igagl | vipi fagr ravdr hani sa er fialar 
heitir. Gol um asom gul | lincambi sa 
uecr havipa at hiarar at heria favprs en 
anaR | gelr fyr iord nedan sét ravpr hani 
at savlom heliar. Geyr | garmr mioc 
fur gnipa helli festr mvn slitna en fra | 
ki rena fiolp veit hon froda fram se ec 
lengra vm rag | na ravk ravm sig tyva. 
Brgobr mvyno beriaz oc at bavnom | verpa 
muno systrungar sifiom spilla hart er 
iheimi hor | domr micill scegavld scalm- 
avid scildir ro klofnir vind avid | varg 
avid apr veravld steypiz mvn engi mapr 
odrom pyrma. | 


379 


nedan sot raudr hani at solum heliar. 
Sal ser hon standa solu fiari | naa 
strgndu aa nordr horfa dyrr falla eitr 
drvpar inn vm liora saa er undinn salr | 
orma hryggium, Ser hon par vada 
punga strauma menn mein svara ok 
mordvar | ga ok pannz annars glepr 
eyrna runa par saug nidhoggr nai fram 
gengna sleit | vargr vera vitv per enn 
eda hvat. Geyr nu garmr miok fyr gn, 
h. f. man sl. enn f, | Broedr munu beriaz 
ok at bonum verdaz munu systrungar 
sifium spilla hart | er i heimi hordomr 
mikill skeggoll skaalmglld skilldir klofnir 
vind glld varg | glld aadr verglld steypiz 
grundir gialla gifr fliugandi man engi 
madr gdrum pyrma. | 


To Page 235. 


(a) Rigs-pula in Cd. W. 


Enn hetu sya gdrum nofnum. Snot 
bruér svanni svarri sprakki fliod sprund 


(b) Thulor (Cd. r and AM, 748). 


Snot brvér svanni svarri sprakki fliod 
sprvnd, kona, feima xkkia rygr vif ok 


ok rif feima ristill. padan eru komnar 
karla ettir. 


dros ristill seta, svarkr dros ok man 
mer ok kerling. 


To Page 267. 
Hofudlausn Text C (Cd. Wolfenbiitt.) 


Vestr kom ek vm ver enn ek vidris ber man strandar mar sva er mitt of far: 
dro ek eik aflot vid isa brot hlod ek mzrdar hlvt mins knarrar skvt, 

Budumz hilmir laud par a ek hrodrar kuod ber ek odins miod a engla biod 
lofat uisa vann vist meri ek pann hliods bidivm hann pviat hrodr of fann. 

Hygg visir at vel somir pat hue ek pylia fér ef ek pogn of get 
flestr madr of fra hvat fylkir vaa en vidrir sa huar valr of laa. 

Varad villr stadar vefr darradar fyrir grams glavévm geirvangs raudum 
pars i blodi ibrimils modi flaustr of prumdi en vnd vm glumdi. 

Hne fyrda fit vndz fleina hnit ordztir of gat Eirekr at pat. 

Fremr mun ek segia ef firar pegia fragum fleira til frama peira 
eztuz vndir vid iofurs fundi brustu brandir vid blaar randir. 

Hauii hei saudul vid hialm ravdvl beit ben grefill pat var blod refill 
fra ek at felli firir fetils sverdi odins eiki i iarnleiki. 

Raud hilmir hior bat var hrafua gior fleinn hitti fior flugu drvrug spior 
aulferd gota far biodr skota brad nipt nara néra uérd ara. 

par var eggia at ok odda gnat ordztir of gat Eirikr at par. 

Flugu hialldrs vanir of hres lanir orv blods vanar ben maas granar 
sveit saars freka svalg vnd dreka gnudi hrafni a hofut stafni, 

Kom gridar Je af gialpar ske baud ulfum hre Eirikr of sz. 

Lztr snot saka sverd frey vaka enn skers haka skidgard braka. 
brustu broddar en bitv oddar baru horfar af bogum orfuar. 

Beit fleinn floginn pa var fridér loginn var almr dregin#®pvi vard ulfr feginn. 


Io 


20° 


3° 


40 - 


380 


APPENDIX. 


Iofurr sveigdi y hrutu unnda by baud ulfum hre Eirikr aa sx. 
Enn mun ek vilia fra verium skilia skapleik skata skal meré huata 

verpr af brondvm en iofurr londum helldr hornklofi hann er nestr lofi. 
Brytr boghuita biodr hram slita muna hoddafa hring briotr lofa 

miok er hanum fol havk strandar miol hvggask flotna fidl vid frodéa miol. 
Verpr brodd fleti af baug seti hiorleiks huati hann er baug skati. 
proaz her sem hvar hugat mzli ek par kunt er austr vm mar Eiriks of far. 
Bar ek pengils lof a pagnar rof kann ek maala miot a m® siot 

or hiatra ham hrodr ber ek firir gram. Suo for pat fram at flestr of nam, 
Nioti bavga sem bragi avga vagna vaara edr vili taara. 


To Page 271. 
The Lay of Arinbiorn in AM. 132. 


Ist COL. 


Emc hradq’dr hilme at hilme 

at mzra en glap mall um gle 

gguiga opispiallr i iofurs da 

di é pag melskr um piodlyge Scau 

pe gnegr skrauk b’aiidii emce vilq’dr 

um uine mina sott hefi ek morg milldin 

ga siot m’ grii laust g’ps i odi Haf 

da ek édr ynglins burar riks kgs rei 

de fégna dro ek diarf hautt m’ of 

daukq® skor let ek h’si hei i sottan 

p* e’ allualld’ id ygr...alme liod 
f4madad’ 

at I’de sat styr’. .. v’ stird& hug iior 

uik urgih. r.. Vara p’tigl 

skin trvkt . ‘ ‘ ‘ 


, 
. 
e 
. 


2ND COL, 
z pren atigu mier, ’tel ek fyrst 
e’ flestr i ueit z alpiod eyrun sek’ hue mi 
Iidgedr mm potte bioda biorn birkis ot 
ta. p’ aliz hi at id’ gefz hue fi urpiod 
aude gneg’ e’ griot biorn i gnegda hef’ 
freyr z niord’ at fiar afle. En hroalldz a 
haufé baéme auds idgnott at alnii sifear 
sé uiseld* af uegii aullii auindk’s uidd bot 
ne. H d'g seil i eiga gat sem hilldigr 
heyrnar spana godii au'dr my Aa fiold 
uin’ uep’orms ueclinga tos. ph uid’ 


e’ priota mii flesta m bott fe eigi q’d 

ka ek skat mille skata husa ne aup 

skept almaa spior. Gek m* engi at 

arinbiarn’ or leg uers logii knerri 

hade leidd’ ne heipt k’da mz atgeirs 

audar tuptir. Hifi e’ feg’ mr er i 

fiordi byr sa e’ of dolg’ draupnis nid 

ia... nautr... nar hwinna h’ngum 

¢ ara f'de spiolli. ‘ 

eet ee 
VahOde n'y Uae ts eee 
. hv 

0 es Aa FOR ok 

ill spigui: 3s es a os ees 

p . sak, ek skalld k’di ok 

o « «ene Ok m; hetdn bts 
. astrad pau. wee 


i brimsker. . » TOUMF §, 5 4oe see 
e’ fram stafn i folke . » «© #08 
d’ brande birt’ blarra geira . . 

hars vedri . . fl’ e’ + 2 eae 


knegv b @. extn 


mekiss egg fer re 


The Editor s exact copy of ee could be read in the blank of the first column is 
lost, but the results of his reading are embodied in the text of Arinbiorn’s Lay. 





SONGS FROM SAXO. 381 


To Pages 316 and 326, ll. 66-71, Book V, § 3. 
a. Text. b. Text. 
pa quap pat gvdrvn givka dottir. Sva Sva var Sigvrpr vf sonom givka sem 
var minn sigurpr hia sonom givka sem veri gronn lavcr or grasi vaxinn eba 
veri geir lavkr or grasi vaxinn epa veri _hiortr habeinn vm hvossom dyrom eba 
biartr steinn a band dreginn iarkna  gvll glodravtt af gra silfri. 
steinn yfir avdlingom. 


B. 
EXTRACTS OF SONGS FROM SAXO GRAMMATICUS. 


To Page 125, Saxo, Book I, 


Haddingus Quid moror in latebris opacis 
Collibus implicitus scruposis, 
Nec mare more sequor priori ? 
Eripit ex oculis quietem 
Agminis increpitans lupini 
Stridor, et usque polum levatus 
Questus inutilium ferarum 
Impatiensque rigor leonum. 
Tristia sunt juga vastitasque 
Pectoribus truciora fisis. 10 
Officiunt scopuli rigentes 
Difficilisque situs locorum 
Mentibus equor amare svetis, 
Nam freta remigiis probare 
Officii potioris esset, 
Mercibus ac spoliis ovare, 
ZEra aliena sequi locello, 
/Equoreis inhiare lucris, 
Quam salebras nemorumque flexus 
. . . 
Et steriles habitare saltus. 20 


; Uxor Me canorus angit ales immorantem littori 
Et soporis indigentem garriendo concitat. 
Hine sonorus estuosez motionis impetus 
Ex ocello dormientis mite demit otium, 
Nec sinit pausare noctu mergus alte garrulus 
Auribus fastidiosa delicatis inserens, 

: Nec volentem decubare recreari sustinet 
| Tristiore flexione dire vocis obstrepens. 

: Tutius sylvis fruendum dulciusque censeo. 
| 

; 

| 








Quis minor quietis usus luce, nocte carpitur, 30 
Quam marinis immorari fluctuando motibus ? 


‘ 

; To Page 188, Saxo, Book II. 

| Hialto -Ocius evigilet, quisquis se regis amicum 

: Aut meritis probat, aut sola pietate fatetur. 
Discutiant somnum proceres, stupor improbus absit ; 
Incaleant animi vigiles ; sua dextera quemque 

Aut fame dabit aut probro perfundet inerti; 
Noxque hee aut finis erit aut vindicta malorum. 
Non ego virgineos jubeo cognoscere ludos, 

Nec teneras tractare genas, aut dulcia nuptis 

Oscula conferre et tenues astringere mammas, 

Non liquidum captare merum, tenerumve fricare Io 
Femen et in niveos oculum jactare lacertos. 

Evoco vos ad amara magis certamina Martis. 

Bello opus est nec amore levi; nihil hi® quoque facti 






"ne sil Reliatd 


382 APPENDIX. 


Mollities enervis habet ; res proelia poscit. 
Quisquis amicitiam regis colit, arma capessat. 
Pensandis animis belli promptissima laus ést. 
Ergo viris timidum nihil aut leve fortibus insit, 
Destituatque animos armis cessura voluptas. 
In pretio jam fama manet, laudis sibi quisque 
Arbiter esse potest, propriaque nitescere dextra, 
Instructum luxu nihil adsit; plena rigoris 
Omnia presentem discant exsolvere cladem. 
Non debet laudis titulos aut premia captans 
Ignavo torpere metu, sed fortibus ire 
Obvius et gelidum non expallescere ferrum. 


Biarco to his Surge puer, crebroque ignem spiramine pasce ; 

page Scalco Verre larem ligno et tenues dispelle favillas. 
Scintillas extunde focis, ignisque jacentes 
Erige relliquias et opertas elice flammas. 
Languentem compelle larem producere lumen, 
Ardenti rutilas accendens stipite prunas. 
Proderit admota digitos extendere flamma. 
Quippe calere manu debet, qui curat amicum, 
Et nocui penitus livoris pellere frigus. 


Hialto Dulce est nos domino percepta rependere dona, 
Acceptare enses, famzque impendere ferrum. 
En virtus sua quemque monet meritum bene regem 
Rite sequi dignaque ducem gravitate tueri. 
Enses Theutonici, galez, armilleque nitentes, 
Lorice talo immissz, quas contulit olim 
Rolvo suis, memores acuant in prelia mentes. 
Res petit et par est, quecunque per otia summa 
Nacti pace sumus, belli ditione mereri, 

Nec lztos cursus moestis preponere rebus, 

Aut duris semper casus preferre secundos. 

Mente pari proceres sortem capiamus utramque, 
Nec mores fortuna regat ; quia condecet eque 
Delicias ac dura pati, vultuque sub illo 

Ducamus tristes, quo dulces hausimus annos, 
Omnia que poti temulento prompsimus ore, 
Fortibus edamus animis et vota sequamur 

Per summum jurata Jovem superosque potentes. 
Danorum primus herus est meus; adsit eidem, 
Ut probus est quisque; procul hinc, procul este fugaces ! 
Forti opus est stabilique viro, non terga ferente 
In dubium, bellive truces metuente paratus, 
Maxima spe duci virtus ex milite pendet. 
Tanto etenim princeps aciem securior intrat, 
Quanto illum melius procerum stipaverit agmen. « 
Arripiat digitis pugnacibus arma satelles, 
Iniiciens dextram capulo clypeumque retentans, 
Inque hostes ruat, et nullos expalleat ictus. 
Nemo se retro feriendum prebeat hosti, 

Nemo enses tergo excipiat; pugnacia semper 
Pectora vulneribus pateant. Certamina prima 
Fronte gerunt aquilz et rapidis se rictibus urgent 
Anteriore loco ; species vos alitis equet, 
Adverso nullam metuentes corpore plagam. 
Ecce furens 2quoque sui fidentior hostis, 

Ferro artus faciemque aurata casside tectus, 

In medios fertur cuneos, ceu vincere certus 





es 








i a ea 





eis ap th 


eT 
—— rT 


pir EBA ee AO: Beat 2 Ahh eye 


may ret a Beet LTS ae 





SONGS FROM SAXO. 


Intimidusque fuge et nullo superabilis ausu, 
Svetica (me miserum) Danos fiducia spernit, 

Ecce truces oculis Gothi visuque feroces 

Cristatis galeis hastisque sonantibus instant ; 

In nostro validam peragentes sanguine cladem, 
Destringunt gladios et acutas cote bipennes, 

Quid te, Hiarthvare, loquar? quem Sculda nocente replevit 
Consilio, tantaque dedit crudescere culpa ? 

Quid te, infande, canam, nostri discriminis auctor, 
Proditor eximii regis, quem seva libido 

Imperii tentare nefas furiisque citatum 

Conjugis zternam pepulit pratendere noxam ? 
Quis te error factum Danis dominoque nocentem 
Precipitavit in hoc rerum scelus? unde subibat 
Impietas tanto fraudis construtta paratu ? 

Quid moror? Extremam jam degustavimus escam. 
Rex perit et miseram sors ultima corripit urbem. 
Tiluxit suprema dies, nisi forte quis assit 

Tam mollis, qui'se plagis prebere timescat, 

Aut imbellis ita ut domini non audeat ultor 

Esse sui, dignosque animo proscribat honores. 

Tu quoque consurgens niveum caput exere, Ruta, 
Et latebris egressa tuis in proelia prodi, 

Cedes te foris acta vocat. Jam curia bellis 
Concutitur, diroque strepunt certamine porte. 
Loricas lacerat ferrum, dirumpitur hamus 

Nexilis, et crebro cedunt precordia telo. 

Jam clypeum ‘regis vaste minuere secures ; 

Jam longi resonant enses, crepitatque bipennis 
Humanis impacta humeris et pectora findens., 
Quid pavitant animi? quid hebescit languidus ensis ? 
Porta vacat nostris, externo plena tumultu, 


Ut quid abes Bjarco? num te sopor occupat altus? 
Quid tibi, queso, more est? Aut ’exi, aut igne premeris. 
Elige quod prestat! eia! conctitrite mecum ! 

Igne ursos arcere licet; penetralia flammis 
Spargamus, primosque petant incendia postes, 
Excipiat torrem thalamus, tectique ruina 
Fomentum flammis et alendo prebeat igni, 
Fundere damnatis fas est incendia portis, 

At nos, qui regem voto meliore veremur, 
Jungamus cuneos stabiles, tutisque phalangem 
Ordinibus mensi, qua rex precepit, eamus: 

Qui natum Boki Roricum stravit avari, 
Implicuitque virum leto virtute carentem. 

Iile quidem prestans opibus habituque fruendi 
Pauper erat, probitate minus quam fcenore pollens ; 
Aurum militia potius ratus, omnia lucro 
Posthabuit, laudisque carens congessit acervos 
Eris et ingenuis uti contempsit amicis. 

Cumque lacessitus Rolvonis classe fuisset, 

Egestum cistis aurum deferre ministros 

Jussit et in primas urbis diffundere portas, 

Dona magis quam bella parans, quia militis expers 
Munere, non armis tentandum credidit hostem, 
Tanquam opibus solis bellum gesturus, et usu 


383 


80 


go 


100 


110 


120 





i © Bm) 


74. gotthi, Ed. 1574. 78. hiaruare, Ed, 1514. ™ 93. capit, Ed. 1514. 


384 


Biarco 


APPENDIX. 


Rerum, non hominum Martem producere posset. 
Ergo graves loculos et ditia claustra resolvit, 
Armillas teretes et onustas protulit arcas, 

Exitii fomenta sui, ditissimus ris, 

Bellatoris inops, hostique adimenda relinquens 
Pignora, que patriis prebere pepercit amicis. 
Annellos ultro metuens dare, maxima nolens 
Pondera fudit opum, veteris populator acervi. 
Rex tamen hunc prudens oblataque munera sprevit, 
Rem pariter vitamque adimens; nec profuit hosti 
Census iners, quem longo avidus cumulaverat evo, 
Hunc pius invasit Rolvo, summasque perempti 
Cepit opes, inter dignos partitus amicos, 
Quicquid avara manus tantis congesserat annis ; 
Irrumpensque opulenta magis, quam fortia castra, 
Prebuit eximiam sociis sine sanguine predam. 
Cui nil tam pulchrum fuit, ut non funderet illud, 
Aut carum, quod non sociis daret, zra favillis 
Assimulans, famaque annos, non foenore mensus, 
Unde liquet, regem claro jam funere functum 
Praclaros egisse dies, speciosaque fati 

Tempora preteritos decorasse viriliter annos, 
Nam virtute ardens, dum viveret, omnia vicit, 
Egregio dignas sortitus corpore vires. 

Tam preceps in bella fuit, quam concitus amnis 
In mare decurrit, pugnamque capessere promptus, 
Ut cervus rapidum bifido pede tendere cursum, 
Ecce per infusas humana tabe lacunas 

Czsorum excussi dentes rapiente cruoris 
Profluvio toto et scabris limantur arenis, 
Splendescunt limo allisi, lacerataque torrens 
Sanguinis ossa vehit, truncosque superfluit artus, 
Danicus humescit sanguis, stagnatque cruenta 
Latius eluvies et corpora sparsa revolvit 

Elisus venis vapidum spumantibus amnis. 
Impiger invehitur Danis Hjarthvarus, amator 
Martis, et extenta pugnantes provocat hasta. 
Attamen hic inter discrimina fataque belli 
Frothonis video letum arridere nepotem, 

Qui Fyrisvallinos auro conseverat agros, 

Nos quoque lztitiz species extollat honesta, 
Morte secuturos generosi fata parentis, 

Voce ergo simus alacres ausuque vigentes, 
Namque metum par est animosis spernere dictis, 
Et memorabilibus letum consciscere factis. 
Deserat os animumque timor; fateamur utroque 
Intrepidos nisus, ne nos nota judicet ulla 

Parte aliqua signum dubii prestare timoris. 
Librentur stricto meritorum pondera ferro, 
Gloria defunctos sequitur, putrique faville 

Fama superstes erit, nec in ullum decidet evum, 
Quod perfecta suo patravit tempore virtus. 

Quid clausis agitur foribus? quid pessula valvas 
Juncta seris cohibent ? Etenim jam tertia te vox, 
Bjarco, ciet, clausoque jubet procedere tecto. 


Quid me Rolvonis generum, quid, bellice Hjalto, 


‘as 


140 


150 


160 


170 


180 





135. fugit, Ed. 1514. 144. aut, Ed. 1514. 163. hyvarus, Ed. 1514. 
167. sirtvallinos, Ed. 1514. 











SONGS FROM SAXO. 


Tanta voce cies? Etenim qui magna profatur, 
Grandiloquisque alios verbis invitat ad arma, 
Audere et dicta factis equare tenetur, 

Ut vocem fateatur opus. Sed desine, donec 
Armer et horrendo belli praecingar amictu. 
Jamque ensem lateri jungo, jam corpore primum 
Lorica galeaque tegor, dum tempora cassis 
Excipit et rigido conduntur pectora ferro, 
Nemo magis clausis refugit penetralibus uri 
Cumque sua rogus esse domo ; licet insula memet 
Ediderit, stricteque habeam natalia terre, 
Bissenas regi debebo rependere gentes, 

Quas titulis dedit ille meis. Attendite, fortes! 
Nemo lorica se vestiat interituri 

Corporis ; extremum perstringat nexile ferrum ; 
In tergum redeant clipei; pugnemus apertis 
Pectoribus, totosque auro densate lacertos. 
Armillas dextre excipiant, quo fortius ictus 
Collibrare queant et amarum figere vulnus, 
Nemo pedem referat! Certatim quisque subire 
Hostiles studeat gladios hastasque minaces, 

Ut carum ulciscamur herum, Super omnia felix, 
Qui tanto sceleri vindictam impendere possit 
Et fraudum justo punire piacula ferro, 

Ecce mihi videor cervum penetrasse ferocem 
Theutonico certe, qui Snyrtir dicitur, ense, 

A quo belligeri cepi cognomen, ut Agner 
Ingelli natum fudi retulique trophzum. 

Ille meo capiti impactum perfregit H¢thingum, 
Elisum morsu gladium, majora daturus 
Vulnera, si melius ferri viguisset acumen, 

Cui contra levam lateris cum parte sinistri 


Dissecui dextrumque pedem, labensque sub artus 


Incidit in medias ferrum penetrabile costas, 
Hercule nemo illo visus mihi fortior unquam. 
Semivigil subsedit enim cubitoque reclinis 
Ridendo excepit letum, mortemque cachinno 
Sprevit et Elisium gaudens successit in orbem. 
Magna viri virtus, que risu calluit uno 
Supremam celare necem, summumque dolorem 
Corporis ac mentis lato compescere vultu ! 
Nunc quoque cujusdam preclaro stemmate nati 
Vitales fibras ferro rimabar eodem, 

Et ferrum penitus intra precordia mersi, 

Filius hic regis et avito sanguine lucens 

Indole clarus erat, tenerisque nitentior annis. 
Non illi hamatum poterat prodesse metallum, 
Non ensis, non umbo teres; tam vivida ferri 
Vis erat, objectis tardari nescia rebus. 
Ergo duces ubi sunt Gotthorum militizque 
Hiartuari? Veniant et vires sanguine pensent. 
Qui jaciunt, qui tela rotant, nisi regibus orti? 
Surgit ab ingenuis bellum; clarissima Martem 
Stemmata conficiunt ; nec enim vulgaribus ausis 
Res agitur, quam sola ducum discrimina tentant. 
Illustres obeunt proceres, En, maxime Rolvo, 
Magnates cecidere tui, pia stemmata cessant, 
Non humile obscurumve genus, non funera plebis 
Pluto rapit vilesque animas, sed fata potentum 


cc 


385 


190 


200 


210 


220 


230 


240 


386 


Hialto 


Biarco 


Ruta 


Biarco 


APPENDIX. 


Implicat et claris complet Phlegethonta figuris. 
Non memini certamen: agi, quo promptius esset 
Alternare enses partirique ictibus ictus. 

Dans unum tres accipio; sic mutua Gotthi 
Vulnera compensant, sic dextra potentior hostis 
Vindicat acceptam cumulato feenore poenam. 
Quanquam adeo solus multorum funere leto 
Corpora tradiderim pugnans, ut imagine collis 
Editus e truncis excresceret artubus agger, 

Et speciem tumuli congesta cadavera ferrent. 
Et quid agit, qui me nuper prodire jubebat, 
Eximia se laude probans, aliosque superba 

Voce terens et amara serens opprobria, tanquam 
Uno bissenas complexus corpore vitas ? 


Quanquam subsidio tenui fruor, haud procul. absum ; 
Hac quoque, qua stamus, opus est ope, nec magis usquam 
quoque, q Pp Pp os Ug 


Vis aut lecta manus promptorum in bella virorum 
Exigitur. Jam dure acies et spicula scutum 
Frustatim secuere meum, partesque minutim 
Avulsas absumpsit edax per prelia ferrum, 

Prima sibi testis res est, seque ipsa fatetur. 

Fama oculo cedit, visusque fidelior aure est, 
Rupti etenim clipei retinacula sola supersunt, 
Sectus et in giro remanet mihi pervius umbo. 

Et nunc, Biarco, viges, quanquam cunctatior zquo 
Extiteris, damnumque more probitate repensas. 


Carpere me necdum probrisque lacessere cessas ? 
Multa moras afferre solent, Namque obvius ensis 
Cunctandi mihi causa fuit, quem Sveticus hostis 
In mea prevalido contorsit pectora nisu. 

Nec parce gladium capuli moderator adegit ; 

Nam quantum in nudo vel inermi corpore fas est, 
Egit in armato; sic duri tegmina ferri 

Ut molles trajecit aquas ; nec opis mihi quicquam 
Aspera lorice poterat committere moles, 

Et nunc ille ubi sit, qui vulgo dicitur Othin 
Armipotens, uno semper contentus ocello ? 

Dic mihi, Ruta, precor, usquam si conspicis illum ? 


Adde oculum propius et nostras prospice chelas, 
Ante sacraturus victrici lumina signo 
Si vis presentem tuto cognoscere Martem, 


Si potero horrendum Friggz spectare maritum, 
Quantumcunque albo clypeo sit tectus et altum 
Flectat equum, Lethra nequaquam sospes abibit ; 
Fas est belligerum bello prosternere divum, 
Ante oculos regis clades speciosa cadentes 
Excipiat. Dum vita manet, studeamus honeste 
Posse mori clarumque manu decerpere funus, 
Ad caput extincti moriar ducis obrutus, ac tu 
Ejusdem pedibus moriendo allabere pronus, 

Ut videat, quisquis congesta cadavera lustrat, 
Qualiter acceptum domino pensavimus aurum. 
Preda erimus corvis aquilisque rapacibus esca, 
Vesceturque vorax nostri dape corporis ales, 

Sic belli intrepidos proceres occumbere par est, 
Illustrem socio complexos funere regem. 





250 


260 


270 


280 


290 


3 








251, arcubus, Ed, 1514, 


266, peruidus, Ed. 1514. 





Hildigerus 


SONGS FROM SAXO. 384 


To Page 352, ll. 99-103, Saxo, Book VII. 


Hercule deprendi nulli numerabile vulgus, 
Vulgus, cujus erat terra nec unda capax. 
Colluxere ignes crebri. Silva omnis obarsit ; 
Index innumerz flamma cohortis erat. 
Calcibus obtrita tellus subsedit equinis, 
Edebant rapidos stridula plaustra sonos ; 
Ingemuere rote, ventos auriga premebat, 
Ut tonitrum currus assimilasse putes. 
Vix armatorum ccetus sine lege ruentes 
Ponderis impatiens pressa ferebat humus. 10 
Obmugire aer visus mihi, terra moveri, 
Tantus in externo milite motus erat. 
Nam quindena simul vexilla micantia vidi, 
Quodque ex iis centum signa minora tenet ; 
Post quorum quodvis poterant bis dena videri ; 
Signorum numero par erat ordo ducum. 


To Page 190, Saxo, Book VII. 


Collibet alternis devolvi fatibus horam, 
Et, ferro pausante, solo subsidere paulum, 
Alternare moram dictis animosque fovere. 
Restat proposito tempus; nam fata duorum 
Fors diversa tenet; alium discrimine certo 
Sors feralis agit, alium potioribus annis 
Pompa decusque manent et agendi temporis usus. 
Sic sibi dividuum partes discriminat omen. 
Danica te tellus, me Sveticus edidit orbis. 
Drot tibi maternum quondam distenderat uber ; 10 
Hac genitrice tibi pariter-collacteus exto. 
En pia progenies trucibus concurrere telis 
Ausa perit; sudo prognati sanguine fratres 
Illata sibi cede ruunt, dum culmen aventes 
Tempore deficiunt, sceptrique cupidine nacti 
Exitiale malum socio Styga funere visent, 
Ad caput affixus clypeus mihi Sveticus astat, 
Quem specular vernans varii celaminis ornat, 
Et miris laqueata modis tabulata coronant, 
Illic confectos proceres pugilesque subactos, 29 
Bella quoque et nostra facinus spectabile dextre 
Multicolor pictura notat; medioxima nati 
Illita conspicuo species celamine constat, 
Cui manus hec cursum metz vitalis ademit. 
Unicus hic nobis heres erat, una paterni 
Cura animi, superoque datus solamine matri. 
Sors mala, que lztis infaustos aggerit annos, 
Et risum moerore premit sortemque molestat. 
Lugubre enim ac miserum est dejectam ducere vitam 
Et tristes spirare dies omenque dolere. 30 
Sed quacunqué ligat Parcarum prescius ordo, 
Quezcunque arcanum superz rationis adumbrat, 
Seu que fatorum serie previsa tenentur, 
Nulla caducarum rerum conversio tollet. 
> 





13. pro nati, Ed. 1514. 
cc 2 





388 APPENDIX. . 


Haldanus Patris sceptra relinquens Post septem, simul octo, 


Nil figmenta verebar Undenos quoque solus 
Commenti muliebris Victor Marte subegi. 10 
Astus foemineive, Sed nec tunc fore rebar 
Unum quando duosque, Probri labe notandus, 
Tres ac quatuor, et mox Promissi levitate, 
Quinos, indeque senos, Pactis illicibusque. 

Gyuritha Fragili moderamine rerum Poteramne resistere sola 
Animus mihi pendulus hesit, Senioribus atque magistris, 
Trepida levitate pererrans ; Prohibentibus ista negari, 
Tua fama volatilis, anceps, Thalamoque monentibus uti? 
Variisque relatibus acta, Manet et Venus et calor idem, 
Dubium mihi pectus inussit. 20 Socius tibi parque futurus, 
Teneri tibi temporis annos Nec ab ordine sponsio cessit, 
Gladio periisse verebar. Aditus habitura fideles. 30 


To Page 355, Saxo, Book VIII. 4 


Starcatherus Ut sine regressu pronas agit alveus undas, 
Sic ztas hominum, cursim labentibus annis, 
Irreditura fluit; praceps ruit orbita fati, 
Quam generat finem rerum factura senectus. 
Illa oculos hominum pariter gressusque relidit, 
Eripit os animumque viris, famaque nitorem 
Paulatim premit et claros oblitterat actus ; 
Occupat occiduos artus, frustratur anhelz 
Vocis opus, vegetamque premit torpedine mentem, 
Dum paritur tussis, dum pellis scabida prurit, 10 | 
Dens stupet exesus, stomachus fastidia gignit, 
Evacuat juvenile decus, marcore colorem 
Oblinit et picea crebras serit in cute rugas. 
Obterit egregias artes, monimenta priorum 7 
Obruit et titulos antique laudis adurit ; ' ’ 
Demolitur opes, pretium virtutis et usum ; : 
Carpit edax, transvertit res et ab ordine turbat. E 
Ipse ego, quam noceat, didici, damnosa vetustas, 
Visu eger, vocis modulis et pectore raucus ; 
Cunctaque in adversam fluxerunt commoda sortem, 20 a 
Jamque minus vegetum corpus fulcimine tutor, a 
Flaccida subjectis innixus membra bacillis. * 
Lucis inops moderor vestigia fuste gemello, 
Et virga monstrante sequor compendia callis, 
Stipitis auspicio potius quam lumine fisus. 
Nemo mei curam celebrat, nec in agmine quisquam 
Solamen veterano adhibet, nisi forsan Hatherus 
Assit et infracti rebus succurrat amici. 
Ille, semel quemcunque pio dignatur amore, 
Integer inccepti studio constanter eodem 30 
Prosequitur, primosque timet pervellere nexus, 
Ille etiam bello meritis bene premia crebro 
Digna refert, animosque colit; largitur honorem 
Fortibus et claros donis veneratur amicos, 
Spargit opes, laudisque suze cumulare nitorem 
Dapsilitate studet, multos superare potentes. 
Nec minor ad Martem pietatem viribus zquat, 
Belligerare celer, labi piger, edere pugnam 
Promptus, et urgenti tergum dare nescius hosti. 
At mihi, si recolo, nascenti fata dedere 40 








Ig. rauci, Ed. 1514. 





Hatherus 


Starcatherus 


SONGS FROM SAXO. 


Bella sequi belloque mori, miscere tumultus, 
Invigilare armis, vitam exercere cruentam. 
Castra quietis inops colui, pacemque perosus 
Sub signis, Gradive, tuis discrimine summo 
Consenui ; victoque metu, pugnare decorum, 
Turpe vacare ratus, crebras committere cedes 
Egregium duxi et strages celebrare frequentes, 
Sezpe graves bello reges concurrere vidi, 

Et clypeos galeasque teri, crudescere campos 
Sanguine, loricas affixa cuspide rumpi, 
Undique thoraces admisso cedere ferro, 
Luxuriare feras inhumato milite pastas. 

Hic aliquis forte egregii conaminis auctor 


Marte manuque potens medium dum pugnat in hostem, 


Intentam capiti loricam diffidit alter, 

Casside perfossa, ferrumque in vertice mersit. 
Hic gladius sepe dextra bellantis adactus 
Tegmine discisso capiti destrictus inhasit. 


Unde venis, patrias solitus scriptare poeses, 
Infirmo dubium suspendens stipite gressum ? 
Quove ruis, Danic# vates promptissime Musz ? 
Roboris eximii cassus decor excidit omnis ; 
Exulat ore color, animoque amota voluptas ; 
Destituit fauces vox et raucedine torpet ; 
Deseruit corpus habitus prior; ultima cepit 
Illuvies, formeeque notas cum robore carpsit. 
Ut ratis assiduo fluctu quassata fatiscit, 

Sic longo annorum cursu generata senectus 
Triste parit funus, defunctaque vitibus etas 
Occidit et prime patitur dispendia sortis. 
Quis vetuit te, note senex, juvenilibus uti 
Rite jocis, agitare pilam, morsa nuce vesci ? 
Jam satius reor, ut rhedam, qua szpe veharis, 
Venditor ensis emas, facilemve in frena caballum, 
Aut pretio leve curriculum merceris eodem. 
Aptius invalidos, sua quos vestigia fallunt, 
Excipient jumenta senes; rota proficit illi 
Orbibus acta suis, cui planta vacillat inanis. 
At si forte caves cassum venundare ferrum, 
Ereptus tibi te perimet, ni veneat, ensis, 


Improbe, verba seris facili temeraria labro, 
Auribus inconcinna piis. Quid premia ductus, 
Qui gratis prestandus erat, per munera queris ? 
Nempe pedes gradiar, nec turpiter ense relicto 
Externam mercabor opem ; natura meanti 

Jus dedit, et propriis jussit confidere plantis, 
Cur, cui debueras ultro dux esse vianti, 
Ludibrio insultas, sermone procaciter usus, 
Queque olim gessi, memori dignissima fama, 
Dedecori tribuis, meritum quoque crimine pensas ? 
Quid risu insequeris vetulum pugnare potentem, 
Invictosque meos titulos et splendida facta 
Probro adigis, famosa terens et fortia carpens ? 
Qua probitate petis indignum viribus ensem ? 
Haud latus hic imbelle decet dextramve bubulci, 
Agrestem soliti calamo deducere Musam, 
Procurare pecus, arvis armenta tueri. 

Nempe inter vernas ollz vicinus obunctz 
Crustula spumantis patinz bulligine tingis, 


389 


50 


60 


7° 


80 


go 


39° 


APPENDIX. 


Crassi adipis macrum perfundens unguine panem, 
Jusque tepens furtim digito sitiente liguris, 

Doctior assuetam cineri prosternere pallam, 
Indormire lari, somnos celebrare diurnos, 

Sedulus officium nidentis obire culinz, 

Quam bello fortem jaculis aperire cruorem. 
Aversans lucem, latebre sordentis amator, 
Mancipium ventris miserabile parque putaris 
Sordida cum siliquis Jambenti farra catello. 
Hercule non tun®me ferro spoliare petebas, 
Quando ter Olonis summo discrimine nati 
Expugnator eram, Namque agmine prorsus in illo 
Aut gladium fregit manus aut obstantia fudit ; 
Hec gravitas ferientis erat. Quid, quando Curetum 
Littus et innumera constratum cuspide callem 
Primus ligniferis docui decurrere plantis ? 

Namque aditurus agros confertos murice ferreo 
Armabam laceros subjecto stipite gressus. 

Hinc mecum egregiis congressum viribus Hamam 
Enecui; mox cum Rino duce Flebace nato 

Obtrivi Kyrios, vel quas alit Estia gentes, 

Et populos, Semgala, tuos. Post hac Thelemarchos 
Aggressus, caput inde tuli livore cruentum, 
Quassum malleolis armisque fabrilibus ictum. 

Hic primum didici, quid ferramenta valerent 
Incudis, quantumve animi popularibus esset. 
Theutonici quoque me poenas auctore dedere, 
Quum natos, Suertinge, tuos, Frothonis iniqua 
Cede reos, domini vindex ad pocula stravi. 

Nec minus hoc facinus, quando pro virgine cara 
Uno septenos necui certamine fratres, 

Teste loco, qui me stomacho linquente peresus 
Non parit arenti redivivum cespite gramen, 
Moxque ducis Kerri bellum navale parantis 
Vicimus egregio confertam milite puppim, 

Inde dedi letho Wazam, Fabrumque procacem 
Multavi natibus cesis, ferroque peremi 

Rupibus a niveis hebetantem tela Wisinnum. 
Quatuor hinc Leri natos pugilesque peremi 
Biermenses. Gentis Hiberne principe capto, 
Dufline populabar opes; semperque manebit 
Nostra Brawellinis virtus conspecta trophzis, 

Quid moror? Excedunt numerum, que fortiter egi, 
Quodque manu gessi, ad solidum celebrare recensens 
Deficio ; sunt cuncta meo majora relatu ; 

Vincit opus famam nec sermo suppetit actis, 


Preterea, Hathere, privavi te patre Lenno; 

Hanc mihi, queso, vicem referas, et obire volentem 
Sterne senem, jugulumque meum pete vindice ferro, 
Quippe operam clari mens percussoris adoptat, 
Horret ab ignava fatum deposcere dextra, 

Sponte pia legem fati praecurrere fas est. 

Quod nequeas fugere, hoc etiam anticipare licebit. 
Arbor alenda recens, vetus excidenda, Minister 
Nature est, quisquis fato confinia fundit, 

Et sternit, quod stare nequit. Mors optima tunc est, 
Quum petitur, viteque piget, quum funus amatur, 
Ne miseros casus incommoda proroget etas. 


100 


IIo 


120 


130 


140 


150 





102, gallam, Ed. 1514. 


/ 


se ee 


ee nn ee 


Too 


ba S- 


diy 





—- =~ - 


TN EE ee eS ee 


LOST LAYS FROM W. P. 391 


To Page 365, No. 40, Saxo, Book VII. 


Walden 


En rude, quod gerimus obnixo vertice, pondus 


Vulnera verticibus exitiumque feret. 
Sed neque frondosi gestamen roboris ullum 
Omine Gétenses horridiore premet. 
Ardua comminuet nodosi robora colli, 
Et cava sylvestri tempora mole teret. 
Clava quidem sevum patrie domitura furorem 
Nulla magis Svetis exitialis erit ; 
Ossa domans lacerosque virum libranda per artus 
Impia prerupto stipite terga premet, 10 
Cognatos pressura lares, fusura cruorem 
Civis, et in patriam perniciosa lues. 


C. 


THE LOST LAYS OF THE LACUNA ENGLISHED FROM THE 
WOLSUNGA PARAPHRASE. [W. P.] 


§ 1. Sigfred and Alswind, Chaps. xxiii, xxiv. W. P. 


Sigfred, after he had killed the Dragon, 
rode to the house of a great prince called 
Heimi.who fostered Brunhild and married 
Benchhild her sister, [She was so named 
because she had dwelt at home and 
learned needlework, while Brunhild had 
gone afighting, with helm and mail-coat, 
whereby she got the name Brunhild.] 
Heimi and Benchhild had a son called 
Alswind, the most courteous of men. Men 
were at play out of doors; when they saw 
a man riding towards the house, they 
left off playing and marvelled at him, for 
they had never seen his like. They go 
out to him. Alswind prays him to stay 
with him and to take hospitality from 
him at his pleasure. He accepted the 
offer. They set about serving him with 
honour. Four men lifted the gold off the 
horse, and a fifth received him. There 
might a man see goodly treasures and 
rare; it was held a pastime indeed to 
look on the mail-coats and helms, and 
wonderful great stoups of gold, and all 
kind of weapons of war [in the hoard 
Sigfred had won from Fafni]. Sigfred 
stays there with Alswind. They loved 
each other well, and each was true to the 
other. It was their pastime to furbish 
their weapons and shaft their arrows, and 
to fly their hawks. 

Brunhild was at that time come home 
to Heimi her foster-father. She sat in a 
bower with her maid. She knew more of 
needlecraft than other women. She laid 
her embroidery with gold, and sewed on it 
seamwise the mighty deeds that Sigfred 
had done; the slaying of the Serpent and 
the taking away of the Treasure, and the 


Death of Regin. One day, it is said, 
Sigfred réde into the woods with his 
hounds and his hawks and a great 
company, and as he was coming home 
his hawk flew on toa high tower and 
alighted there in front of a window, 
Sigfred went after the hawk, and then 
he saw a fair woman, and knew that it 
was Brunhild; and it was altogether mar- 
vellous to him, both her beauty and the 
work that she was doing; and when he, 
came into the hall he would take no 
pastime with any one.—Alswind: Why 
art thou so speechless? Thy mood grieves 
me and all thy friends. Why canst thou 
not be merry any longer? Thy hawks 
hang their heads and thy steed Grani also, 
and we shall be long ere we be comforted. 
—Sigfred: Good friend, hear my thought. 
My hawk flew on to a tower, and when 
I caught him [her?] I saw a fair woman 
sitting at a golden broidery, and laced 
[embroidered] thereon my past, and the 
deeds I have done. — Alswind: Thou 
hast seen Brunhild, Budli’s daughter, who 
is the paragon of women,—Sig/red : It 
must be so. But, tell me, when did she 
come here?—Alswind: There was no 
long while between the coming of thee 
and her.—Sigfred: I have only known 
it a few days. That lady seemed to me the 
best in the world.—Alswind : Give no 
heed to any one woman, being such a man 
as thou art. It is ill to pine for what one 
cannot get.—Sigfred: I will see her, and 
give her gold and win her love and fellow- 
feeling. /swind : Never was that man 
found whom she would set by her, or to 
whom she would give ale to drink; she 


392 APPENDIX. — 


will ever be warring and doing all kinds 
of exploits.—Sigfred: I wot not whether 
she will answer me or no, or give me a 
seat by her. And on the next day Sigfred 
went to the bower, but Alswind stood 
outside hard by the bower, shafting his 
arrows.—Sig fred: Hail, lady! how farest 
thou ?—Brunhild: I am well; my kins- 
men and friends are all alive, but it is a 
hazard what luck one’s lot will carry till 
one dies. He sat down by her. After that 
there came in four ladies with great table- 
cups of gold full of the best of wine, and 
stood before them.—Brunhild: This seat 
shall be granted to no one save my father. 
—Sig fred : But now it is at my will. The 
room was hung with the most precious 
hangings and the whole floor covered 
with cloths. — Sigfred: Now is thy 
promise come to pass.—Brunhild: Ye 
shall be welcome here. Then she rose 
up and the four maids with her, and 
went before him with the gold cup and 
offered him to drink. He put forth his 
hand to the cup and took her hand with 
it, and set her down by him. He clasped 
her round the neck and kissed her, and 


said, No woman born was ever fairer than 
thee.—Brunhild: It isa wise maxim not 
to put one’s faith in a woman’s power, 
for they always break their word,— 
Sig fred: It would be the best day that 
could come, the day whereon we two 
might have our will—Brunhild: It is 
not fated that we two should live to- 
gether. I am a shield-maiden, and wear 
a helm with the kings of hosts, and I 
am bound to be their helper, and I am 
not loath to fight in battle.—Sigfred: 
It would be the greatest joy to live to- 
gether with thee, and it is greater grief 
to bear this fate which lies over us than 
to encounter keen weapons.—Brunhild : 
I shall live among their host, but thou 
shalt wed Gudrun, Gibika’s daughter.— 
Sigfred: A simple king’s daughter shall 
not ensnare me; I have no two thoughts 
on this head, and I swear by the gods 
that I will wed thee and no other woman. 
She said the same. Sigfred thanked her 
for her troth and gave her a golden 
ring, and swore the oath a second time 
and went forth to his men, and abode 
there awhile and flourished greatly. 


§ 2. The Dreams of Gudrun, Chap. xxv. W. P. 


OncE upon a time Gudrun told her 
maidens that she could not be merry. 
One of the women asked her what it 
was that grieved her. She answered, I 
have had unhappy dreams, wherefore grief 
is in my heart; read me my dream, since 
thou enquirest after them. She answered, 
Tell it me and be not afraid withal, for 
dreams always come before bad weather. 
Answers Gudrun: It is not bad weather. 
I dreamed that I saw a fair hawk on my 
hand, his wings were of golden hue, — 
Woman : Many men have heard of your 
beauty, wisdom, and courtesy, some king’s 
son will ask for thee to wife.—Gudrun: 
I liked nothing better than the hawk, and 
would sooner have lost all my wealth 
than him.— Woman : He who wins thy 
hand will be a man of good endowments, 
and thou shalt lovehim dearly —Gudrun: 
My grief is that I do not know who he 
is. Now let us seek Brunhild, she will 
surely know.—She goes in rich array to 
Brunhild’s hall, which was decked with 
gold and stood on a mountain. It was 
told Brunhild that a company of women 
were driving to the burgh in gilded 
wagons. It must be Gudrun, Gibika’s 
daughter, I dreamed of her last night. 


, 


Let us go out to meet her; no fairer 
woman will ever come here to see us. 
—Brunhild welcomes Gudrun to her hall, 
which is painted inside and decked with 
much silver. Cloths were spread under 
their feet, and all did them service ; they 
played many kinds of games. Gudrun 
was silent. Brunhild spake: Why will 
nothing make thee merry? Do not so, 
Let us all tell stories together for pastime, 
and talk of mighty kings and their great 
feats.—Gudrun: Let us do so. What 
kings, then, dost thou think to have been 
the foremost ?—Brunhild: Waki and 
Hagbard, [Hamund’s] sons, they did 
deeds of renown in warfare.—Gudrun : 
They were great and famous, yet Sighere 
carried off one of their sisters and burnt 
another of them in her house, and they 
are slow to avenge it. But why didst 
thou not name my brothers, who are held 
the first of mankind ?—Brunhild: They 
promise well, but they have not been 
much proved yet, and I know one that 
carries it far above them; that is Sigfred, 
son of King Sigmund: he was yet a child 
when he slew the son of King Hunding 
and avenged his father and his mother’s 
father, Eylimi. [Quotation abridged 


ee ey, 


i) 7 
ee ne Bae 


1): 
ee 


LOST LAYS FROM W. P. — 393 


From one of the Helgi-poets’ lost Lays.|— 
Gudrun: Thou hast lovingly sought out 
his life. But I came here to tell thee my 
dreams,which give me much heaviness of 
heart.—Brunhild : Do not let such mat- 
terstroublethee. Abide with thy kinsfolk, 
all of whom would fain make thee happy. 
—Gudrun: \ dreamed that we went forth, 
many together, from my bower and saw 
a great hart, that carried it far above 
all the other deer; his hide was of gold. 
We all wished to catch this hart, but it 
was I alone that caught it, I prized that 
hart better than all else beside. Then thou 
didst shoot that hart at my very knees. 


§3. The Wooing of Sigfred, 


Sig fred rides up to Gibika’s hall. One 
of the warders cries to King Gibika: One 
of the Gods is riding hither, I think: the 
man is all decked with gold, his horse is 
much bigger than other horses, and his 
war-harness is of exceeding beauty. He 
is far above all other men, and is more 
excellent than all other men.—Gibika 
goes out with his men and says: Who 
art thou that ridest into my burgh, which 
no man dares to do without my sons’ 
leave ?—Sigfred: 1am called Sigfred, and 
I am the son.of King Sigmund.—Gibika : 
Thou shalt be welcome here with us,and be 
our guest as long as thou wilt.—They go 
into the hall; all looked small beside him, 
They served him well, and he was held 
in high honour. Ever they ride together, 
Sigfred, Gundhere, and Hagoni, but Sig- 


_ fred surpassed them in all feats, yet they 


were all of them mighty men.—Grimhild 
Jinds out Sigfred’s love for Brunhild, but 
seeing his power and riches, resolved towed 
him to Gibika’s daughter. One evening, 
as they sat drinking, the Queen rose 
up and went before Sigfred with a horn 
and greeted him and spake: We are glad 
of thy presence here, and we will give 
thee all the good we can. Take this horn 
and drink thereof. He didso.—Grimhild: 
King Gibika shall be thy father and I thy 
mother, Gundhere and Hagoni shall be 
thy brothers, and ye shall all swear oaths 
[of brotherhood] to each other!, and none 
shall be your peers. Sigfred agreed, for 
with that draught he forgot Brunhild, 
Grimhild went up to King Gibika and 
laid her arms about his neck and said, 
The greatest champion that can be found 


It was such grief to me that I could 
hardly bear it, After that thou gavest 
me a wolf-cub, that bespattered me with 
the blood of my brothers.—Brunhild : I 
will interpret it as it shall afterwards come 
to pass. Sigfred, whom I chose for my 
husband, will come to you; Grimhild will 
give him mead mixed with venom, that 
shall turn to mighty strife amongst us all. 
Thou shalt wed him and quickly lose 
him. Thou shalt wed King Attila. Thou 
shalt lose thy brethren and Attila shall 
slay them.—Gudrun: It is far too griev- 
ous to know such a fate. Then she drove 
home to King Gibika’s again. 


Chaps. xxvi, xxvii. W. P. 


in the world has come here, thou wilt have 
a great stay in him. Give him therefore 
thy daughter to wife, with such wealth 
and such a realm as he will, and perad- 
venture he will take up his abode here. — 
Gibika: It is an uncommon thing for a 
man to offer his daughter in marriage, 
but yet it is a greater honour to offer her 
to him than to have others ask for her. 
One evening Gudrun was bearing the 
wine. Sigfred saw that she was fair and 
the most courteous of ladies.... Five 
seasons Sigfred stayed there, dwelling 
together with them in fame and friend- 
ship.—Gibika said: Thou dost us much 
good, Sigfred, and greatly hast thou 
strengthened our kingdom.—Gundhere : 
We will offer thee all if thou wilt stay on 
with us, both a kingdom and our sister at 
our offer, butno other man should have her, 
yea, even if he asked for her.—Sig/red : 
Have thanks for your courtesy ; I will 
accept it, Then they swore brotherhood, 
to be as born brothers.— The bridal was 
held. Sigfted gave Gudrun a morsel of 
Fafni’s heart to eat, and she was ever 
afterwards crueller and wiser than before. 
They had a son called Sigmund. One day 
Grimhild said to Gundhere, Your estate 
is very flourishing, save in one thing, 
that ye are wifeless. Go, seek Brunhild 
in marriage. It is the most honourable 
match, and Sigfred shall ride with you.— 
Gundhere: She is surely fair, and I am 
well-pleased to do so.—They ride to 
Budli, Brunhild’s father,and demand her 
hand ; thence to Heimi her foster-father, 
in Hlymdale, who tells them that he who 
would win ger must ride through a wall 





? Read, ok allir ér eida vinnit—A verse line. 


304 APPENDIX. 


of fire. They found the hall and the 
fire, and saw a burgh pinnacled with gold 
and the fire burning all about it. Gund- 
here rode Goth, and Hagoni Hulk. [See 
p. 80, ll. 12-33.] Gundhere spurs his 
horse at the fire, but the horse gave back. 
Sigfred spake: Why dost thou give back, 
Gundhere? He answered: The horse 
will not run at the fire, and prayed Sigfred 
to lend him Grani. ‘ He is at thy service,’ 
says Sigfred. "Then Gundhere rides at 
the fire again, but Grani would not go 
forward. — They changed features, as 
Grimhild had taught them. Then Sigfred 
took Grani in hand and bound the gold 
spurs on his heels. Grani galloped toward 
the fire when he felt the spurs. As the 
song says, ‘ The fire began to rage...’ 
[See Fragments, II. pp. 314-15, ll. 3-10, 
Book v. § 3.| When he had ridden the 
Waver-Lowe and reached Brunhild, she 
said: Who art thou?—Sigfred: I am 
Gundhere, Gibika’s son. Thou art ap- 
pointed to be my wife by the consent of 
thy father and of thy foster-father with 
thine own consent, if I should be able to 
ride the Waver-Lowe.—Brunhild: I can- 
not tell for certain how I ought to answer 
this. Sigfred stood upright on the floor 
leaning upon his sword-hilt, and spake to 
Brunhild: I will pay a great dowry [wife- 
price] in gold and goodly treasure for 
thee. She answered him sorrowfully 
from where she sat, like a swan on the 
billow: in her hand was a sword, on her 
head was a helm, and she was clad ina 
mail-coat: ‘Gundhere, thou shalt not 
prevail with me save thou be the best of 
all men, and thou shalt slay them that 


§4. The Quarrel between Brunhild and Gudrun, Chap. xxviii. W. P. 


One day as they went into the river 
together to wash themselves, Brunhild 
waded farther out into the river, and 
Gudrun asked her why she did so. Says 
Brunhild ; Why shall I not be before thee 
in this as in all else? I always thought 
that my father was mightier than thine, 
and my husband has done many doughty 
deeds, and he rode the burning fire, but 
thy husband was Helperic’s thrall.— 


have sought me to wife if thou hast the 
heart. I have been in battle with the 
King of Gothland'; my weapons were 
dyed with men’s blood; and this life I 
still yearn after.’—He answers: ‘Many 
great feats have ye done, but remember 
now your promise, that if this fire were 
ridden ye would wed the man that did 
it. She saw that his answer and the 
token of his words were true, and stood 
up and welcomed him kindly. They lay 
together three nights, but ever he put the 
sword Gram between them. When she 
asked why he did so, he told her that if 


he did not so at his wedding he should 


get his death. He took back the ring 
Andwari’s Treasure which he had given 
her [before], and gave her another ring 
out of the heritage of Fafni, Then he 
tides back through the fire to his friends, 
changes features again, and Brunhild 
goes home to her foster-father and tells 
him of her betrothal; ‘how a king had 
come to me, and rode the Waver-Lowe 
that was round me, and told me that he 
had come to parley with me and that his 
name was Gundhere ; but I said that only 
Sigfred, to whom I plighted my oath on 
the mountain, could perform that feat, 
and that he was to be my true husband. 
Heimi said that all must now go as had 
been appointed?.’ . .. The Bridal of 
Gundhere and Brunhild was held, but 
ere the feast was over Sigfred remem- 
bered the troth he had plighted to Brun- 
hild, but he constrained his grief and said 
nothing withal. But Brunhild and Gund- 
here sat merrily together and drank the 
good wine. 


Gudrun (wrathfully): Thou wert wiser 
to hold thy peace than to revile my 
husband ; for all men say that never came 
man into the world his peer in anything, 
and it ill becomes thee to revile my 
husband, seeing he is thy true husband 
and slew Fafni and rode the Waver-Lowe, 
but thou thoughtest he was King Gund- 
here; and he lay with thee and took the 
ring Andwari’s Treasure off thy hand, 





? Read, Godpiddo. See the Long Lay of Brunhild, 1. 315. 

? Here the paraphrast inserts, by way of introducing his Aslaug Story, chap. xliii, 
which he attempts to connect with our Sigfred:—*‘ Brunhild said to Heimi: Thou shalt 
bring up here with thee Aslaug, my daughter and Sigfred’s.’ It is obvious that this 
would put the real Sigfred-story wrong, by giving a colourable pretext to Gundhere’s 
revenge, whereas the perfect innocence of Sigfred is positively required by the myth. 

















ei tt atl et a pie ee 


LOST LAYS FROM W. P. 395 


and thou canst see it here and know it 
again. When Brunhild saw the ring and 
knew it again, she grew as pale as if she 
were dead, and went home, and spake no 
more that evening. And when Sigfred 
came to bed, Gudrun asked: Why is 
Brunhild so wroth? Sigfred answers: I 
do not rightly know, but I suspect that 
we shall know well enough,—Gudrun : 
Why is she not happy with her weal and 
wealth and the praise of all men, and 
being wedded to the husband she wished 
for ?—Sigfred : What moved her to say 
so, that she had wedded the best husband, 
and him whom she would rather have 
wedded ?—Gudrun : I will ask her to- 
morrow whom she would rather have 
wedded.—-Sigfred: 1 forbid thee this, 
and thou shalt surely repent it if thou do 
so.— But in the morning they were sit- 
ting in their bower and Brunhild was 
silent. Then spake Gudrun: Be of good 
cheer, Brunhild! does our talk trouble 
thee, or what is it that prevents thy 
happiness? — Brunhild: It is not for 
kindness thou askest this; yea, thou hast 
a cruel heart.— Gudrun: Nay, never 
think so, but tell me.—Brunhild: Ask 
rather after things which will profit thee, 
such things as become mighty ladies. 
Yea, it is better for thee to enjoy thy 
good fortune now that all goes well with 
thee.—Gudrun : It is too soon to boast 
of that, I have a foreboding’ as it were 
in this, What blame dost thou impute 
to me? I did not do aught to trouble 
thee. — Brunhild: Thou shalt pay for 
this, that thou didst wed Sigfred; and I 
begrudge thee having him to husband 
and the great hoard.— Gudrun: I never 
knew of your betrothal, and my father 
had the right to provide for me without 
thy favour.— Brunhild: Ours was no 
secret contract, but yet we swore oaths to 
one another: but understand this, that 


ye have betrayed me, and it shall be 
avenged, — Gudrun: Thou art better 
wedded than was to be looked for, but 
thy pride shall have a fall, and many 
shall pay dear for it.— Brunhild: I 
should be glad enough, but that thou art 
wedded to the better man.— Gudrun : 
Thou hast a good husband, and a greater 
king it would be hard to find, and store 
of treasure and a great realm.—Brun- 
hild: Sigfred overcame the Serpent, etc. 
[quoting the verses p. 315, III. ll. 11-14; 
see Book v. § 2].—Gudrun: Grani 
would not gallop into the fire while 
Gundhere was on him; he did not lack 
heart to ride it, no need to question his 
courage.—Brunhild : I will not conceal 
it. I bear no love to Grimhild.— Gudrun: 
Do not speak against her, for she stands 
to thee as to a daughter.— Brunhild: 
She brought about the beginning of this 
curse that gnaws me. She gave a cruel 
draught to Sigfred, so that he could not 
remember my very name.— Gudrun : 
Many a false word thou speakest. This 
is a great lie. — Brunhild: Enjoy thy 
Sigfred, as you have betrayed me”; yea, 
your life together is unseemly. May it 
go with you according to my wish.— 
Gudrun: 1 shall have more joy of him 
than thou wilt; no one ever said that he 
dealt wrongly by me at any time.— 
Brunhild: Evil is thy speech, and when 
thy wrath is slaked thou shalt repent 
thee. Let us no longer bandy words of 
hate,—Gudrun : Thou wert the first to 
cast words of hate upon me, but now 
thou makest as if thou wouldst make up 
for them, but hate is within thee.— 
Brunhild: Wet us cease from profitless 
talk. For a long while I held my peace 
over my hurt, that lay in my heart, Llove 
thy brother well enough. Now let us talk 
of something else—Gudrun : Thy mind 
sees far ahead. So their talk ended. 


§ 5. Sigurd’s Lay (Siguréar-kvida), Chap. xxix. W. P. 


AFTER that talk Brunhild took to her 
bed, and it was told King Gundhere that 
Brunhild was sick; and he went to her 
and asked her what was the matter with 
her. But she answered him not, and 
lay as if she were dead. But when he 
enquired earnestly of her, she made an- 


swer; What hast thou done with the 
ting I gave thee*, that King Attila 
gave me at our last parting, when the 
sons of Gibika came to him, and I 
swore to go forth and harry and burn 
ratherthan thou shouldst haveme*? Then 
he led me aside to talk, and asked me 





? Read, nokkur sud forspé. ? Read, sem per hafit mik svikit. * Budli in the text. 
_ * Corrupt; read, ok hét ek at herja ok brenna heldr am per nedit mer (cp. the 


Long Lay of Brunhild), 


396 APPENDIX. 


whom I would choose of them that were 
come there [to woo me}]’, but I offered 
to guard the land and command a third 
part of the host. There were then two 
choices before me, to marry one of them 
as he wished, or to lose both his wealth 
and love altogether [quoth Attila], say- 
ing that his love would stand me in 
better stead than his wrath. Then I 
communed with myself whether I should 
slay the doomed and kill many a man?, 
but I thought myself too weak to strive 
against him, and so it came to pass that 
I was to wed the man that should ride 
the steed Grani, with Fafni’s treasure, 
and ride through the Waver-Lowe that 
was about me, and slay the men I 
named [as dowry or bride-price], But 
no man dared to ride it save Sigfred 
only. He rode through the fire because 
his heart did not fail him, It was he 
that slew the Serpent, and Regin, and 
five kings, and not thou, Gundhere! 
Thou didst grow pale asa corpse. Thou 
art neither king nor champion! Yea, 
I vowed this vow at home in my father’s 
house, to love him only that should be 
the noblest man ever born; and he is 
Sigfred. And now I am forsworn, for 
he is not my husband. Wherefore I shall 
plot thy death, and I have a crime to 
requite Grimhild for, she shall never 
meet a mote heartless or crueller woman 
[than I shall be to her]. Gundhere an- 
swered, so that none could hear: Many 
words of scorn hast thou spoken, and 
thou art an evil-hearted woman, to speak 
against the woman that is far better 
than thou; for she never was false to* 
her husband as thou art, or dealt ill 
with dead men, nor did she ever murder 
any one, but she lives in good report. 
—Brunhild answers: 1 have been at 
no secret meeting, nor committed any 
deed of shame, nor is that my na- 
ture; but I should be willing to kill 
thee. Then she would have slain King 
Gundhere, but Hagoni set her in fetters, 
—Then spake Gundhere: 1 will not let 
her stay in fetters.—She answered: No 
matter for that; thou shalt never more 
see me merry in thy hall, nor drink, 
nor play at tables, nor speak gently, 


nor embroider fine clothes with gold, nor 
counsel you. Then she sate up and 
struck her broidery, so that it was rent 
asunder, and with that she bade them 
open wide the bower-doors, And now, 
far off *, one could hear her lamentation. 
There is now great lamentation, and it 
is heard all over the house.—Gudrun 
asks her bower-maidens why they were so 
mournful and sorrowful: What is the 
matter with you, why do ye go as mad 
folk, what panic is come upon you ?— 
Then answered one of the women of the 
household, whose name was Swafrfled: 
It is a day of mourning. Our hall is 
full of lamentation.— Then spake Gudrun 
to her fellows: Arise, we have slept 
late! Awaken, Brunhild! let us go to 
meat, and be of good cheer !|—Swa/frfled : 
I will not waken her, nor speak with 
her. She has not drunk mead or wine 
for many days, she has gotten the wrath 
of the Gods.—Then spake Gudrun to 
Gundhere: Go and see her, and tell her 
that I am sorry for her grief.—Gundhere: 
It is forbidden me to go to her® or deal 
wealth with her, Yet he went to seek 
her, and tried in many ways to get 
speech of her, but got no answer. Then 
he went out and found Hagoni, and 
prayed him to go and see her. He said 
he did not care to do so, but yet he 
went, and got nothing from her. Then 
Sigfred was sought, and prayed to go 
and see her. He did not answer, and 
the matter rested for the evening. But 
next morning when he came back from 
hunting he went to see Gudrun, and 
said, It is borne in upon me, that this 
portent will come to some great woe, 
and that Brunhild will die!—Gudrun: 
My lord, there is a charmed sickness on 
her. She has now slept seven days, and 
no one has dared to wake her.—Sigfred : 
She is not sleeping ; she has mighty plans 
in hand against us.—Gudrun, weeping: 
It is great woe for me to know thy 
death. Go now and seek her, and see 
if thou mayst soothe her pride; give 
her gold, and so allay her wrath.—Sig- 
fred went to Brunhild and pulled the 
clothes off her face, and said: Wake 
now, Brunhild, the sun is shining through 





* Something wrong or missing in the text. 


2 i.e. go as a Walkyria; read, 


hvart ek skylda fella val ok drepa margan mann. Cp. Long Lay of Brunhild, 
1, 150. 5 Read, ok eigi @gdi [or some such verb] hon ver sinom sv4 sem pu 
gorir. * Read matti, not, as in text, ‘metti,’ as part of Brunhild’s words. 


5 The text is corrupt here. 


eee 





a 
bh ait ae ne ~ 





LOST LAYS 


all the house, and thou hast slept enough, 
Cast off thy grief and be merry.—Brun- 
hild: How art thou so daring that thou 
comest to see me? No one has behaved 
worse to me in all this treason.—Sig- 
fred: Why dost thou not speak to any 
one? What is it that troubles thee ?— 
Brunhild : 1 will tell thee why I am in 
wrath. — Sigfred: Thou art under a 
spell, to think my heart evil towards 
thee, Moreover, he is thy husband 
whom thou didst choose,—Brunhild : 
Nay, Gundhere never rode through the 
fire to me, and never paid me slain men 
for a wife-price. I marvelled at the man 
that came into my hall, and thought I 
knew your eyes, but was not sure be- 
cause of the darkness that came over 
my luck [lit. fetch].—Sigfred: I am 
not a mightier man than the sons of 
Gibika, they slew the King of the Danes 
and a great prince, the brother of King 
Budli.—Brunhild: I owe them much 
evil; and do thou not recall my wrongs 
to me. But thou, Sigfred, did slay the 
Serpent and rode the fire, and all for 
my sake: the sons of Gibika were not 
there.—Sigfred: I was not thy husband, 
thou wast not my wife’: the rich king 
bought thee for a wife-price.—Brunhild: 
When I see Gundiere my heart never 
laughs for him, and I am cruel to him, 
though I hide it from others.—Sigfred : 
It is dreadful not to love such a king! 
Now, what troubles thee most? Me- 
thinks his love to thee is better than 
gold.—Brunhild: That is the sorest of 
my griefs, that I cannot bring this 
about that the bitter sword should be 
dyed in thy blood.—Sigfred: Never 
grieve for that! It is but a little, and 
the bitter sword shall be thrust into my 
heart. But thou couldst not desire 
aught worse for thyself: for thou shalt 
not live after me. Yea, our days of life 
shall henceforward be but few.—Brun- 
hild: Thy word is of little worth?, 
since ye beguiled me out of all happi- 
ness, Yea, I care no more for life.— 
Sigfred; Live and love King Gundhere 
and me, and all my wealth will I give 
thee, that thou mayst not die—Brunhild: 
Thou knowest not my nature; thou art 
the foremost of all men, and thou hatest 
no woman more than me.—Sigfred: 
Nay, the opposite were truer, I love 
thee better than myself, though I was 


FROM W. P. 397 


overcome by that treason; but there is 
no help for it now, for ever when I was 
in my right mind, it grieved me that 
thou wert not my wife. But I bore it 
as well as I could, as long as I was in 
the king’s hall. Moreover it was a com- 
fort to me that we all dwelt together. 
It may also be, that what I have fore- 
told thee will yet come to pass. It is 
no use to be mournful therefore.—Brun- 
hild: Thou hast told me too late that 
my sorrow troubles thee, for now there 
is no cure for us.—Sigfred: I would 
fain we two should come into one bed, 
and that thou wert my wife.—Brun- 
hild : Such words should not be spoken, 
and I will never wed two kings in one 
hall ; and I would sooner lose my life than 
betray King Gundhere. And then they 
called to mind how they met on the 
mountain and swore troth to each other, 
But now they are all broken, and I will 
not live-—Sigfred: I could not even 
remember thy name, I did not know 
thee before thou wast wedded, and that 
is great pity.—Brunhild: I swore to 
wed the man that rode through my 
Waver-Lowe; and I will keep that oath 
or die. — Sigfred: Sooner than thou 
shouldst die I will wed thee and forsake 
Gudrun.—Brunhild: I will not wed 
thee nor any one else, Out went Sig- 
fred [p. 315, IV. ll. 15-18 of ‘Siguré- 
kvida,’ see Book v. § 2, end]. And 
when Sigfred came into the hall, Gund- 
here asked him whether he knew what 
her heart’s sorrow was, and whether she 
had got back her speech. Sigfred said 
she was able to speak. Then Gundhere 
went a second time to her, and asked 
her what was the matter with her, and 
whether there were any help for her.— 
Brunhild: 1 will not live since Sigfred 
has betrayed me, and thee also, for thou 
hast let him come into my bed, and 
I will not have two husbands in one 
hall; and that shall be the death of Sig- 
fred or of thee and me, for he hath told 
it all to Gudrun, and she mocketh me. 
After that Brunhild went out and sat 
beneath her bower-wall and spoke many 
words of woe, saying that land and 
realm were loathly to her, since she had 
not Sigfred to husband, Then came Gund- 
here to her a third time .. . saying, 
Sigfred shall die, or else I will die my- 
self, He,bids Brunhild stand up and be 





_ } Text corrupt here. 
words now, 


2 Text at fault; the meaning is, I cannot believe your 


398 APPENDIX. 


of good cheer. ‘Then she stood up and 
spake withal, saying that Gundhere 
should never come into the same bed 
with her till that word of his was ful- 
filled.... He tells his brothers that it 
was a crime worthy of death that Sig- 
fred had had Brunhild’s maidenhead. 
They egg on Guthorm to do the deed with 
a cup of charmed drink, {Here comes 
a corrupt, though apparently fuller and 
better duplicate of the fragmentary 
Brunhild Lay, p. 306, Il. 11-124.] And 
with this draught he was so eager and 
mad, and also with the persuasions of 
Grimhild, that he promised to do the 
deed, and they promised him great 
honour therefore. Sigfred was unaware 
of their guile, neither could he with- 


stand his fate nor the doom of his 
death. Sigfred also knew that he was 
guileless towards them. Guthorm went 
into Sigfred’s room in the morning 
when he lay in his bed, but when he 
looked at. him he dared not do his will, 
but turned back again. And so it came 
to pass a second time, for Sigfred’s eyes 
were so bright that no one dared to 
meet them. But he went in a third 
time, when Sigfred was asleep. Guthorm 
drew his sword and thrust it into Sig- 
fred, so that the ‘ blood-groove’ stood in 
the down beneath him. The story as 
told in this Lay is followed no farther. 
The Paraphrast goes on from a parallel 
Lay to our Long Brunhild Lay, \l. 87 


sqq- (Pp. 296). 


§ 6. Lost Songs by an earlier poet in the Wolsunga Paraphrase. 
Sigmund and Sinfitela become Were-wolves, Chap. viii. W. P. 


ONcE upon a time Sigmund and Sin- 
fitela went into the wood again to win 
wealth, and lit on a house wherein two 
men lay asleep, with thick gold rings 
on them. ‘They were under a spell as 
were-wolves, for their wolf-skins were 
hanging over them. Every tenth day 
they were able to come out of their 
skins. They were kings’ sons. Sig- 
mund and Sinfitela put on the skins and 
could not put them off again, and fell 
under the same spell as the others had 
been under, and howled like wolves, but 
they could both understand each other’s 
howling. And so they lay out in the 
waste, each going his own way. More- 
over, they made a covenant between 
them, that they should each run his own 
risk if there were but seven against him, 
but no more; but he who is in peril 
from men shall give a wolf’s howl, 
said Sigmund, for thou art young and 
over-ready to begin the fray. Men will 
think it good sport to hunt thee.... 
When they had parted Sigmund lit upon 
eight men, and gave a wolf’s howl; and 
when Sinfitela heard it, he went swiftly 
to him and slew them all. Then they 
both parted again. And when Sinfitela 
had gone far into the wood, he lit upon 
eleven men and fought with them and 


sped so that he slew them all. He grew 
very weary and went under an oak to 
rest there. Sigmund came upon him as 
he lay, and asked him why he had not 
called to him, seeing that eleven men 
had set upon him, but he answered.... 
but I am a child beside thee, yet I would 
never call for help to slay eleven men. 
Then Sigmund sprang at him so hard 
that he staggered and fell, and Sigmund 
bit him in the front of the throat. That 
day they could not come out of their 
wolf-skins. Sigmund lay him on his 
back and bore him home to the hall, 
and watched over him and bade-the 
fiend take the wolf-skins, One day 
Sigmund saw two polecats together ; one 
bit the other in the throat and then ran 
to the wood and took a leaf and laid 
it on the wound, and the other polecat 
sprang up sound. Sigmund went out 
and saw a raven flying with a leaf, 
bringing it to him®, He laid it on the 
wound of Sinfitela, and straightway he 
sprang up sound, as if he had never been 
wounded. After that they went to their 
cave and waited there till the day came 
when they could come out of their skins, 
and then they took the skins and burnt 
them with fire, that they might do no 
more harm to any one, 





? Thus—Sumir vid-fisk toko, sumir vitnis-hre skiféo, | Sumir Guthormi gafo 
gera hold | vid mungati ok marga hluti adra i tyfrom.— Quite corrupt, and we fear 


past mending. 


? Something seems to have dropped out here. 





Paap ti” 











+o ew ee ES Se EE 





LOST LAYS FROM W. P. 399 


§ 7. The Death of Signy, Chap. viii. W. P. 


Ow a day they [Sigmund and Sinfitela] 
went forth from their cave, and came to 
the dwelling of King Siggeir, late in the 
evening, and went into the porch that 
was before the hall, and there were ale- 
vats there, and there they hid them- 
selves. The Queen [Signy] soon knew 
where they were, and was minded to 
see them, and when they met, they 
agreed to seek vengeance for their father 
at nightfall, Now Signy and Siggeir 
had two young children, and they were 
playing on the floor with gold rings, 
trundling them along the floor of the hall 
and running after them. And one gold 
ring flies out into the room where Sig- 
mund and Sinfitela were, and the boy 
ran into the porch to seek his ring. 
But lo, he saw two big fierce-looking 
men, with broad helms and white mail- 
coats, sitting there. With that he ran 
back into the hall to his father, and 
told him what he had seen, Then the 
king guessed that there must be some 
treason afoot against him. Signy heard 
what was said, and stood up and took 
both the children, and went out to the 
porch to her kinsmen, saying that they 
should know that it was the children 
that had betrayed them, ‘and I counsel 
you to slay them both.’ Said Sigmund: 
‘I will not slay thy children, though 
they have betrayed me;’ but Sinfitela 
would not let himself be softened, but 
drew his sword and slew both the chil- 
dren, and cast them down inside the 
hall before King Siggeir. The king 
bids his men take the two heroes. After 
a brave defence they are overcome and 
set in fetters. Then the king took 
counsel with himself what was the most 
lingering death that he could put them 
to; and when the morning came he let 
them make a great barrow of stones and 
turf, and when the chamber of the barrow 
was made he had a great stone set in 
the midst thereof, so that one edge of 
the stone stood up and the other down. 
It was so big that it touched both sides 
of the barrow-chamber, so that no one 
could come by it. Then he had Sig- 
mund and Sinfitela taken and set in the 
barrow each on his own side thereof, 
for he thought that it would be worse 
for them not to be together but yet to 
be able to hear one another. Now while 
they were turfing the barrow, Signy 
came there with a truss of straw in her 
arms, which she cast into the barrow to 


~ 


Sinfitela, bidding the king’s slaves hide 
it from him. They said that they would, 
and the barrow was then closed again, 
Now when the night fell Sinfitela spoke 
to Sigmund: ‘ We shall not be short of 
meat for a while, I think.’ The queen 
cast some flesh into the barrow wrapped 
up in a truss of straw! Then he fell to 
fumbling for the flesh in the straw, and 
soon found that it was Sigmund’s sword 
that had been thrust into the truss. He 
knew it by the hilt, for it was dark in 
the barrow, and told Sigmund, They 
were both glad of it. Then Sinfitela 
thrust the sword point down on the 
stone and sawed away hard. The sword 
bit on the stone, Then Sigmund got 
hold of the sword point and they sawed 
away at the stone between them, never 
ceasing till the stone was sawn through, 
as the verse says [see p.155, I. ll. 1, 2]. 
And now that they were both together, 
loose in the barrow, they cut through 
both stone and iron, and so made their 
way out of the barrow. Then they went 
to the hall, where all men were asleep, 
and bore wood to the hall and set fire 
to the wood, and they that were within 
woke with the smoke and with the hall 
afire over them, The king asked who 
kindled the fire, ‘ Here we are,’ said Sig- 
mund, ‘ my sister’s son and I, and we 
mean to let you know to-day that the 
Wolsungs are not all dead.’ He then 
called upon his sister to come out and 
take good worship and great honour at 
his hands, wishing so to repay her for 
what she had suffered. She answered: 
‘ Thou shalt know to-day whether I have 
remembered the death of King Wolsung 
upon King Siggeir. I let our children 
be slain, whom I thought would be slow 
to revenge our father, and I went into 
the woods to thee in the likeness of a 
sibyl, and Sinfitela is our son. And this 
is why he has such great prowess, be- 
cause he is both son of the son and of 
the daughter of King Wolsung. I have 
paid dear in-many ways to bring about 
King Siggeir’s death; yea, I have paid 
so dear to get revenge, that life is no 
longer open to me. Wherefore I shall 
gladly die with King Siggeir, albeit I 
lived with him against my will.’ Then 
she kissed her brother Sigmund and Sin- 
fitela, and®bade them farewell, and went 
back into the fire. And there she met 
her death along with King Siggeir and 
all his company. 


400 


ADDENDA. 


To the Didactic Fragments preserved in p. 14 may be added the line from Skalda— 
Baugr es a bero scemstr, enn 4 boga Orvar. 
A ring befits a buckler best, but arrows befit a bow. 


To the Ditties may be added the following, which Eirik, an Icelander, made on 
the last of the Wickings, Swein Asleifsson— 


Beir ero brendir, en buendr rendir, 
své hefir Sveinn hagat, sex i morgin: 
Gérdi hann einum cerinn ‘ peira,’ 
leigir par kol leigo-manni. [c. 1150.] 
Orkneyinga Saga, ch. 82. 
Farms ate burnt and farmers plundered, six of a morning: that is the way Sweyn 
works. He has given . . . . and charcoal enough to the tenant. 


This old children’s jingle was quoted by Duke Skuli when all the king’s favourites 
spoke against him one after another at the Moot at Christ-Church, 1239. He 
listened quietly for some time, then he stood up and said— 


Eina kann ek viso: Ari sat 4 steini! 


ok ina aéra: Ari sat 4 steini! 
[ok ina pridjo: Ari sat & steini !] 
oll er sem ein sé: Ari sat 4 steini! * 
Hakonar Saga, ch. 177. 
One verse I know: An eagle sat upon a rock. 
and a second too: An eagle sat upon a rock. 
[and also a third: An eagle sat upon a rock.] 


They are all like the first: An eagle sat upon a rock. 


ei aR oe 
1 cocci ett y 


a ee 


TR ie Co See eee 

















EXCURSUS T. 


BELIEFS AND WORSHIP OF THE OLD NORTHMEN. 


§ 1. TEMPLE AND SACRIFICE, 


For the history of the Mission of King Olaf Tryggvason [Book viii, 
§ 1] we have to distinguish two sources, one the pure native tradition, 
the other a body of foreign legendary, which must be used with great 
distrust. In the matter of the Religion and Worship of the Northmen, 
we are in like case. On one side stands the evidence of the early 
poems, and that genuine body of facts, so carefully garnered by Ari 
in his Book of the Settlements and Book of Kings; and, after these, 
the later poems (whose mythology is in part affected by Christi- 
anity). On the other hand, there are a number of stories, plainly based 
on the Martyrology and Apocrypha of the Roman and Irish Church. 
We must clearly put aside these latter documents, and rely upon the 
older untainted witnesses in any attempt. to make out the real mental 
state of the heathen Northmen. 

If one looks into the fictitious narrations which have been too long 
cumbering the minds and distorting the judgment of those who have 
treated Northern myths and beliefs, one’s suspicions are at once 
aroused by their unreal air, their sameness, the lack of that detail and 
precision which are always found in such testimony as Ari’s; but when 
it becomes clear that there are means of tracing the origin of these 
fictitious statements, and in one important case of disproving them by 
unimpeachable authority, their worthlessness need not be further 
insisted on. 

Many of the more foolish stories are versions of Latin originals, 
whose authors, misled by such familiar legends as those of Juliana, 
Margaret, and Theophilus, make out their heathen forefathers to 
have been pagani of the later Empire type, worshipping ‘graven 
images, likenesses of devils,’ all decked in gold and in gorgeous temples 
of the classic model. The false analogies which they draw between 
Thor and Jove, Woden and Mercury, Tew and Mars, Freyia and 
Venus, Sif and Juno, Gefion and Diana, etc., help to further the mis- 
take. Nor had they besides their books other means for composing 
their historical dramas of heathen days; the old Northern faith was 
dead, its traces preserved only in fairy tales and old wives’ fables, 
where they did not dream of looking for it. Ari and the old poems 
they knew not, or cared not about. Hence it is that they came to 
gravely relate such tales as the following, which, it will be seen, bear 
their refutation in themselves. 

In one a son, Gideon-like, destroys his father’s temple, drags the 
image of Thor out by a halter, cuts it in pieces, and gives the saw- 
dust and ashes mingled with water to the dofs to drink, saying, ‘It 
is fit that thou, who didst eat thine own children, shouldst be devoured !’ 
Of course the reference is not to Thor, but to Jove or Saturn; while 

| pd 


402 BELIEFS AND WORSHIP 


the draught of ashes and water looks like a reminiscence of the penance 
of Israel after the outbreak of idolatry round the golden calf at Sinai‘. 

Then we have the Christian king, who in his godly wrath smites the 
huge Nebo-like idol borne to confront him at the Moot itself. The 
unwieldy image falls broken by his blow, and foul toads and paddocks 
and adders leap from the hollow body of the prostrate god.—A story 
like that of Dagon *. 

Again, there is the comic episode of the king tricked by Iron-beard 
into pulling Thor’s car. A long-drawn legend referring to the 
temple of Mzrin in Throndheim, which it describes, like a late Roman 
sanctuary, with images on pedestals, glittering with gold, and Thor in 
his car drawn by harnessed goats, like a charioted Apollo.—A most 
unreal conception, as we shall see *. 

Then there are three stories connected with Thorgerd, the tutelary 
goddess of the Haleygia family (some deified ancestress no doubt), 
which may be found in Fereyinga (ch. 23), Hord’s Saga (ch. 19), and 
Niala (ch. 89). In the first, the temple in which Earl Hakon worships 
is like a church, with glass windows; he kneels in Christian fashion to 
the image of the goddess, who bears in her hand a ring, which she clasps 
tight or lets go, like the Venus of the medizval chroniclers. In the 
second, the images of the gods are moving about, ready to leap from 
their pedestals, when Grimkettle, their worshipper and Pontiff, comes 
into the fane, and the idol Thorgerd speaks to him, and tells him that 
she is going to leave him and go to his daughter: he is so angry, that 
he fetches fire and burns the temple, and then drops down dead the very 
same day. Again, in Niala, Hrapp, a worthless desperado, is made to 
burn and rob this famous temple of the Earls, spoiling its images of 
their gold trappings. 

But though we might have been suspicious of these silly stories— 
which give us hardly more information about the real faith of the 
Northern heathen than the Chansons de Gestes, with their wonderful 
accounts of Mahound, Termagant, and Apollin, whom the ‘ miscreants’ 
are supposed to have worshipped, do of Islam—still we should have 
been hardly able to get a positive notion of the true state of the case, 
had we no other help than the poems, whose allusions would be often 
enigmatical, or the distant reports of the Latin biographers and 
chroniclers, who are often misled. In the famous passage of Adam 
of Bremen about Upsala, for instance, we have a tolerably careful writer 
about the time of the Norman Conquest, when heathendom in Sweden 
was but half a century dead, putting down his knowledge at the 
instance and with the help of King Sweyn Estrithson; but still far 
removed by land and sea from the place of which he is treating. 
Accordingly, while he gives us true accounts of the functions of the 
gods, the site of the temple, the worship of deified heroes, and men- 
tions the ‘sceptrum’ of Thor (the glossator, Adam or not, going 
further still and describing the pit and gallows by the fane, and the 
great gold chain that ringed-in the sacred spot), yet in the midst of 
all this valuable information we have the usual medieval common-place 
of a ‘templum auro paratum,’ ‘statuas trium deorum,’ ‘solium medio 





1 Flatey-bok, i. 387 sqq. 

2 St. Olafs S. ch. 119. 

* Flatey-bok, i. 319-21. In Flatey-bok, i. chs. 32-23, the king clubs a _—_ 
idol of Frey in the temple at Marin. a p. 426.] 





= 

g 
ff 
q 
2 
Fa 





OF THE OLD NORTHMEN. 403 


in triclinio,’ ‘ Wodanum sculptare sicut nostri Martem solent ;’ for is it 
not natural that ‘ pagani’ should ‘colere ydola?’ 

Providentially we have a trustworthy and full authority in ARI, the 
chief of Teutonic historians, that ever-enquiring, sagacious writer, 
whose skilled and careful hand has given us the Story of the Settlement 
of Iceland, the account of the Christening of the New Commonwealth, 
the sketch of its Constitution, and a series of Lives of the Kings of 
the mother-country, Norway. In the course of these most interesting 
and authoritative works we meet with numerous references to the 
customs and manners of the heathen days, from which Ari was no further 
removed than Bede had been in his day +, so that he could have—and no 
doubt did have—information from men whose fathers had told them what 
they themselves had seen and done in the heathen days. Besides these 
advantages of time, and the skill to use them, Ari appears to have had 
the rarer gift of perfect tolerance and impartiality, so that one may 
rely implicitly on him as one who always draws on the best information 
to be had, and whose only aim is truth. With so much preface let us 
turn to his text, only premising that Ari’s use of technical words and 
great compression of style present peculiar difficulties to a translator, and 
much of his work would perhaps only be fully rendered in the tongue 
of Herodotus :— 

In the beginning of Eyrbyggia Saga there is a quotation from Ari’s 
lost Islendinga-bok, describing the ancestral temple of his own native 
place, built by Thorwolf of Most, one of the first settlers: “It was 
a big house; there were doors in both side-walls, near the ends 
thereof; over against which, inside, there stood the digh-seat pillars; 
and upon these pillars there were nails; these nails were called the 
holy nails (or nails of the Powers). The house inside was a place of 
peace [asylum]. In the inner part of the temple was a house after 
the similitude of a choir in a church now-a-days; and there stood 
a table [lit. stall] in the midst of the floor, like unto an altar, and upon 
it there lay a gold ring without a joint [closed], of two ounces in weight 
{or, as other copies read, silver ring of 200z.], upon which all oaths 
were sworn. The priest of the temple was wont to wear this ring on 
his wrist at all moots or gatherings of men. On the table there was 
wont also to stand the dow/ of sortilege, and therein the tavigs of sorti- 
lege, as it were a sprinkler, with which to sprinkle out of the bowl the 
blood, that was called sortilege blood [hlaut]. It was the blood of such 
beasts as were sacrificed as an offering to the gods. [Here follows an 
| interpolation.| To the temple all men were wont to pay toll, and 
: they were bound to the temple-priests as the thingmen are now to 
the chiefs; but the priest had to maintain the temple at his own cost, 
sO ‘arg did not fall into decay, and to hold the sacrificial feasts 
inside *, 











1 The Icelandic mission falls in 997-1000; Ari was born in 1067, making about 
7° years. The English mission 604; Bede was born in 672,—the same distance 
almost to a year. 

? Hann setti bee mikinn vid Hofs-vag, er hann kalladi 4 Hofstédom, par lét 
hann reisa hof; ok var pat mikit hus. Véro dyrr 4 badom hlid-veggjonom, ok ner 
ddrom endanom, har fyrir innan stédo Sndugis-stilurnar; ok véro par i naglar; 
peir héto regin-naglar. par fyrir innan var frid-stadmgmikill. Innar af hone var 
hus i pa liking sem nu er séng-hus i kirkjom; ok stdéd par 4 stalli 4 midjo golfino, 
sem altari; ok l& par 4 hringr einn mét-lauss, tvi-eyringr (or tvitég-eyri igr], ok 
skyldi par at sverja eida alla; pann hring skyldi hof-godi hafa 4 hendi ser til allra 

pd2 








404 BELIEFS AND WORSHIP 


A grossly over-painted recension of this passage is found in Kial- 
nesinga Saga, which among much that is clearly spurious adds the size 
of the temple, roo ft. by 60, says that the bowl was of copper, and 
fills up his notice of the feast by adding that the blood-sprinkled 
cattle served for the sacrificial feasts. ‘“ But men, when they sacrificed 
them, were thrown down into the pool that lay hard by the door; this 
pool they called the Well of Sacrifice’. The cross-beams that had been 
in the temple were in the hall at Temple when Olaf Johnsson pulled it 
down; he had them all cloven asunder and they were still [sound].” 

In Hakon the Good’s Life, ch. 16, Ari, completing the account, says, 
“It was the heathen fashion, when a sacrifice was to take place, that 
all the franklins should come to the place where the temple was, carry- 
ing thither their provender, as much as they needed to have for as long 
time as the feast lasted. At the feast all the people held a banquet of 
ale; moreover there was slain all kind of cattle, and also horses; and 
all the blood that came from them was called ‘ A/aut;’ and the bowls 
that the blood stood in were called ‘ S/aut-bow/s ;’ and the twigs that 
were made like sprinklers, ‘ d/aut-twigs,’ with which they used to 
redden the altar all over, and also the wall of the temple, within and 
without, and in like manner to sprinkle the people; but the slaughtered 
cattle were boiled as cheer for the people. There were fires in the 
midst of the floor of the temple, and kettles over them; and the 
toasts were passed over the fire. And he who made the feast and was 
chief, was bound to hallow [signa] the toast and all the meat of the 
sacrifice. The first toast to be drunk was Woden’s, which was drunk 
for victory and the happy rule of the king; and after that Niord’s toast, 
and Frey’s toast for good seasons and peace. Many men were wont 
to drink Bragi’s toast next after this*. Men also drank a toast to 
their kinsmen who had been of gentle blood [géfgir], and this was 
called the Cup of Remembrance.” So we find in ch. 17, ‘ The franklins 
say that they wish the king to sacrifice for good seasons and peace, as 
his father had done.” ! 

The best description of the Braga-full (paraphrased, as the Editor 
believes, from a lost poem of the Helgi school) is in the Ynglinga Saga, 
ch. 40: “It was the fashion at that time when an arval was made after 
a king or an earl, that he who gave the arval and was to take up the 
heritage, should sit on the footstool before the high-seat all the time 
till the toast, which was called Bragi’s toast, came on. Then he had to 
stand up and take the Bragi’s toast and make his avow, and then drink off 





mann-funda. A stallanom skyldi ok standa hlaut-bolli, ok par { hlaut-teinn sem 
stékkull veri, ok skyldi par steekkva med or bollanom b1d0i pvi er hlaut [read hlaut- 
b168?] var kallaé; pat var pess konar bl6d, er scefd véro pau kvikendi, er godo- 
nom-var férnat. [Um-hverfis stallann var godonum skipat i af-huisino—this is an 
evident interpolation.| ‘Til hofsins skyldo allir menn tolla gialda, ok vera skyldir 
hof-goda til allra ferda, sem nu ero ping-menn héfdingjom; enn godi skyldi hofi 
upp halda af sialfs sins kostnadi, sv at eigi hroernadi; ok hafa inni bldét-veizlor.— 
Eyrbyggija, ch. 4. 

1 Enn ménnum, er peir blétodo, skyldi steypa ofan i fen pat, er uti var hia 
dyrunum, pat kélludu peir Blét-keldo.—Kiailn. S., ch. 2. 

2 This toast must have been the same as Woden’s toast, of which it was the real 
technical name, but it had got associated with ‘ boasting and vowing at great arvals,’ 
such as that of King Sweyn which led to the Iomswickings’ vows; and so either Ari 
or his glossator may have inserted it as differing from the ordinary toast to Woden, 
The original identity of the two is obvious from Egil’s synonym of poetry, alluding 
to ‘ Bragi’s one eye, 




















OF THE OLD NORTHMEN. 405 


the toast; after that he was to be led to the high-seat that his father 
had owned, and was held to have come into all the heritage after him.” 

Another notice of these banquets occurs in the Life of 8. Olaf, ch. 97: 
“The franklins held feast, to which men gathered together in the 
autumn [Michaelmas-tide]. There were great drinkings... . there were 
Toasts of Remembrance hallowed to the Anses after the heathen fashion, 
slaying of cattle and horses, and reddening of the altar with blood, and 
sacrifices were carried on, and the proper forms [carmina] for the 
bettering of the seasons.” 

The following extracts from Ari refer to sacrifices: “ They were used 
to sacrifice before the winter to the Anse [Thor], and at mid-winter for 
the crop, and the third when summer began; that was a sacrifice for 
victory [Sigr-blét]*.” 

And in Hervar Saga: “One harvest there was made a great sacrifice 
to the woman-spirits [Disa-bl6t] at King Alf’s, and Alfhild performed 
the sacrifice .... and in the night as she was reddening the high-place, 
Starkad carried her away?.”’ The Disa-blét [Fairy sacrifice] is again 
spoken of in Ynglinga Saga: “King Eadgils was taking part in the 
Disa-blét, riding his horse round the hall of the Disa (disar-salinn), 
when the horse struck his foot under him [stumbled] and fell.” 

The curious word ‘ Son’ [Soma?] also appears in connection with sacri- 
fice, as when the king holds a ‘ Soma-blét’ to enquire after the fate of 
his pet sparrow. In the famous story in Hervar Saga there is a 
Soma-blét too: “ King Heidrek sacrificed to Frey; the biggest boar he 
could get he was wont to give to Frey: they accounted this beast so 





} pat var forn sidr, pé er blét skyldi vera, at allir boendr skyldo par koma sem hof 
var, ok flytja pannog foOng sin, pau er peir skyldo hafa medan veizlan st6d. At 
peirri veizlo skyldo allir menn 6! eiga. ar var ok drepinn allz konar smali, ok 
svi hross; enn bl6d pat allt er par kom af, pba var pat kallat hlaut (?); ok hlaut- 
bollar pat er bl6d pat stéd i; ok hlaut-téinar—pbat var své goert sem stoekklar— 
med pvi skyldi ridda stallana Gllo saman, ok sva veggi hofsins itan ok innan, ok 
sva steekkva 4 mennina; enn slatr skyldi sidda til mann-fagnadar. Eldar skyldo 
vera 4 midjo golfi i hofino, ok par katlar yfir; ok skyldi full um eld bera. Enn sé 
er goerdi veizlona, ok héfdingi var, ba skyldi hann signa fullit, ok allan blét-matinn: 
skyldi fyrst Odiuns-full ;—skyldi pat drekka til sigrs ok rikiss konungi sinom,—enn 
sidan Niardar-full ok Freyss-full til ars ok fridar. ba var mérgom ménnom titt at 
drekka par nest Braga-full. Menn drukko ok full frenda sinna, peirra er gofgir 
héfdo verit—ok véro pat minni k6llod. Sigurdr iarl var manna Grvastr; hann 
goerdi pat verk er fregt var midk, at hann geerdi mikla bldot-veizlo 4 Hlddom, ok 
hélt einn upp dllom kostnadi. pess getr Kormakr Ogmundar son i Sigurdar drapo 
(see vol. ii. p. 33).—Life of Kings, Hak. S. Géda, ch. 16. And— 

pat var sidvenja i pann tima, pa er erfi skyldi goera eptir konunga edr iarla, pa 
skyldi s& er goerdi erfit, ok til arfs skyldi leida, sitja & sk6rinni fyrir hasetino, allt 
par til er inn veri borit full pat, er kallat var Braga-full; skyldi s& p& standa upp i 
méti Braga-fulli, ok strengja heit ; drekka af fullit sidan, Eptir pat skyldi hann 
leida i haseti pat, er Atti fadir hans. Var hann pa kominn til arfs allz eptir hann.— 
Yngl. Saga, ch. 40.. And— 

Buendr héfdo par haft veizlor fiélmennar at vetr-ndttom; vdéro par drykkjor 
miklar . . . par véro minni 6ll signod Asom at fornom sid . , . drepin naut ok hross ; 
enn rodnir stallar af blddi, ok framid blét; ok veittr s& formAli, at pat skyldi vera 
til ar-bétar.—Olafs S., ch. 94. And— 

pa skyldi bléta i moti vetri til ars; enn at midjom vetri bldéta til grddrar; it 
pridja at sumri; pat var sigr-blét.—Yngl. S., ch. 8. 

? Eitt haust var goert disa-blét mikit at Alfs konungs; gekk Alfhildr at bldétino; 
enn um néttina, er hon raud hérginn, nam Starkadr Alo-drengr Alfhildi 4 brott.— 
Hervar S., begin. 





406 BELIEFS AND WORSHIP 


holy that on his bristles they would swear in all great cases [st6r-mél], 
and they used to sacrifice the boar as a Soma-blét after Yule. They 
used to lead the Soma-boar into the hall before the king, and men 
laid their hand on his bristles to make their avows +.” 

We have a description of the fittings of the great temple at Merin 
in Throndham, in Landnama-bok, iv. 6, the more interesting as it gives 
the lie to the preposterous inventions of the legendary type referring 
to this very fane given above [p. 402]: “ Thorhard the Old was the temple 
priest in Throndham inside at Merin; he was minded to go to Iceland, 
and took down the temple, taking with him the mould and the pillars 
from the temple; and he landed in Stodwarfirth, and laid the sacredness 
of Merin upon the whole firth [i.e. gave it the sanctuary-rights Merin 
had had], and would allow nothing to be put to death there save tame 
cattle *.”—Not a word about idols! 

If there had been any idols certainly we should have heard of it; but 
this passage is not solitary, we have another account of the migration 
of a temple-priest, Thorwolf, “the great friend of Thor” (Eyrbyggija, 
ch. 4); who, being minded to emigrate in obedience to the advice of an 
oracle, “took down the temple, and carried along with him most of 
the wood that had been in it, and also the mould under the altar *.” 
The following words, “ whereon Thor had sat,” are plainly corrupt or 
added, for Ari has told us what there was on the altar,—the ring and 
the bowl with the twigs. Moreover if there had really been an image, 
surely Ari would have described it, and mentioned his taking it with 
him, as quite as important as the mould and Pillars. The Pillars are 
continually recurring in the Landnama-bok, but never an image or 
idol*. Thus the first settler of ali, Ingolf, bore his Pillars with him; 
and so did Lodmund, of whom it is told that “he threw his Pillars 
overboard in the deep sea, and said that he would settle when they 
were driven ashore.” Another colonist refuses to throw his Pillars 
overboard to find a place to settle in, and prefers to trust to Thor’s 
oracle. These Pillars are named ‘ondvegis-sulor,’ which we take to 
mean porch-way pillars (from 6nd, a porch, and vegr, a way, a word 
formed like the English gateway), indeed, some such pillars as those of 
Solomon’s temple: the term ‘sul’ is a word of ritual, as we know from 
the ‘Irmin-sul’ of the Old Germans and other instances °. 

Of heathen priests and priestesses emigrating, such as Thurid the 





! Heidrekr konungr blétadi Frey pann gélt er mestan fekk; skyldi hann gefa 
Frey; kollodo peir hann sva helgan, at yfir hans burst skyldi sverja Oll stér-mal; 
ok skyldi peim gelti bléta at Sénar-bléti Idla aptan. Skyldi leida sénar-goltinn i holl 
fyrir konung; 16gdo menn pa hendr yfir burst hans at strengja heit—Hervar S.,ch. 10. 

? porhaddr inn Gamli var hof-godi i préndheimi inn 4 Mzrinni, Hann fystisk 
til Islandz; ok ték 4r ofan hofit; ok hafdi med ser hofs-moldina ok stlornar, 
Enno hann kom i Stddvar-fiérd, ok lagdi Mzrina-helgi 4 allan fidrdinn, ok lét dngo 
tortima par nema kvik-fé heimolo.—Landn. iv. 6. 

3 Hann ték ofan hofit, ok hafdi med ser flesta vido pa er par héfdo i verit, ok 
sv4 moldina undan stallanom [par er pdrr hafdi 4 setii—manifest interpolation]... 
porolfr kastadi pa fyrir bord Sndugis-silom sinom peim er stadit héfdo i hofino. 
par var porr skorinn 4 annarri.—Eyrbyggja, ch. 4. 

* In one instance [Eyrb. l.c.] Thor’s head is said to have been carved on one of the 
pillars, an apparently abnormal occurrence, O.E. Mss. show beast-headed seat-stocks. 

5 The Dictionary should be corrected in accordance with the etymology now 
given. The late use of the term ‘ondvegis-sulor’ as equivalent to ‘set-stokkar,’ 
seat-stocks, may perhaps have arisen from the seat of the priest being originally 
placed at the entrance to the temple between the ‘stocks’ or ‘pillars,’ whence 


fo a 


4A \ 


i 
ok Lill Ls 


oa 














OF THE OLD NORTHMEN. 407 


temple-priestess (hof-gydja) and Thord Frey’s priest (Freys-godi), and 
of the setting up of temples, we have other notices in the Book of 
Settlements; e.g. “There he raised a great temple. There lay an 
unsettled hide east of Fleet ....that land Iorwind went round with 
fire [the proper mode of taking possession] and bestowed upon the 
temple [as glebe].” Of the sanctity of the temple we are told: A man 
“had a good sword and he carried it into the temple, whérefore Ingi- 
mund [the chief and priest] took the sword away from him.” Bede’s 
almost solitary reference to heathen customs mentions this point, that 
no weapon was to be borne in a hallowed place. 

The word for the sacred réevos is ‘ vé,’ often met with in place-names 
in Scandinavia, as Odense = Woden’s vé, a word which seems to mean 
‘holy,’ ‘hallowed.’ This word has been replaced by the law-word ‘heilagr,’ 
‘tabu’ [literally integer, whole and to be kept whole], which the Christians 
chose instead of the heathen ritual-word; ‘vé’ represents ‘sanctus.’ See 
Dict. sub voce, p. 687. 

There is in Flatey-bok, i. 337-339, a most remarkable story, though 
in a debased shape, of a portable ark or shrine, drawn round the country 
amid joy and feastings, corroborating the interesting account given by 
Tacitus in Germania, which is so well illustrated by Grimm. 

The word for the temple-duilding is ‘ hof’ (a favourite place-name in 
Iceland to this day), which stands simply for ‘hall’ and ‘house’ in the 
Southern Teutonic dialects. It seems to imply a roofed place or house; 
the nave or hall of the temple, where the banquets were held. (See Dict. 
sub voce, p. 277.) Thiodwolf uses ‘ vé-tialld,’ the tent of the holy place. 

There must have been a ritual-word for the shrine itself, the inner- 
most sanctuary; but if Ari knew it, he does not use it. We may guess 
that once upon a time it was Ulfila’s ‘ Alh-s,’ met with in the English 
compound proper names Alch-win, Alch-frid. Some of the Northern 
al- compounds, such as even al-fodr, al-vittr, etc., look rather as if 
‘alh-’ and ‘all-’ had got confused. This word, which apparently means 
an ark or receptacle, would perhaps have been the right term for the 
portable shrines, such as Frey in Sweden, and the goddess whom 
Tacitus calls Isis, in Germany, were borne about in. 

The proper name for the sacrificial altar is most likely ‘horg’ [O. E. 
hearg, our ‘harrow’], a heap, a high place: this is the term used in the 
poems [e.g. Lay of Hyndla, ll. 36-39; see Dict. sub voce, p. 311]. 
‘Stall,’ a stall [Germ. stelle], is merely descriptive, like our ‘table,’ 
of an altar of hallowing, and is possibly used by Ari as less heathen- 
sounding and more easily understood than the old word which is lost. 
The ‘harrow’ was of stone, and, like the Mexican ‘stone of sacrifice,’ 
ought to be kept glassy, with victims’ blood. Any man or family could 
have a ‘high place;’ we read of ‘many high places’ in Helgi ii. 13. A 
‘high place’ by no means presupposes a ‘temple,’ which was a clan or 
tribal possession, kept by a regular priest (probably the descendant 
of the tribal hero), though, on the other hand, there was no doubt a 
‘haurg’ at nearly every ‘ hof,’ 

The word for the ‘reddening with sacrificial blood’ (cf. Lev. iv, 17, 
Num. xix. 4, Heb. ix. 23) would be ‘ro’ra®’ Dict. 502 b. 





chairs of ceremony, high-seats, or thrones would have a high post on either side, 
wherever they were placed. 

* Hann reisti par hof mikit. Biérr 14 énuminn fyrifvestan Flidt, milli K, and I.; 
pat land for Idrundr eldi, ok lagdi til hofs—Landn. v. 3. 

* Better spelt ‘rodra’ than ‘rédra,’—A word found also in Sanskrit. 


408 BELIEFS AND WORSHIP 





The word ‘hlaut’ the Editor now takes to mean ‘sortilege’ (etymo- 
logically it can mean but that), not, as he, led by Ari, supposed in the 
Dictionary, ‘blood.’ He would read ‘hlaut-bléd’ for ‘hlaut’ when the 
_word occurs alone in the passage cited above. 

The word ‘ bléta,’ to hallow, to make sacred, or devote (Lat. fladmen, 
flamen, contains the same stem, as Bugge has shown), is a very old 
ritual-word. In its later uses ‘sacer’ has become ‘sacré,’ as in the 
interesting passages in the Ei%-sifia Church Law, forbidding, like our 
English Penitentials, the remains of heathendom: “No man shall have 
in his house a staff or stall [Pillar or Table], nor any witch-gear 
[charms], nor hallowed thing |bloeti=talisman or teraphim or Phallus 
or the like], nor anything that savoureth of heathendom.... Now if 
a hallowed thing be found in a latchless house [a place open to men’s 
eyes|, or such a one made of bread or such a one made of clay, made 
after the similitude of a man in clay or dough [such as our gingerbread 
men and the wax figures of medieval sorcery].... No man shall 
put his trust in Fins [the Fins were noted ‘mediums,’ cf. the Fin 
wizards, like Eskimo angekoks, in the apocryphal story of Gundhild’s 
fosterage], or in for-doers [wizards or witches, the word is used of a 
hag in later times], or in charms, or in talisman, or root [mandrake 
for instance], or in anything that appertaineth to heathendom, nor seek 
help therefrom ...".” A talisman is mentioned in the Spell Song (vol. i. 
p. 30, 1.18; in Book vi, No. 24), hung round the neck like a Red Indian’s 
medicine-bag; the ‘scales’ of Einar, the ‘hlaut’ of Ingimund. (a tiny 
figure of Frey), are such ‘ wizard-gear’ as is forbidden above. The 
charmed kirtle of Ragnar, the charmed mail of Saurila and Hamtheow, 
and the many charmed swords and rings of the poems and Sagas, from 
Draupnir and Tyrfing downwards, are among unchristian things. 

The old Ritual Poem (Book i, § 3) gives us the technical ritual terms, 
but we know so little of the ceremonial that we can only get at their 
interpretation by analogy. 

‘Soa,’ which in its modern figurative sense signifies ‘to destroy, 
waste, or squander,’ is twice used of human sacrifice (vol. i. p. 22, 1. 54, 
and Ynglinga-tal, 28). ‘Safa’ or ‘svefa’ [Lat. sopio] now means ‘to 
pith’ cattle, and would lead us to believe that the victims brought to the 
altar were sometimes slaughtered in this way. It would be the -ap- 
propriate term for the sacrifice of cattle, the ‘gold-horned oxen’ of 
Helgi’s Lay, but one would suppose the victims must have been dled 
also for the blood to redden the holy place. ‘Senda’ would seem to 
refer to the hanging of Woden’s victims, ‘sent or hurled to Woden,’ 
hoisted up in the air as a sacrifice to the ‘God of heaven.’ The ritual 
in this case is given in Gautrick’s Saga, where the sacrificer marks the 
victim’s breast with a spear-point [the mark would be the sacred 
embiem of Woden “4 or the like] and devotes him to Woden, while 
the halter is round his neck, after which he is hanged’. The ceremony of 





' Engi madr skal hafa i hisi sino staf, edr stalla, vit, eda blét [read bleeti, see vol. ii. 
p- 382', eda pat er til heidins sidar veit;.... Nu ef blét er funnit { husi las-lauso, 
mat-blot, eda leir-blot, grt i manoz liki, af leiri, eda af deigi, pA skal... —N. G. L. 
i, 383. And— ; 

Engi madr 4 at trua 4 Finna, eda fordxdor, eda 4 vit, eda bldét, eda rot, eda’ pat 
er til heidins sidar heyrir; eda leita ser par béta.—Id. 389. 

? Sidan steig hann upp 4 stofninn, ok lagdi Starkadr virgilinn um hals hénom, 
ok steig sidan ofan af stofninom. pa stakk Starkadr sprotanom 4 konungi, ok 
melti, Nu gefek pik Odni, pa lét Starkadr lausan furo-kvistinn. Reyr-sprotinn 





Fo ESET PE eS Shee ee ae 
- 


eS FE PE 


I, eo eee COC 





| { 


iP / 


ce 3 pen aie 
ie 


OF THE OLD NORTHMEN. 409 


marking to Woden, perhaps the ‘rista’ of the Ritual-poem, is noticed 
both in Ynglinga and elsewhere by Ari. There may be a reminiscence 
or echo of the Longinus-story in the passage where Woden is marked 
by the spear ‘himself to himself,’ but such ‘ markings’ are commonly 
the remnants of old sacrificial rites, like circumcision and other muti- 
lations. The spear used is as characteristic of Woden [as Gradiuus] 
as the hammer is of Thor; it was the weapon of old times, of the Roman 
Law with its Aasta, symbol of conquest, and the Hebrew phrase 
‘captive of bow and spear',’ 

The oft-quoted passage in Eyrbyggia Saga, derived from Ari, tells of 
a third kind of sacrifice, the appropriate one to Thor, where, speaking 
of Thorsness, our author says, “ There is still to be seen the doom- 
ring wherein men were doomed to sacrifice. Inside the ring stands 
Thor’s stone, whereon those men, who were kept for the sacrifice, had 
their backs broken, and the blood is still to be seen on the stone*.” 

Of the ceremony of drowning we hear nothing, save in the traditions 
of fastening men to reefs at low tide (a mode of execution which the 
City of London meted to traitors in the twelfth century by old 
custom). But the pit has its place by the gallows, at the west door of 
Walhall. 


Human sacrifices were no doubt frequent in the older times among 
the Northern tribes, as the accounts of Tacitus and other classic 
authors prove; and, though most of the early vernacular notices of 
them are legendary, they give one the impression that, though rarely, 
men were occasionally sacrificed down to the very last days of heathen- 
dom. The latest and most authentic instances are all in cases where there 
was an all-important object to be gained for or a great peril averted 
from the sacrificer. 

The first instance in the vernacular traditions is the sacrifice of King 
Doomwald by his Swedish subjects,that they may get good seasons, 
There is a terrible famine; the first year they sacrifice oxen, but things 
do not mend; the next year they hold human sacrifices, but to no better 
purpose; the third year they agree to sacrifice their king, as Thiodwolf 
tells in Ynglinga-tal [corrected text]: “It was a fearful deed, when the 
sword bearers [the folk in moot] reddenedthe altars with their lord’s blood.” 
Then in the same poem we have the famous tradition of Ani ‘the 
sacrificer of his sons,’ who devoted nine sons, one by one, to Woden 
for long life, till the Swedes interfered to save the tenth, when the old 
king died himself of old age. The story in Hervar Saga of Heidrik and 
Harald, which we have only in a rather corrupt form, tells how one king, 
whose son as ‘the noblest’ is demanded for sacrifice, manages to please 
the gods and spare his son. To come to historical persons, it is one 





vard at geir, ok sté6 i gegnom konunginn, Stofninn fell undan fétom hdénom, enn 
kalfs-barmarnir urdo at vido sterkri; enn kvistrinn reis upp, ok héf upp konunginn 
vid limar; ok dé hann par, Nu heita par sidan Vikars-holmar—[the whole story is 
worth attention].—Gawir. §. ch. 7. 4 

* Odinn vard sdétt-daudr i Svipidd. Enn er hann var at kominn bana, lét hann 
marka sik geirs-oddi, ok eignadi ser alla vapn-dauda menn. Nidrdr vard sétt-daudr, 
lét hann ok marka sik Odni 4dr hann dé —Fngl.8., ch. 10, 11, and the Old Ritual, 
i. p. 24, ll. g-14. 

? par sér enn dém-hring pann, er menn véro doemdtr i til blétz. {f peim hring 
stendr pérs steinn, er peir meun véro brotnir um, er til bléta véro hafdir, ok sér enn 
bléés-litinn 4 steininom,—Eyrb, §., ch. 10, Cf. the Blood-stones in the Fiji Islands, 


410 BELIEFS AND WORSHIP 


of the legends that centred round the great Fyris-field fight in Sweden, 
that King Eric gave himself to Woden, when the battle seemed going 
against: him, for ten years of victory, a Faust-like contract accepted 
by the god}, 

The ‘hlunn-rod’ or ‘roller-reddening’ of the Wickings (in ii. 349, 
], 56) is the last Northern instance of a practice Cook found in full 
vogue in the South Seas. The victims were bound to the rollers, over 
which the war-galley was run down to the sea, so that the stem was 
‘sprinkled with their blood.’ - Such sacrifices took place at a launch 
of a new war canoe, or when an important expedition was setting 
out. The old legend of Hedin and Hagena, like that of Iason, has 
preserved mangled accounts of this sacrifice. The last trace of such 
‘consecration’ with us we take to be the breaking of a wine-bottle 
over the ships’ bows. The analogous custom of consecrating a big 
building by burying a human victim under the main posts or by the 
corner-stone (of which there are many medieval traditions) we find 
no trace of in our Sagas or poems; like the ‘hlunn-rod,’ it obtained 
in the South Seas, 

During a critical moment in the Iomswicking Battle, Earl Hakon, like 


Mesha, sacrificed his son (according to a doubtful tradition), whereby he - 


raised a magic storm, and so gained the day. 

A no more authentic case is that noticed in Landnama-bok, where 
Hallstan sacrificed his son to Thor, and the god sent him an immense 
log of drift wood eighty ells long, out of which the chief fittings and pillars 
of his hall were hewn’, 

In the dire distress of the heathen party at the Great Moot, when 
the struggle between the two faiths was at its height, they proposed 
to sacrifice two men out of each quarter to the gods. The Christians 
thereupon resolve to “make a ‘victory-gift’ [sigr-giof] to the Lord 
Jesus Christ,” to wit, that two men from each quarter, ‘not the worst 
criminals such as the heathen sacrifice,’ but the best-born among them, 
should devote themselves to a purer life. Eight men soon stepped 
forward and made their vows, but the heathens could not get their 
victims, The story is beautifully told in Kristni Saga’. 


One gathers from several of the above instances, and from other. 


hints, that every execution was really a devoting of the doomed criminal 
to the god, whom he had offended; for private wrongs of course were 
not capital offences, in any ancient state‘, 

Another kind of sacrifice is the private vengeance-offering, the ‘ blood- 
eagle making,’ a cruel mode of putting a man to death, to which the 
traditions of Alla and Ragnar refer (the Turf-Einar legend is hardly 
historical); it was doubtless once a well-known rite, though its exact 
significance is lost to us. The technical term is ‘ at rista blod-6rn.’ 

The forcing of criminals and paupers over precipices (such as the 





} pa nétt inn somo gekk Eirikr i hof Odins, ok gafsk hdénom til sigrs ser, ok 
kvaé 4 tio vetra frest sins dauda,—Flatey-bok, ii. 72. 

2 The sacrifice is authentic enough, only the ‘son’ appears to be an interpolation, 
absent in the best text of Landnama; though it is found in Hauks-bok, and must 
have stood in the copy used by the compiler of Gisli’s Saga, where it is found (as a 
gloss), p. 140. 

3 The whole narrative is given in the Reader, pp. 12, 13. 

* Tacitus’ reason is wrong here, but his fact is right. He notices that deserters 
_ [who tried to break Woden’s battle-laws] were hung [devoted to him], and that 

those guilty of foul offences were drowned [devoted like women to the water-god] ; 
but he explains it on moral and analytic, not on historical, grounds, 











_ =e 


OF THE OLD NORTHMEN. 41 


Tarpeian rock) may also have been looked on as a mode of devoting 
them to some particular god. We hear of it in the Legendary 
Fragment (vol. ii. p. 354), as a mode of self-devotion or suicide against 
pressure of poverty, and in Bzda’s account of the Sussex peasants leaping 
in time of famine into the sea from the cliffs by forty or fifty together, 
‘junctis misere manibus.’ 


§ 2. SORTILEGE, DIVINATION. 


ONE of the ends of sacrifice was enquiry, when by divers ceremonies 
men were wont to ‘seek the oracle,’ ‘ ganga til fretta.’ The ritual word 
for sortilege would have been ‘hlautr,’ probably a masculine gender 
(not, as once suggested in Dict. sub voce, feminine),—a word akin to 
hlut-r, a lot; hence the divination rods took their name. For the 
most common kind of enquiry was the divination by rods [a practice 
well known to the Jews, cf. Numbers xvii, and Hosea iv. 12; and used 
by the Assyrian king on the monuments]. Tacitus and Ammianus 
Marcellinus (speaking of the Alans) both notice this mode of enquiry, 
and there are several illustrations to be drawn from our old poems 
as well as from the prose of Ari. It is from them we must gather 
the shape and make of the pieces of wood used. The ritual terms used in 
our poems are ‘hlaut-vid,’ sortilege-wood, ‘hlaut-tein,’ sortilege twig, 
which look as if bits of green wood had been employed; but Ari’s 
blot-span, consecrated chips, point the other way. The ceremonies 
observed were first the shaking, ‘hrista,’ and then the choosing, ‘kiosa,’ 
of the twigs. Ari prefers the verb ‘ fella,’ to cast, as in our N. E. phrase 
to ‘cast the kevils.. The most noteworthy passages on the subject 
are in Landnama-bok; e.g. “Of the two rivals Eanwind and Eric, 
Eanwind cast the hallowed chips to know when Eric was going to 
set out to take possession of the dale; and Eanwind was the quicker 
of the two, and he shot across the river with the fire-arrow and 
hallowed [tabued] the land to himself westward and dwelt between the 
rivers....” So the Swedes cast the hallowed chips “to know how 
to stop the famine.” Another king sacrificed to enquire about a lost 
pet. 

Of the early colonist Ingolf it is said by Ari (Land. i. ch. 6), “ That 
winter Ingolf made a great sacrifice, and sought for a sign or omens 
[‘leitadi ser heilla,’ parallel to ‘ganga til fretta’] in the matter of his 
fate, but Hiorlaf would never sacrifice. The oracle counselled Ingolf 
to set out for Iceland?.” The word ‘heill,’ here used as a token of 
luck, is the one in the old Wolsung Play, verse 12, where Hnikar is asked 
to teach Sigfred ‘the omens.’ It is also applied to a talisman (‘the luck 
of Edenhall,’ to wit), to charms and spells, and in late feminine form 
the word is used of ‘luck’ good or bad. 

The passage in Vellekla, “the prince chose the twigs of sortilege (tein 





1 pa er Eirikr vildi til fara at nema dalinn allan allt fyrir vestan, pa felldi Onundr 
blét-span, at hann skyldi verda viss, hvern tima Eirikr mundi til fara at nema 
dalinn. Ok vard p& Onundr skidtari, ok skaut yfir 4ng med tundr-dr, ok helgadi 
ser landit fyrir vestan, ok bid milli 4. Landa, iii. ch. 8. 

? pann vetr fekk Ingolir at bléti miklo, ok leitadi ser heilla um forlég sin—enn 
Hidrleifr vildi aldregi blota. Fréttin visadi Ingolfi til Islandz.—Landa, 


412 BELIEFS AND WORSHIP 


hlautar) off the Gauta skerries,” is paraphrased in the historian’s prose: 
‘When Hakon came east off Gothland, then he cast the hallowed 
chips, and the answer was that he should have good-luck to fight 
at day-break, and he had two ravens screaming and following the host 
continually.” In Ynglinga-tal the king is called the “ prophet of the twig 
of choosing.” Wolospa makes Hoeni recognise the lost twigs of sortilege 
in the Restoration of all things. After the feast at Eager’s in the Lay 
of Hymi the gods cast lots, “shook the twigs and looked on the sacri- 
fice,” as was probably the custom at all great banquets. The ‘looking 
on’ may refer to the wide-spread custom of divining by b/ade-bones, 
which obtained in the Western Isles, but is not mentioned in our 
authorities. 

Another mode of enquiry is augury; this in the north was practised 
by means of ravens. Woden has two ravens as a divining god or 
pontifex (old witches with us have ravens). The wicking Floki, it is 
told in Landnama-bok, prepared a great sacrifice and hallowed three 
ravens to tell him his course’. To judge from Husdrapa, the proper 
word for this enquiry is ‘ freista.’ The omens of ravens are elsewhere 
mentioned: one thrice screaming on the roof bodes death to warriors 
(ii. p. 56); a raven following a man is a good augury [Old Heroic Teach- 
ing, verse 13]. The wisdom and wide range of the raven makes it natural 
for the Walcyrie to enquire of the raven respecting Harold Fairhair’s 
deeds and state. [Hornklofi’s Raven Song, ii. 255.] The wolf was also 
(Old Heroic Teaching, verse 14) used for augury, as were hallowed beasts, 
e. g. horses [see Tacitus] and oxen. 

When enquiry is mentioned without any manner of doing it, we take 
it that the ‘hlaut-tein’ was used, as when we read of Helgi in Land- 
_nama-bok, iii. 12. He was “much mixed in his faith; he believed in 
Christ, though he called upon Thor on his voyages or in great jeopardy. 
When Helgi saw Iceland, he set about enquiring of Thor where he 
should settle land; and the oracle counselled him to stand north of 
the land. Then Rolf, his son, asked whether Helgi would sail even 
into the Frozen deep [the Arctic Sea, Dumbs-haf] if Thor counselled 
him to go thither.. For the crew thought it late to be on the deep since 
much of the summer was gone by”.” 3 

Consulting wise-women was a third kind of divination, which seems 
to have been a favourite plan with farmers seeking to know what seasons 
to provide against; the classical passage on this point is that in Eric’s 
Saga [given in the Reader]. Of Gardar, one of the first discoverers, 
it is told in Landnama-bok that “he went to seek Snowland [Iceland] 
by the direction of his mother a prophetess” [she must have had second 
sight], just as his fellow-explorer went at the bidding of the ravens*. 
Of Ingimund the Old, one of the first settlers, Landnama-bok says, 
“Heid the Sibyl prophesied that they should all settle in a land that 





? Hann fekk at bldéti miklo, ok blétaéi hrafna prid, pé er honom skyldo leié visa.— 
Landn. i. ch. 2. 

? Helgi var blandinn midk i tri [a Norseman setting out for Iceland from the 
Hebrides, where he was born]; hann tradi 4 Christ; enn hét 4 por til sidfara ok 
hardreda, paé er Helgi s4 Island, gekk hann til frétta vid por, hvar land skyldi 
taka; enn fréttin visadi h6nom nordr um landit. pa spurdi Hrolfr sonr hans [mock- 
ingly], hvart Helgi mundi halda i Dumbshaf ef poérr visadi hénom pangat,—pvi at 
‘skipverjom potti mal or hafi, er 4 lidit var midk sumarit.—Landn. iii. ch, 12. 

‘e Hann fér at leita Snelandz at til-visan mddor sinnar fram-synnar.—Landa. i, 

ch. I, 





wae 
. 


OF THE OLD NORTHMEN. 413 


was then undiscovered west over the sea, but Ingimund said that should 
not be. The Sibyl told him that he could not prevent it, and told 
him this, as a token thereof, that the lot [a sortilege-talisman] was lost 
out of his purse, and that he should find it again when he was digging a 
place for his Porch-pillars in this land’.” Of course all came about as 
she foretold. In this connection we may mark the beginning of the 
second part of Wolospa, which tells of the duties of a sibyl. Whether 
the ‘sp4-ganda,’ there mentioned, are the ‘chips,’ or the later Y-shaped 
hazel-rods of medizval magic, we cannot tell. 

Witchcraft and evil kinds of sorcery are connected with the words 
‘seid-kona,’ ‘sida,’ ‘seidr,’ as in Ynglinga-tal: “ Drive hired Huld the 
witchwife to charm Wanland to Finland or else slay him, and when the 
charm was wrought,” etc.; and ‘“ Doomwald’s step-mother had ill-luck 
wrought for him by witchcraft ....they took to witchcraft again, and 
wrought this spell that they might be able to slay their father. Then 
Huld the Sibyl told them that she would work that charm; and this 
a that there should ever be slaughter of kindred in the Ynglings’ 

ouse.”’ 

Sitting out or working spells at a cross-way is rather an evil kind of 
sorcery also, but we do not know the details of it. It was used to 
raise tempests and the like. It is mentioned in Wolospa, 1. 87; in Orkney 
Saga (ch. 70, p. 114, Rolls Edition]; in the Ancient Norse Laws; 
and in Skida Rima, verse 56. . 

Divination by dreams is told of in the Atli Lays (in consonance with 
the dreams of the classics), also in Hildebrand’s Lay, iii. § 2, where the 
dream-fairies tell the hero to fight; and in Gisli’s Saga, where in a poem 
founded on a lost heroic lay, Dream-fairies appear to the hero pro- 
phesying his death, etc. The predictions drawn in the Poem, much 
mutilated, may be compared with those of English medixval poems. 


§ 3. ANCESTOR WORSHIP. 


SuCH testimony as that of Jordanes, who speaks of the ‘ Anses,’ 
‘semideos non puros homines?”,’ the ancestors of the royal races, being 
objects of veneration and worship to the Goths, is amply confirmed by 
our older authorities, which all point to the Aaditual and household wor- 
ship of ancestors as being the main cult of the older religion. ‘Thunder 
and Woden are worshipped by a tribe or confederation, and a king or 
prince acts as his rex sacrificulus, but each clan and family has its 
own ‘anses,’ such as Thorgerd Holgabride, the Haleygia family’s Dis; 
and there were even collective sacrifices to what we take to be the 





1 Heidr Volva spédi peim Sllom at byggja 4 landi pvi es pd vas dfundit vestr i 
haf... Enn Ingimundr kvazk vid pvi skyldo goera. Vélvan sagdi hann pat eigi 
mundo mega, ok sagdi pat til iartegna, at bd mundi horfinn hlutr or pussi hans, ok 
mundi hann finna es hann greefi fyrir 6udugis-silom sinom 4 landino.—Landn, 

2 Jam proceres suos, quorum quasi fortuna vincebant, non puros homines, sed 
semi-deos, id est Ansis, vocaverunt. Quorum genealogiam ut paucis percurram, vel 
quis quo parente genitus est, aut unde origo coepta, ubi finem effecit, absque invidia, 
qui legis, vera dicentem ausculta; Horum ergo heroum, ut ipsi suis in fabulis refe- 
runt, primus fuit Gaut, qui genuit Haimdal, Haimdal verg genuit Rigis, Rigis genuit 
eum qui dictus est Amal, a quo et origo Amalorum decurrit—([giving the lineage of 
Ermanric in the ninth, and Theodric in the fourteenth degree from Gaut 
(Woden) |.—Chs, 13, 14. Holder’s Edition. 


414 BELIEFS AND WORSHIP 


spirits of the dead, male and female, ‘ Alfa-bl6t’ or ‘ Disa-blét,’ held 
every year to gain good seasons. This worship was of a patriarchal 
character, and conducted by the head of the family at the family 
‘horg’ (as Cesar somehow ascertained), which was, we doubt not, set 
hard by the family graves or barrows where the dead were supposed to 
dwell. 

The best account we can get of the sacrificial feasts held in honour 
of and for the advantage of the dead is perhaps that of Cormac’s Saga: 
“She [Thordis] said, There is a knoll a little way from here where the 
_ Elves dwell; thou shalt take thither the ox that Cormac slew, and 
sprinkle the blood of the ox on the outside of the knoll, and give the Elves 
a banquet of the meat ; and thou shalt be healed+.” Here the primitive 
notion of the dead coming to taste the blood (which we find in Homer), 
and the still ruder conception of the need of setting meat at their 
graves, are well given. 

“‘ After Gudmund’s death men worshipped him and called him their 
god,” says Hervar Saga. “ When the Swedes saw that Frey was 
dead, and that yet good seasons and peace continued, then they be- 
lieved that it would be so as long as Frey remained in Sweden, and they 
would not burn him. And they called him the God of the World, and 
sacrificed especially to him for good seasons and peace ever after- 
ward’,.” Here we have ‘the Lord of the Elves,’ the chief God of the 
Swedes, supposed to be merely a lucky king deified after his death. 


“Le premier des dieux fut un tyran heureux” 


is Ari’s hypothesis. And Ari knew instances nearer home, where a 
man, who had been within nine generations of his own day, was wor- 
shipped. “ Thorwolf Butter was the son of Thorstan Scrub, the son of 
Grim, who was worshipped [blotadr] after his death for his debonairté, 
and called Camban.” Grim must have died about 800 or later*. 

In the life of Anschar, the king offers to bring Horicus, one of the 
late dead kings, into the ‘collegium’ or guild of the Anses, if it was 
thought that they needed another god®. 

The story of Anlaf the Garstead Elf, son of Godfrid Charle- 
magne’s foe, an ancestor of King S. Olaf (who most probably was 
named after him), as told in Flatey-bok, is another striking instance 
of ghost-worship. ‘There was a great famine and plague, and the king 
prophesied that it would not be stayed till he himself died and was 
buried, and bade them prepare a huge howe, and fence it off. “And 


quicker than thought there came a great sickness and many folk died, — 


and they were all put into the howe who were people of any mark, for 
King Anlaf made men go straightway off the Moot to the making of the 





+ Hon (Thordis) sagdi: Holl einn er hedan skamt i brott, er Alfar bua i: grad- 
ung pann er Cormakr drap, skaltu fa, ok ridda bl6d gradungsins 4 hdélinn titan, ok 
goera Alfom veizlo af slatrino ;—ok mun per batna,—Cormaks S., ch. 22. 

* Eptir dauda Godmundar blétodo menn hann, ok kéllodo hann god sitt,— 
Hervar, ch. i. 

3 pd er Sviar visso at Freyr vas daudr, enn hélzk 4r ok fridr, pa trido peir at 
sv& mundi vesa, medan Freyr veri 4 Svipidd; ok vildo eigi brenna hann; ok 
kéllobo hann veraldar god, ok blétodo mest til ars ok fridar alla evi sidan.— 
Yugi. S., ch. 13. 

* poérolfr Smidér vas son porsteins Skrofa, Grims sonar, pess es blétinn vas dauér 
fyrir pokka-seld, ok kallaér Kamban.—Landn. i. 14. 

> Ericum quondam regem vestrum nos-unanimes in collegium nostrum ascescimus, 
ut sit unus de deorum numero.—Vita Anschari. 











OF THE OLD NORTHMEN. 415 


great howe, and the people set about fencing it as he had counselled 
withal. Moreover, it fell out that the king’s men died last, and were © 
duly borne to the howe; and, last of all, King Anlaf died, and he was 
quickly laid in the howe beside his men, with much treasure, and after 
that the howe was closed. Then the plague began to stop; but after- 
ward there befell a great famine and scarcity, and then men took 
counsel to worship King Anlaf for good seasons, and they called him 
the Garstead Elf.” Theodwolf does not seem to agree with this story, 
for he speaks of his dying of ‘ gout,’ but he notes his wide fame’. 

The dead were supposed, as we see, to dwell in their barrows or 
burial-places, or in great hills near the place where they lived in life. 
This is clearly to be seen from Ari’s words, who is here speaking of a 
spot near which he himself dwelt, or where even he was born, and 
of a person whom he must have heard traditions about from men who 
had talked with heathen Icelanders. Thorwolf of Most, the settler and 
priest, whose temple has been described above, says Ari, ‘‘ had so great 
reverence for the hill that stood on the ness which he called Holy-fell, 
that he would have no man look toward it [i. e. pray] unwashen; and it 
was such a great asylum, that no living thing, man or beast, should be 
destroyed there [nor brought off it to die], save it came away of its own 
will.” ‘And he believed that he should die thither into the hill, and all 
his kindred that dwelt on the ness. It was also such a great asylum that 
he would not have the place defiled in any way, neither by bloodshed, 
nor should there any ‘ Elf-driving ’ [excrement] come there, but for this 
there was a reef set apart, that was called Dirt-reef?.” This curious 
ritual word ‘ Alf-rek’ shows that the dead were called ‘ Elves,’ and also 
that the superstition, which still lingers on, of the neatness and cleanli- 
ness of the fairies, is but a faint survival of the older belief that filth and 
impurity would drive away spirits. 

Of this Holy-fell there is another story, showing the state of the 
happy dead within, as it was conceived in the old days.  Thorstan, the 
head of the Most Family, went out in the autumn to fish, as his wont was; 
and one evening his shepherd (who must have had second-sight) was 
going after his flock on the north side of Holy-fell, and he saw the 
mountain open on the north side. Inside the mountain he saw great 
fires, and heard great sounds of glee, and gurgling of horns. And as he 
listened, if haply he might catch some clear words, he heard Thorstan 
and his mates welcomed, and how it was said to them that he should sit 
in the High Seat over against his father [the late patriarch Thorwolf ] 
.... And next morning there came men out from Hoskuldsey and told 
them tidings, that Thorstan had been drowned out fishing at sea, and 
men thought it a great misfortune*,”’ 

Again, in Landnama-bok, of Lady Aud, the Queen, the greatest settler 
in the New Land, whose blood was in Ari’s veins, he says: “ She had a 
place of prayer at the Cross-hills; there she had a cross raised, for she 
was a christened woman, and of right faith. Her kinsmen afterward had 
great reverence for these hills. There was a ‘ harrow’ [High Place] made 
there, and sacrifices began to be performed there, for they believed that 





1 Sidan gordi udran mikit ok halleri; var pat p& r4d tekid, at peir blétodo Olaf 
konung til ars ser, ok k6llodo hann Geirstada-Alf.—Flatey-bok, ii. 7. One wonders 
at the common-place epithet *‘ gunn-diarfr’ in Thiodwolfg Song—a poet so chary 
of his words and so epigrammatical ; might we not read ‘ gunn-blotinn,’ or the like ? 

? The whole passage is given in the Reader, p. 88. 

8 This passage too is given in the Reader, p. 88, 


416 BELIEFS AND WORSHIP 


they died into those hills; and thither was Thord Gellir [Aud’s great-grand- 
son| conducted, before [his son] Thorarin took the chieftainship after him, 
as is told in his [Thord’s or Thorarin’s] Story*.” Pity that this Saga is 
lost, or we should have the tradition of Thord’s introduction to the dead 
elders, as we have Thorstan’s. Weread ‘ Thorarinn’ for ‘hann’ of the 
text, which is corrupt in the last sentence. Of the Cross-hills the 
Editor has endeavoured to fix the locale in Sturlunga, ii. p. 510. Queen 
Aud appears to have been afraid of becoming an object of veneration, 
_ for (as Landnama-bok tells) she desired to be buried between high and 
low water-mark, though this has also been attributed to her wish not to 
lie in heathen ground. 

“* Seal-Thori and his heathen kindred died into Thori’s hill,” says Ari 
again of a famous settler in the north-west of Iceland ?. 

There is in Kristni Saga a further passage relative to the matter in 
hand. In the days of the Change of Faith, Bishop Frederick and 
Thorwald passed a winter with Kodran, Thorwald’s father, at Gillwater. 
“ Thorwald prayed his father to let himself be baptized, but he was not 
very ready to agree toit. There stood a certain stone at Gillwater, which 
the family held in reverence, believing that their Family-spirit dwelt 
therein, and Kodran said that he would not let himself be baptized till he 
knew which was the most powerful, the bishop or the Family-spirit in the 
stone. Whereon the bishop went to the stone, and sung over it, till the 
stone burst asunder; whereby Kodran thought he could perceive that 
the Family-spirit was overcome. Then Kodran had himself baptized 
and all his household *.” 

Where there was not some natural feature, rock or stone or cave, 
which might be looked on as the dwelling of the dead, there were 
artificial howes (‘att-hégar,’ family-howes, as the Swedes call them) 
set near the main door of the big house on the estate. Thus there are 
mounds near the east door of Walhall in Balder’s Doom; and mounds 
near the house in the Helgi Lay, where the maid sees the dead riding by. 
Gunnar’s cairn (in Niala) is not far from the house, Indeed, the barrow, 
besides being the place for the ‘horg’ of family worship, was also the 
seat of the patriarch. Thus Giant Thrym is sitting on the howe by his 
hall, “the lord of the giants, plaiting golden leashes for his greyhounds 
and trimming the manes of his horses.” And later in Hallfred’s Saga, 
the good yeoman Thorlaf “ was wont, as was much the habit of the men 
of old, to sit for long hours together out on the howe not far from the 
homestead *.” Here he was to be found by all who sought him, and 





1 Hon hafdi boena-hald sitt 4 Krosshélom [close to the hot springs there, now ~ 
called Hot-spring Hills]; par lét hon reisa krossa, pviat hon var skird ok vel trioé— 
peir frendr hennar hofdo s{dan atrinad mikinn 4 hdlana. Var par gérr horgr er 
blét téko til; trudo peir pvi, at peir doei i hélana; ok par var pérdr Gellir leiddr i, 
édr porarinn [mended, hann, Cd.| ték mann-virding. Sem segir i Ségo hans.— 
Landn. ii. 16. 'Thord Gelli had two sons, Thorarin, who succeeded to the estate 
at Hwamm, and Eywolf Ari’s grandfather’s father. Minor errors are, vat pa gor 
hoérg for var par gorr horgr. 

2 peir Sel-périr frandr hans enir heidno dé i péris-biorg —Landn. ii. 5. 

8 porvaldr bad fodor sinn skirask ; enn hann tdk pvi seinliga. At Gilja st6d 
steinn, sa es peir frendr hdfdo blétid, ok kéllodo par bua i 4r-mann sinn. Kodran 
lézk eigi mundo fyrri skirask lata, an hann vissi hv4rr meira matti, byskop eda 
dr-madr i steininom. Eptir pat fér byskop til steinsins, ok sceng yfir, par til es 
steinninn brast i sundr, p4 pdéttisk Kodran skilja at &r-madr vas sigradér, Lét 
Koran pa skira sik, ok hii hans 6ll.—Kristni S., ch. 1. 

’ * porleifr var pvi vanr, sem midk var fornmenniss hattr, at sitja longom uti 4 





OF THE OLD NORTHMEN. 417 


could see all that was going on all over the farm. The shepherd of 
Gymi, in the Lay of Skirni, is sitting on a howe hard by the hall, when 
Frey’s messenger came riding into Gymi’s croft. The proper name 
for such family howes is preserved in Harbard’s Lay, where Harbard 
speaks of learning his wisdom and eloquence from “ the ancestral spirits, 
the patriarchs, that dwell in the family barrows,” that is his departed 
ancestors. But Thor answers, “ Thou givest too fair a name to cairns 
(such stone heaps as criminals are buried under), when thou callest 
them family barrows,”—that is, * You learnt it not from the pure family - 
spirits, but from wicked ghosts.” The word ‘heimis-haugr’ has pre- 
served the full old genitive form, as in Ulfila’. 

In Egil’s family we have Kweld-wolf, who died on the voyage out, and 
his son Skalla-Grim, and Egil’s two sons, all buried in the family barrow, 
though Egil himself, a prime-signed man, who had been at Athelstan’s 
Court, does not believe that his beloved son has died into the grave, but 
thinks of him as having entered Godhome, the Thorp of Honey by the 
Brook of the Fates, an Elysian field or Hesperian garden of heroes,— 
faint reflection in this case no doubt of that Paradise of God that the 
old English are never tired of describing. 

How altars were reared on such places we have an instance in 
Kristni-Saga. The missionaries landed in the Westmen’s-isles, at a 
place called ‘ Harrow ore’ (a place of high places, ‘ harrows,’ and heathen 
worship). Here they reared the church for which the King Tryggvason 
had given them the timber, ordering them to rear the church wherever 
they first took land. (The passage is given in the Reader, p. 11.) 

Sometimes of course the dead were buried in howes at the place 
where they died, especially when the death was violent, as Beowulf is 
buried at the ness hard by the Dragon’s Cave, Angantheow at Samsay, 
Hialmar far from home. 

The presence of the holy dead was reckoned a source of blessing to 
the neighbourhood, as in Hindustan to this day; thus when King 
Halfdan the Black died, his head, bowels, heart, and body were each 
buried in a separate howe, “ called Halfdan’s howes,” as Fagrskinna and 
Heimskringla, with slight difference, testify. This heathen usage of 
burying a great king piecemeal was perpetuated in the case of medieval 
saints, and at least one of our Angevin kings”. 

Of the spirit-life and behaviour of the dead there is some evidence. 
In the older accounts they are feasting happily and busying themselves 
with the good of their living kindred, with whom they are still united | 
by intense sympathy. The passionate love between Helgi and Sigrun (of 
which the William and Margaret of our ballads are but faint echoes) and 
the fatherly affection of Angantheow striving to persuade his daughter to 
renounce her ill-fated project (for though he is, like all ghosts, greedy 
and tenacious, he is really more concerned for Herwar’s doom than for 





haugi einom eigi langt fra beenom, ok sv& bar nu at méti er Hallfredr kom, Hall- 
fredr gekk at hauginom.—Hall/r, S. (in Olafs S.) 

* Armadr is here the right word; ‘at’ and ‘ar’ cannot be distinguished in a 
vellum, and the metre required a word beginning with a vowel. 

? Enn sv var mikil drseli Halfdanar, at p4 er peir funno lik hans [he was 
drowned], pa skipto peir likam hans i sundr, ok véro inn-yfli hans idrdot 4 pengils- 
stédom 4 Hadalandi, enn likamr hans var iardadr 4 Steiniwé Hringa-riki, enn héfud 
hans var flutt i Skirings-sal 4 Vestfold, ok var par iardat, Enn fyrir pvi skipto peir 
likam hans, at peir trido pvi, at 4rszli hans myndi iafnan med hdénom vera, hvart. 
sem hann veri lifs eda daudr.—Fagrsk, Mittartal, ch. 4. 

Ee 





418 BELIEFS AND WORSHIP 


his own loss) are good instances of the behaviour of the dead. So 
Rolf Craki’s gentleness and meekness are not lost in the tomb, as Ari 
tells, in his account of Midfrith Skeggi, “ who was a mighty sailor and 
traveller: he harried in the Eastway [Baltic], and lay in Denmark off 
Zealand, when he came back from the east. And then he landed and 
broke into the howe of Hrolf Craki, and took away Skofnung, the 
sword of King Rolf, and the axe of Healti [a hero of Biarka-mal], and 
much treasure beside, but he could not get the sword Leaf from 
Badwere.... Badwere wished to attack him, but King Rolf would 
not permit him’.” There are several stories of howe-breakers con- 
firming the Irish chroniclers as to the habits of the Wicking-Age. The 
later legends of this kind make the ghosts struggle bodily with their 
robber, as in the legends of how Gretti got his famous weapon the 
‘seax,’ or of Thrain in the late Saga of Romund Gripsson. But in the 
older heathen times, ‘cumbIl-briotr,’ or tomb-breaker, was a term of the 
greatest contempt, and dire are the curses on the Swedish grave-stones 
against grave-robbers”. The ‘haug-bui,’ or howe-dweller, is degraded 
by the change of faith into a demon, in many cases, but in the old days 
only bad men made bad ghosts. Glam (a fiend, the Norse Grendil), most 
horrible of all, is the spirit of a wicked man in Iceland. Sighwat, a 
Christian, talks of ‘hauga-her’ (the host of the howe, the whole family 
in an ancestral tomb) with contempt and loathing; but the Editor 
remembers a knoll, near a farm in Iceland, which has kept its old title © 
‘Elf-hill,’ having been, one can hardly doubt, at one time the family 
barrow or the Holy fell of the homestead. 

The quiet barrows of the happier dead were sometimes miraculously 
marked out, as Thorgrim’s, in Gisli’s Saga, which was always green on 
one side, and Wash-brink, Einar’s barrow, “ close by Sigmund’s barrow,” 
which was green all the year round, a fact which the near neighbour- 
hood of the hot-springs may perhaps explain °. 

Of the ritual names of the worshipped dead, the oldest we know is 
‘Anse,’ which survived in Iceland into the Middle Ages, in the sense of 
guardian-spirit or genius of a hill, such as Bard the Anse of Snow-fell 
(the patriarch once, no doubt, of the spirits of the family who died into 
that mountain), and the Swine-fell Anse, who was the guardian of the 
Swine-fellings, according to the coarse joke in Niala, ‘Elf’ is another 
name used of spirits of the dead (surviving in Anlaf Garstead-Elf), 
of divine spirits generally, as “the Anses and Elves” of Loka-Senna. 
Later in Christian times it sinks in Scandinavia to mean ‘fairy.’ 
Indeed, half of our ideas about fairies are derived from the heathen 
beliefs as to the spirits of the dead, their purity, kindliness, homes in 
hillocks [cf. Irish folk of the hills, ban-sidhe, etc.] ‘Arma%r’ and 
perhaps also ‘Ar’ are early used for the dead patriarchs who are sup- 
posed to give good seasons, the 4r- being not ‘message’ here, but. 
‘season.’ The later meaning of ‘ Armadr,’ king’s steward, may easily 





* Hann var garpr mikill ok farmadr. Hann herjadi i Austrveg, ok 14 i Danmérk 
vid Sidland, er hann fér austan: par gekk hann upp, ok brauzk i haug Hrolfs Kraka, 
ok ték par ér Sk6fnung, sverd Hrolfs konungs, ok 6xi Hialta, ok mikit fé annat; 
enn nadi eigi Laufa [Badwere’s sword] pviat Boévarr vildix at honom, enn Hrolfr 
konungr vardi,—Landn. iii, 1. 

? Their text is given in the Reader, pp. 447-8, esp. Nos. 3, 5,15. A howe-breaker 
is named, Landn. ii. 8, see Bk. vi, No. 74; cp.also the Mzshowe Runes, Reader, p. 449. 

* Laugar-brekko Einarr var heygdr skamt fra Sigmundar-haugi, ok er haugr hans 
ofallt groenn vettr ok sumar.—Landn. ii. 7, 








2 


OF THE OLD NORTHMEN. 419 


be a derived one, if it be necessary to connect the two words. ‘ Draug,’ 
as it is used in compound kennings in a good sense, must once have been 
a favourable name for ‘ ghost,’ but in medizval times it acquires a bad 
connotation. 

Reasoning by analogy, from its parallel use in ‘kennings’ and in 
proper names, from there being a yearly Disablot in winter [the season 
for ancestor worship] for good seasons [the especial grant of the dead], 
and from the obvious necessity of the dead of womankind being pro- 
vided for!, we believe that ‘ Dis’ [O.E. Ides] was a proper name for a 
JSemale spirit. Later on the name is used, like ‘nympha,’ for other 
orders of spirits besides the dead, just as ‘Elf’ was. Its etymology is 
to seek. In the weird story of the nine white and nine black Spirit 
Amazons, who slay Thidrandi Hall o’ Side’s son, the Dfsir are the genii 
of Heathendom and Christianity [see Thidrandi’s Thattr in the Reader]. 

The word ‘vettr,’ wight, is the most genera] term for unearthly 
beings or spirits; the ‘blessed dead’ of the oath-carmen being ‘ hollar 
vettir;’ the unholy dead, evil and mischievous, being ‘ uvettir’ [Germ. 
unhold]. The land was full of ‘vettir,’> and they were not to be 
offended by men, but treated with the utmost deference, lest they 
should desert the country. Hence, at the head of the Old Heathen 
Laws there is the enactment, “That no one should have bead-ships at 
sea, or if they had they were to take off the heads ere they came 
within sight of land, and not sail to the land with gaping heads and 
grinning snouts, lest the land-wights should be scared away?.” The 
expression ‘gaping heads and grinning snouts’ is cited in the Raven 
Song, where Hornklofi is telling of the outrageous attack of the Wick- 
ings, who dared to offend the spirits of the country in this way*. The 
gentleness of the land-wights, who are disgusted by signs of warfare, 
was probably the reason for this prohibition. 

The form in which the ‘vettir’ appear is not very clear; the half- 
satirical tale of the appearances in the Lives of Kings * seems to derive 
its point from some allusion to the family ‘totems’ or emblems of the 
chiefs, rather than the form the spirits took. They were visible by 
those who had second-sight; thus in Landnama-bok it is told of two 
chiefs that the ‘land-wights’ followed one brother to the fishing-banks 
and fowling, while they accompanied the other to the moot, giving 
each success at his favourite occupations; and this was known by those 
who had second-sight®, Egil is made in the Saga to call on the 
‘land-wights’ to drive the Tyrant his enemy out of the country ° 
That the /and-wights were originally the spirits of the dead, tutelary 





1 «Freyja takes half the dead.” The Walhall having been appointed by the later 
heathendom of the Wicking-tide to men, Freyja’s abode must be set apart for 
women, It is clear that women’s spirits must have been known and reverenced long 
ere this, or there would have been no need to have a heavenly dwelling for them. 

2 The text is given in the Reader, p. 16. 

8 We should here read, ginandom hofdom, ok gapondom tinglom (or triénom), 
as in the carmen itself. é 

* In Heimskringla, Olafs S. Tryggvasonar, ch. 36, p. 151, in Unger’s edition, 

5 pat sé ofreskir menn, at Landvettir allar fylgdo Hafrbirni til pings, enn peim 
porsteini ok pérdi til veidar ok fiskjar.—Landn, iv. 12. 

® Sny ek pesso nidi 4 Landvettir per er petta land byggia, sv4 at allar fari per 
villar vega, ok engi hitti né finni sitt inni, fyr an par Mafa rekid or landi Eirik 
konung ok Gunnhildi—Egils §., ch. 60. A similar curse on the evil wights is 
contained in Havamal, ll, 85-89—‘ so that they go astray and cannot find their own 
skins nor their own haunts.’ 


E€ 2 


420 BELIEFS AND WORSHIP — 


genii, we believe: in later times, when the dead went to Walhall and 
to Freyja-hall (in imitation of the Christian’s heaven), the land-wights 
sank to the condition of fairies, ‘ huldo-folk,’ and became mere harmless 
unbaptized spirits. 

In three instances ‘halir,’ A.S, heled, is used of the dead (Vsp. 158, 
174, Alvm. 110, Vpm. 173); but this is an innovation, probably from 
its likeness to ‘hel.’ 

There were evil spirits, spirits of bad men, and even vampires and 
the like, such as the dreadful Glam, and the unhallowed ghosts and 
monsters in Eyrbyggia Saga, Sealkolla, in Bishop Gudmund’s Saga, and 
the rest. The necromancy of the wizard could summon the spirits of 
the dead, as Thrond o’ Gate does in the Fereyinga Saga, where the 
dripping ghosts of the drowned and the gory phantom of the mur- 
dered hero pass before the eyes of living witnesses; but such inter- 
course with the dead was uncanny. Still worse was it to conjure 
fiends into dead bodies, or to gain wisdom, as Woden is taunted with 
doing, by converse with dead malefactors, or by haunting the fiends 
that live, as Grendel’s mother does, under the waterfalls. 

The duty of the living to the dead is set forth fully in Havamal, 
where the careful finding, washing, and burying of a corpse is reckoned 
a worthy action, as in Hellas of old. The idea of a journey into the 
spirit-world, for which the body was to be prepared, is indicated in 
the passages which refer to the ‘hell-shoes’ (Gisli Saga), and the duty 
of binding them on, which fell, as Niala informs us, to the next of kin; 
or to the last service of closing the mouth and nostrils of the dead!; and, 
in the case of folks of higher rank, to Brynhild’s ‘ driving to death’ in the 
car, and to Hermod’s fruitless journey to Hell to fetch back Balder the 
darling of the world. How this is reconciled with the early belief in 
the dead, living in their barrows, is not quite clear; but similar dis- 
crepancies meet us in Homer, and in the beliefs of the Red Indian 
and the South Sea Islander. When the poets, with dim knowledge 
of the Christian heaven, invented the Halls of Woden for warriors, of 
Ran for sailors, of Freyja for women, and of Hell for the wicked, the 
rainbow bridge was the chosen path for warriors to climb to Walhall, 
just as the starry street in the night sky is known as the spirit-path 
to many savage tribes, and perhaps even to our forefathers (as the 
Editor’s countryman, Mr. Gisli Brynjulfsson, has suggested), ‘ Vettlinga 
stret.’ The Icelandic ‘vettrar-braut’ may stand for ‘ vetta-braut.’ 
The Icelandic custom of foretelling the winter weather by the look 
of the Milky-Way in autumn gives a reason for the change of the rare 
‘vettr-’ into the common ‘ vettr-.’ The Editor well remembers from 
his childhood how that certain people—always men, never wise 
women—were credited with this ‘second-sight,’ and actually visited 
the farm in the autumn, like the Sibyl of old. 

In early days the barrow, as is well known, was modelled after the 
house ; and in the case of Wicking princes, what could be more appro- 
priate than to bury them in their war-ship, as was Osmund the pirate 
{Landn. ii. 6], and the nameless leader, whose noble vessel was un- 
earthed last year on the Christiania firth? So the dying Ring was put 
to sea in his galley, which was set on fire over him [Yngl. S. ch. 27 7], 
and in the famous funeral which the Arab trader saw the hero was 
burned in his ship. 





1 See the Lexicon, s. v. ndbiargir, p. 448. 2 See also Proleg. p. go. 











OF THE OLD NORTHMEN. 421 


The type of the arrow-burial is that of Balder: we have the solemn 
procession on horse-back to the pyre, the farewell of the kindred, each 
_ entrusting his message to the dead man to bear to Hell, the hallowing 
- the pyre with the Hammer, the great gifts, the devotion of the hero’s 
wife who would not live apart from her husband. The famous burial 
of Sigfred and Brunhild [Long Brunhild Lay, 257 ff.], like that of 
Beowulf, gives more details, the purple hangings of the pyre, the horsed 
car in which Brynhild and her dead love are placed, the hawks and 
hounds and captive slaves, men and women, that are to attend them in 
the spirit-life. So Gudrun does not deny Attila a nobler funeral than 
he gave her brothers [the Greenland Lay of Atli, ll. 372-6]. 

We need not, like Ari, separate the burning and burial ages, as far 
as the Scandinavians are concerned, for, whether ashes or body were 
placed in the funeral chamber, the result was the same, though the 
Arab account does give a reason for burning rather than burying the 
dead; and the fashion may have been mere tribal or family usage. In 
old songs, as Guests’ Wisdom, ‘ burnt’ means dead and buried. 

These old Aryan beliefs on this matter (which cling so strongly to 
us still in the honours and reverence which we rightly pay the dead) 
are far removed from the Christian precepts, “Let the dead bury 
their dead!’’ and that new revelation, “ He is not here! He is risen!” 

It is impossible that the Northern heathen, with their strong family 
affection and their vivid belief in ghosts, could have invented for them- 
selves such a system as the Walhall, with its hierarchy and population 
of the elect, ideas which reproduce, as in the coarse popular Moslim 
theories of Paradise, a false counterpart to the Christian heaven. 

There were besides the dead and the powers of nature, such as 
Thunder, and Mother Earth, and the Heaven, many other objects of 
worship. Animism was exhibited in the hallowing of places and things ; 
e. g. the Landnama-bok: “ Eywind is said to have settled Flatey-dale 
up to the Gund-stones, and them he hallowed or worshipped ’.” 

The worship of groves’ as attested by Tacitus is spoken to by Ari: 
“He welt at the Grove [Lund], he hallowed or worshipped the 
grove ”.” 

Of the worship of water we read Ari’s statement : “Thorstan Rednebb 
was a great sacrificer; he worshipped the waterfall [name not given], 
and used to have all the leavings taken to the waterfall; he was a great 
prophet.” Of him it is told that he had countless sheep, because he 
knew all the sheep that would die in the winter and slaughtered those 
at autumn, so that his food was never wasted. One autumn however 
when it came to picking out the doomed sheep he said, “ Kill any you 
like, for either they are all doomed, or I am, or both of us!” And the 
_ ihe died, all the sheep ran down into the waterfall and perished 
there °, 





_,’ Eyvindr, son hans, nam Flateyjardal upp til Gunnsteina, ok blétadi pa.—Landn. 
il. 17. 

? Hann bid at Lundi; hann blétadi lundinn.—Landn. iii, 17. 

$ porsteinn Raudnefr var blétmadr mikill; hann blétadi forsinn, ok skyldi bera 
leifar allar & forsinn; hann var ok fram-synn miok ; porsteinn lét telja saudi sina 
or rétt, tuttogo hundrod, enn pa hlidp alla réttina padan af. vi var saudrinn své 
margr, at hann sé 4 haustom hverir feigir véro, ok lét pé skera. Enn et sidasta 
haust er hann lifdi, pa mezlti hann i saudar rétt: Skerid éMnui saudi pa es ér vilid ; 
feigr em ek nu, edr allr saudrinn ellegar, nema bedi sé! Enn pa nétt es hann and- 
adisk, rak saudinn allan i forsinn.—Landn. v. 5. 


422 BELIEFS AND WORSHIP 


The qwe//s that Bishop Gudmund hallowed were possibly holy before 
to the heathen, as was the case in Ireland, where the king’s daughters 


are not at all surprised to see Fairy-folk seated by the well-side, in the _ 


old story of St. Patrick. Holy wells in England are frequent. 


§ 4. VOWS AND OATHS. 


AmoncG other religious ceremonies are Vows and OATHS. The 
regular oath used in trials and for constitutional and legal purposes 
was the Ring-oath, ‘baug-eiér,’ taken on the jointless gold ring that 
~ Jay on the ‘table’ of the temple of the tribe and worn by the president, 
king or earl or speaker, at the moot. The formula is given by Ari*. 
In the final anathema clause ” ‘ God’ has replaced the ‘ gods,’ as in our 
English carmen the ‘ Anses and the holy Ring’ are changed to ‘the 
- Saints and the holy Gospels.’ In Glum’s Saga is the formula of the 
clearing-oath, and it is noted that “He who will take a temple-oath 
must take the silver ring in his hand, that is reddened with the blood 


of the cattle that have been sacrificed, and the ring must be of no less . 


than 30z. weight.” ‘The formula, as before, begins with the oath- 
taker calling on two human witnesses by name to hear his words, he 
then “ declares to the Anse” the statement which he wishes to make’®. 
The Anse is, as before, Thunder. Such a ring-oath Woden swore to 
Gundfled and broke. [Woden’s Love Lessons, 55, i. p. 22.] 

In the Old Atli-Lay [ll. 116-20], the oath-taker calls ‘aged witnesses’ 
by name to hear his words, and then swears by the Southing Sun and 
the Great God’s rock, and the lintels of the bed-chamber, and the 
ring of Wuldor*. This is rather obscure, and may be a kind of impre- 
cation, in which the oath-taker calls evils down on himself and his 
household if he breaks his word. Another oath of peace is given by the 
Helgi-poet [ll. 257-66], when Day is said to have sworn to Helgi by 
the bright water of Lightning, and the ice-cold Rock of the Wave, 
with imprecations on ship, steed, and sword, if the oath were not kept. 
In Weyland’s Lay [ll. 133-39] is the same grith-oath, to be sworn with 
imprecations, on the ship’s timber, on the shield’s rim, on the steed’s 
shoulder, and the sword’s edge. The oath-taker is said to ‘take a full 
oath,’ ‘alla eia vinna’ [cf. Gripi’s Lay, 1. 145, where ‘allir’? may be 
read ‘alla’]. Such grith-oaths are named in Wolospa, ‘oaths, words 
[terms], and swearings,’ which resume the three parts of an oath, 
witness-calling, terms, and imprecations. The fecial oath of the Old 
Romans is a parallel grith-oath. 





1 See the Reader, p. 16, where the oath is given in full. 

* The Christianised formula, God sé mer hollr, ef ek satt segi; gramr, ef ek lyg, 
N.G. L. ii. 397,—presupposed a heathen, God sé mer holl, ef ek satt segi; grom, ef 
ek lyg. 

. pA kvad Ghimr své at ordi: Ek nefni Asgrim i vetti, annan Gizor i pat vetti, 
at ek vinn hofs-eid at baugi, ok segi ek pat Alsi, at ek vaskat par, ok vakat par, ok 
raudkat par odd ok egg, es porvaldr Krokr fekk bana.—Glum, ch, 25. 3 

* The fox in the Highland tale takes a ‘clearing oath’ ‘ by the earth beneath and 
the air overhead and the setting sun;’ and again, ‘ by the blackthorn and briar, the 
earth under foot, and the westing sun.” The heroes of the Fenian cycle swear ‘ by 
the edge of their weapons.’ Similar oaths ‘by oak, ash, and thorn,’ and ‘ by the 
edge of the blade,’ are also found in North English Ballads, 





ee A dallas , 
Pay ee Mees oe 


nS Ee ae ee 


ape, me 


Pee oe Mew 


ae ridin f 








OF THE OLD NORTHMEN. 423 


Imprecations are given in the late Atli-Lay [ll. 112, 113], “ May the 
giants take me if I lie to you, may the gallows have me wholly if I 
think on breach of grith!”” The common curse, “ May the trolls take 
me,” is derived from such formule. 

The Ordeal-oath is referred to in Gudrun’s Ordeal, where he says, 
“IT am ready to swear over the holy white stones!” to wit, the bright 
gem (‘iarkna-stein’) of the boiling cauldron. That there was a ceremony 
of consecration of the ordeal-stones we learn from the same poem. 

We have noticed above the Vows on the hallowed boar of Frey at 
Yule-feasts, and over the cup of Woden at arva/s. There is another 
example in Honsa-Thori’s Saga, ch. 12, where at a bridal the vow- 
maker Herstan gets up from his seat, and standing with one foot on 
a stone makes his vows and drinks his cup. The attitude here recalls 
our old-fashioned ‘ honours’ at great toasts, one foot on the table’. 

Solemn pledges of faith, such as wedlock and sworn-brotherhood, 
are called ‘vdrar.’ In the marriage-scene in Thrym’s Lay, the giant 
bridegroom calls out, “ Bear in the hammer [sacred emblem] to hallow 
the bride! Lay it on the bride’s knees! Hallow us together by the 
vow-hand!”’ [The passage is rendered too freely in the text, p. 180.] 
The Old English ‘ werloga,’ Egil’s ‘ var-liugr’ and ‘ heit-rofi”,’ are the 
terms of contempt for the man-sworn and perjurer. The phrase for 
making solemn pledges is ‘vigia varar-hendi,’ to hallow with oath- 
hand [Thrym’s Lay]; for making vows, ‘heit strengia,’ to stablish a 
promise. 

The bond of savorn-brotherhood was known to the Northmen; the 
way it was entered into is given in the Short Brunhild’s Lay, “ Ye 
twain did let your blood run together in the foot-print,” 1. 66, in con- 
sonance with which the Editor would read ‘{ spor’ for the weak and 
tautologic ‘saman’ in Loka-Senna, |. 34°, “ Dost mind, Woden, how 
we twain in days of yore blent our blood in the foot-print?” Saxo 
knows the old ceremony: “On entering upon a league, the ancients 
were wont to soak their foot-prints with a mutual aspersion of gore, 
that their pledges of friendliness might be established by the blending 
of their blood *.” 

There is a long account of the ceremony of sqvearing brotherhood 
in Gisla Saga; but it is a jumble of incompatible ceremonies (kneeling, 
for instance, a Christian form), the only relevant part of which is the 
blending of the blood together in the earth. The ceremony of the 
Earth-necklace, ‘iardar-men,’ the propped-up strips of turf, is given 
rightly in Watzdola Saga, where it is shown to be a form of sud- 
mission, ‘subjugatio.’? lokul is asked to go under the strips, but 
refuses; his brother Thorstan offers to act as his proxy. The three 
earth-necklaces were propped up, probably, as Gisla Saga has it (and 
the Roman historian here supports him), by spears. “The first was 
shoulder high, the second as high as the breech-belt, the third up to 





1 Ok své sem bord véro sett, ok allir menn { seti komnir, pé stoekk Hersteinn 
bridgumi framm yfir bordit, ok gengo par at sem steinn einn st6d; hann steig 
6drom foeti upp 4 steininn, ok mati, pess strengi-ek heit, etc.—Honsap. S., ch. 12. 

* Arinbiorn Lay, l. 50, where valiugr is to be restored to var-liigr, the ancient 
Teutonic ritual term. 

8 For ‘ Blendom bl6di saman’ read ‘blendom blddi { spor,’ thus restoring the 
ritual term. >: 

* Siquidem icturi foedus veteres vestigia sua mutui sanguinis aspersione perfundere 
consueverunt, amicitiarum pignus alterni cruoris commercio firmaturi.— Saws, lib. i. 


424 ~" BELIEFS AND WORSHIP 


mid thigh’.” The submissarius would therefore have to stoop suc- 
cessively, head, back, and knee, to creep under the strips; the de- 
gradation being very great to a Northman, who would never, in 
the heathen days at any rate, prostrate himself to god or man; 
and the legend of Charles the Simple’s overthrow is true enough 
to Northern feelings. With the taunt in Watzdola Saga, cf. also the 
mockery of the Swede in Rolf’s story as given by Snorri?. The right 
word for sworn-brothership was perhaps ‘ ei%sifia*,’ oath-sibry, and the 
sworn brothers were, as in the Raven-Song, ‘ eidbrodir,’ oath-brethren*, 
‘Sann-reynir’ is used in the kennings of Haustlong and Cormac to 
express the relations of Woden, Hoene, and Loki, the band of Creators. 
Loki alludes to his old bond of brotherhood with Woden in Loka- 
Senna, 1. 33 ff. The phrase he uses of the ‘sharing of the cup’ was, 
we doubt not, one of the clauses of the oath; compare the carmen 
Grithamal. The late and common word ‘fost-breedr’ also usurped the 
older term; it is however incorrect, and the name, as applied to the 
Saga of Thormod and his sworn-brother, a modern title. 

Very notable is the Nazarite vow of soldiers, who swear-not to clip 
hair or beard till they have done some deed of difficulty. Tacitus 
tells of such a vow by Julius Civilis [Hist. iv. 61], and Suetonius 
speaks to one which the great Julius swore [Vita C. J. 67]. The 
custom is named as a general custom among German nations [Germ. 31], 
and early in the sixth century a body of 6000 Saxons vow neither 
to cut beard nor hair till they have revenged their fallen comrades 
on the Swedes, as Paul the Deacon [3. 7] tells. It also occurs as a well- 
known custom in Silius [Bel. Pun. 4. 200], which Bekker cites :-— 


Occumbit Sarmens, flavam qui ponere victor 
Cesariem crinemque tibi, Gradive, vovebat. 


Harold Fairhair’s vow, neither to cut nor comb his hair till he had 
conquered the whole of Norway, was of this nature, and when the vow 
was fulfilled he took a bath and had his hair cut and combed. Hence 
his name Shockhead, which his contemporaries give him, is a proud 
monument of his arduous task and its happy fulfilment. The Longbeard 
story of Paul the Deacon looks as if it had some reference to a vow 
taken by the emigrant warriors of an over-populous tribe going forth to 
colonise, and the name Lombard may very likely be owing to this oath. 
The original tribal name was Winnil. 

The connection between libation, sponsio, and oath is not apparently 
known to the Scandinavians (if s6n be séma, as we take it, there may 
have been a libation connected with it, but there is no evidence for 
this whatever). 

Of fecial ceremonies we have the spear-throwing in Hildebrand’s 





1 Tokull gangi undir prifi iardéar-men,—sem par var sidr eptir stérar afgerdir .. . 
hit fyrsta iaréar-men tok i Oxl, annat i brék-linda, pridja i mitt ler.—Vaizd. ch. 33. 
Gisla S. says—Rista upp or idrdo iardar-men, své at badir endar véro fastir i idrdo, 
ok setto par undir méla-spidt, pat er madr matti taka hendi sinni til geir-nagla. 
Pages I1 and 93. 

* Svin-beygt hefi-ek nu pann er rikastr er med Sviom.—Edda (Sksm.) 

8’ The confusion between Heidsifia and Eidsifia seems to have arisen from the 
existence of the latter as a well-known word, though we do not actually find it in 
any of our old sources. 

* The word ‘sororium’ applied to the beam, ‘tigillum,’ of the Horatius story in 
Livy has, the Editor thinks, nothing to do with ‘soror,’ sister (which is a mere folk- 
etymology), but probably may be connected with the ‘swear’ or ‘ sward’ root, 





; 
eee ee a ee ee 





OF THE OLD NORTHMEN. 425 


Cycle, where a warrior is sent to throw the spear against the enemy 
and bid them to a pitched battle. It is alluded to in the Styrbiorn 
Swedish Champion’s story, Flatey-bok, ii. 72, where it is explained as 
a devotion to Woden, with the carmen ‘Woden owneth you all.’ There 
is another instance in Eyrbyggia Saga, ch. 44; when the enemy draws 
nigh, “‘ Stanthor shot a spear in heathen fashion for luck for himself over 
the company of Snorri.” 


§ 5. DEMONIACAL POSSESSION. 


CONNECTED with the old animistic beliefs are the phenomena of 
possession, lycanthropy, and second-sight, to which Ari so frequently 
alludes in Landnama-bok. As to possession by demons, ‘demoned,’ 
tryllt ; ‘demon-eked,’ troll-aukin; ‘a half-demon,’ half-troll, are com- 
mon phrases with him, and may be exactly paralleled by South Sea 
and African beliefs. Epilepsy and furious mania seem to be the 
disorders thus explained. 

For lycanthropy there are the terms ‘skin-changer,’ ‘evening-wolf,’ 
and the like, attesting the belief that certain men could change them- 
selves into beasts. The fullest legend on the subject is that of the 
Wolsung Sigmund and Sinfitelaj who became ‘were-wolves,’ men- 
wolves, by finding wizards’ wolfskins (this may be compared with the 
stories given by Apuleius, Petronius, and Lucian); it is alluded to in 
the Flytings of the Helgi-Lays. The satiric poets are fond of hinting 
that the objects of their ill-will have gone through discreditable meta- 
morphoses into mares, women-slaves, and the like. One of the best 
passages, in which Ari speaks of lycanthropes, is when speaking of 
Hilldir and his family, settlers from the West (Ireland in this case) : 
he says, “ Dufthac [Dubhthach] was the name of their freedman, he 
settled Dufthac’s holt. Now he was_a mighty skin-changer, and so 
was Storwolf o’ Whale, and they got into a quarrel about rights of 
pasture. A certain second-seer one evening when it was nearly dark 
saw a great bear come out from Whale and a bull from Dufthac’s holt, 
and meet at Storwolf’s field, and they set upon one another furiously, 
and the bear had the better. In the morning it was seen that the 
valley where they had fought looked as if there had been an earth- 
QUaEG .. oss Both of them [Dufthac and Storwolf] were badly 
bruised and were lying in bed?.” 

The gods were supposed occasionally to afflict men with panic mania, 
and the rune-stones pray that grave-breakers may be turned into 
swine [Lessons of Loddfafni, 1.74]. Examples of this panic madness 
are found in Irish stories, 

One having second-sight is called ‘ 6freskr ma%r,’ and Cynwolf, husband 
of Reginhild Wolf's sister, is called on his gravestone in Zealand 
‘glamolan man,’ a seer. Nial had a modified form of this faculty *. 

It may here be noted that ‘berserks-gangr’ is a false term of late 
and medizval authors, Bearsarks were really chosen champions, as 
Hornklofi shows [Raven Song, 44 and 71 sqq.]; and he describes their 
warwhoop and the rattling of sword and spear upon shield (which 
the Latin classics notice), The idea that they were frenzied maniacs 
seems to have arisen out of misapprehension of this passage. That 


. = 


> 





+ Text given in the Reader, p, 19. 
* The text of the Runic stone is given in the Reader, p. 447, No. 5. 


426 BELIEFS AND WORSHIP 


‘hamramir men’ cast off their clothes, trod fire, bit shields, and felt 
no pain, is true, these are not uncommon phenomena in certain kinds 
of mania. That there were ever maniac champions, or that the word 
‘bearsark’ refers to anything but the nobler henchmen’s fur coats, is 
in the highest degree improbable. 

It is to be wished, that some one with the requisite physiological 
knowledge would give his opinion on the recorded cases of ‘ possession’ 
and the like in Landnama-bok. (The Sagas cannot be trusted im- 
plicitly in this matter, though no doubt they give true traits when 
they describe the curious dumb laughing passion-fits of Glum, who was 
half a seer, and the dark gloom of Egil, in whose family lycanthropy 
was known.) Meanwhile we may suggest partial explanations. 

The Northmen were cribbed up in a narrow over-peopled strip of 
land; a powerful race of men, with vast pent-up strength lacking all 
outlet, a great human steam-boiler without the requisite safety-valve: 
till, in the Wicking age, the great exodus to West and South opened 
a new field of action to them. 

All those who have seen the more northern Norwegian valleys are 
struck by their dark gloom. Cooped up in these narrow vales, isolated 
and intermarrying, generation after generation had dwelt from the time 
Norway was settled till the Wicking-tide began. Even in our days 
melancholia is by no means unfrequent in the more remote firths. It 
is no marvel that among the first generation of settlers there were men 
of abnormal mental condition, especially when the great change of life 
and enormous increase of disturbing conditions incident to the emigra- 
tion to the West are remembered. The second generation, the off- 
spring of mixed marriages and brought up in a far wider sphere, with 
plenty of good hard fresh work before them, building, fencing, plowing, 
and law-making, throw off the inherited taint almost entirely. 


We have been anxious to bring together, from the early poems 
and prose notices, a full and fair view of the old Teutonic faith, 
extenuating nought, neither setting down aught in malice. It must 
be remembered that the subject not only concerns the Scandinavians, 
but all the other Teuton races; for not even Beda has given us 
any real information on the heathen beliefs of the English, nor have 
we any early German authority of weight and fulness on this head. 
It is in the accurate prose of Ari and the old verse in these volumes 
that all of direct evidence that can be recovered is practically contained. 
The conclusions which a careful examination of this field has forced 
upon us are, briefly, that the Teutons were eminently a religious people, 
though by no means priest-ridden or superstitious; that their worship 
was principally the household worship of the family spirits, conducted 
by the house-father’; that they did not worship idols’, though they had 
temples of great fame and riches, wherein the great tribal sacrifices 





1 Of Clan worship Ari gives an instance, when he speaks of one of the younger 
settlers going back every third year to Norway to sacrifice on his own and his 
uncle’s behalf, at a temple kept by his grandfather :—Loptr fér itan ed pridja hvert 
sumar, fyrir hénd peirra Flosa beggja, mdéor-brddor sins, at bléta at hofi pvi er 
porbiérn médédor-fadir hans hafdi vard veitt.—Landz. v. 8. 

2 There is a most notable absence in the language of any name for idol or image ; 
the terms used in the Sagas are all late and post-Christian translations, mostly from 
the Latin. Nor do we find a single allusion to an idol or image in any poem, nor 
has any such been found, for instance, by the excavations in Biark6é (Bircha), The 
religion was too spiritual, the people too inartistic, for graven images of the invisible. 





¥ 
— es Ee ee ee ee oe 





OF THE OLD NORTHMEN. 427 


and feasts were held; that there was an honest homely character about 
their religion, though in certain royal houses on great occasions 
crueller rites and more superstitious observances no doubt occasionally 
took place’. 

It seems further pretty certain, that the whole ‘ Walhall’ creed, with 
its Heaven and Host and regular Hierarchy, its battle of Armageddon 
and its final Doomsday, is a borrowed faith, decked up by two or three 
poets of high imagination from the more or less vague notions they 
caught up from the Christians of the West and South; that this 
Walhall belief never really obtained save among the Wickings of the 
West or at the courts of warrior kings, though later poets adopted 
it as eminently suited for their verses and fitting to their ideas of the 
heathen faith, Farther, the legend of the Gallows-tree Yggdrasil we 
find to be inspired by Christianity. 

Moreover we might add, that we have found no reason to believe that 
Classic mythology has in any way affected the Northern mythology as we 
have it. Parallel myths such as have often been pointed out, e. g. 
Dedalos and Weyland, the Dragon fights of Sigmund and Apollo, 
the struggles of Thor and the toils of Herakles, are merely what 
one is sure to find in the different sister branches of the Aryan race; 
but to fancy that a dead foreign mythology should be taught by 
Irish monks to Northern poets, and by them be widely spread as a 
living thing among their countrymen, is to our mind a very improbable 
hypothesis. When the native Irish mythology is properly explored 
we shall no doubt find that the Western poems, the Helgi Trilogy and 
the like, have been affected more or less by Irish tradition; but that 
is a very different matter, and a point of view to which the Editor 
has long been most anxious to draw Irish scholars’ attention. Many 
points of Northern mythology and legend, many ancient usages, many 
words and phrases will only be rightly explained when the stores of 
Irish history and myth are rendered accessible to the student of 
Teuton poetry and literature. 


§6. THE CALENDAR. 


BzDA and the Latin Chroniclers leave us in darkness with respect to 
that important index of Early Teutonic Life, the Calendar. We have 
lists of months, German, Old English, Old Northern, and scattered 
notices of annual festivals, but nothing more. From the Northern 
poems, and Ari’s notes, and the modern Icelandic reckoning somewhat 
may still be gathered to supply this shortcoming. 

That the week is a non-Teutonic mode of counting time admits of 
no doubt.. The days are now, one may hope, gone by when Bishop 
John could be’ reviled by patriotic antiquaries for having put down the 
recitation of the glorious Edda poems, and changed the fine old Scan- 
dinavian names of the days. We know now that these Lays were not 





* It is a fortunate accident that the pious and charming record given by Ari (see 
above, p. 406, note 2) refers to the very same temple where, a century later, Trygg- 
vason’s havoc, club in hand, on the gold-decked idols is said, by some nondescript 
writer, to have taken place, There may really have been much gold in such tribal 
fanes as Upsala, which seems to have had a Treasury like some of the great Hellenic 
and Semitic temples. ° 
_ ® He was Bishop of Holum in Northern Iceland a,p, 1106-1121 (see Proleg. § 21, 
pp. cxxi, cxxii). The account runs thus—Hann bannadi ok alla hindr-vitni pa er 


428 BELIEFS AND WORSHIP 


known in Iceland in his day, and that the ‘heathen names’ the Quaker- 
like bishop abhorred had come into the North along with Christianity, 
being mere translations of the Latin Dies Solis, etc.1. Their very forms 
prove them loan-words. Friadag is impossible to explain, save as a 
direct loan-word, the Saxon Freadeg, A.S. Frige-deg, which again was 
a direct translation from the Latin. 

We can even with great probability point to the time of their intro- 
duction. Shortly after St. Olaf’s death, in the poems of Arnor and his 
contemporaries, there occurs a new phenomenon, the dating of battles 
by the day. It was on a Monday [i. 195. 22], or, it was on Friday morn- 
ing [ii. 195. 35], Wednesday morning [196. 40], the Wolves had a break- 
fast set for them; or, on Saturday the ship was launched [ii. 208. 5]; it 
was on Thomas-mass evening [Sighvat], and the like. The fashion 
soon passes away again, but it obtained in several instances where its 
traces can only now be followed in Ari’s prose. Is it not a plausible 
explanation that the Christian Calendar with its new week-days and 
holidays was an innovation which the poets, otherwise little concerned 
for chronology, were proud to show their acquaintance with, perhaps 
even glad to give as a proof of their hearty acceptance of the New 
Faith? Then the very name ‘vika,’ week, is a loan-word, the Latin 
‘vices,’ as was noticed by Dr. Jessen long ago (see Dict. sub voce). 

What then was the arrangement of time which the week superseded ? 
A valuable piece of information is given us by the old Guests’ Wisdom, 
where the proverbs occur, “ The weather changes often in five days, 
but more often in a month;” “Bad friends’ love blazes high five days, 


and is then slaked.” To these phrases we can add the Norse law term .- 


‘fimt,’ pentad, the space of time which must occur between summons 
and appearance, so that, to give an example, no summons must be 
served on Tuesday, for then a man would have to appear on a nefast 
day, Sunday,—a usage which has given rise to the term ‘ fimta,’ to sum- 
mons (see the Lexicon, s. v. p. 153). A month and a five days! May 
we not conclude that the month was divided into pentads, five-day- 
weeks? Ari tells us that the old year consisted of twelve months of 
thirty days, which would give seventy-two pentads, and allow of six 
pentads per month. That these six pentads were further divided into 
two lots seems likely from the employment of such phrases as mid-month 
(mid-Thorri, mid-Goi), for which we have analogies elsewhere. This 
arrangement would give a year of 360 days, which even the ruder 
computists (such as the Romans) would soon perceive to be too incor- 
rect for practical use. 

As for the intercalation, it is a double one; the frst of four days 
added every year, the other of a whole week put in every sixth or 
seventh year. We can form some notion as to how this came about. 

The four days intercalated after Midsummer are called ‘ Eke-nights.’ 
But this is, as it stands, a post-Christian arrangement to get a multiple 
of seven (364). If the heathen intercalated in this way, they would 





fornir menn héfdo tekit af tungl-kvamom eda doegrom, eda eigna daga heidnom 
ménnom eda godom, sem er, at kalla Odins dag eda pérs-[dag].— Bp. John’s Saga, 
Bisk, i. 165. And—Hann tok af it forna daga-tal, ok setti pat er nu er haft, ib. 166, 
note. 

1 The Bishop’s zeal has been successful in Iceland, when the reckoning is Sunday, 
Monday, Third-day [3ia feria], Midweek-day [as in Germany], Fifth-day [5ta feria], 
Fast-day, Washing-day. Sturla in his Hakon Saga still uses the older terms, but 
the Flatey-bok text replaces them by the Bishop’s neologisms, 











ya. wool, Ae 


OF THE OLD NORTHMEN. 429 


have put in another pentad, which would have been fairly correct 
for their purposes. The duty of the law-speaker was to declare at 
the public Moot the calendar for the year, and this, while it is a 
proof of the rudeness of the arrangement followed, indicates that 
some kind of rectification was in use. From the name Tway-month, 
Tvi-manudr, applied to one of the summer months (the Midsummer 
month), we might fairly guess that a month was usually intercalated 
whenever the twist of the rude cycle threatened to bring the months 
too far out of their traditional places. This theory has the further 
advantage of its recalling the still more primitive arrangement of the 
year by lunar months, which at some very early period must have been 
superseded by the solar months which we know on good testimony to 
have been used by the Teutons as early as 750 at least. 

It is interesting to see how the Icelanders, who had changed their year 
of 360 (72x 5) to one of 364 (52% 7), proceeded to correct it still 
further. Thorstan Swart (son of that Hallstan who was so ardent 
a worshipper of Thor) had a remarkable dream. He thought he was on 
the Moot, wide awake, while all were sleeping round him; upon which 
he slept, and they awoke. This he told to Oswif the Wise, father of 
Gudrun the heroine of Laxdola Saga, and ‘ grandfather of my grand- 
father,’ as Ari himself tells us. Oswif told him that he would make 
a speech at the Moot which would make every sleeper awake. Thorstan 
accordingly fulfils the dream by proposing to put a week of seven days 
to the year every seventh year. Ari mends this reckoning, by enjoining 
to add to the sixth instead of the seventh year (for it was another week 
to the summer) whenever two leap-years, by the Christian official reckon- 
ing, come between the first and the seventh year. This is the arrange- 
ment followed to this day in the Icelandic calendar, an entirely unique 
arrangement of the calendar. This Thorstan is hence in the Sagas 
noted as the man “ who invented the Summer-Eke?,” 

The introduction of the New Christian Calendar, we know from scat- 
tered notices, produced great resistance among the heathen in Norway, 
The Fast-day and Sabbath-day were the two innovations. The Friday fast 
was opposed by the thralls (labourers in our parlance), who objected to 
work without food, and the Sunday feast and holiday was opposed by the 
farmers (masters), who declared they could not give their men food if 
not allowed to make them work. The idea of a weekly rest was evidently 
quite unknown among the Teutons. The year with them was divided 
into seasons of various work, as we know by the old month-names. Thus 
there was a fencing season, a sowing season, a fishing season, a hay 
season, a harvest season, a slaughtering season. All these ‘seasons,’ 
like our hay-harvest and corn-harvest, were long unbroken spells of 
work. Between these seasons we find the great heathen festivals placed, 
Easter, Yule [fourteen days later than Noel, says Ari], the Midsummer 
Moot, the Autumn feast, which were also unbroken but shorter spells 
of mirth and merry-making, when public games, law proceedings, inau- 
gurations, and the like were carried on, The Christian Calendar must, 
with its scattered holidays and Sunday rests, have been difficult to adapt 
to these old ‘seasons,’ but with a little arrangement the great Christian 
feasts which fell near the older pagan festivals took their place (Noel 
and Yule, Pasch and Easter, St. John’s Day and the Midsummer feast, 
St. Michael’s mass and the Autumn festival). 

The modern Icelandic popular calendar is also’ worth notice as pre- 





1 See Libellus, ch. 4. 


430 BELIEFS AND WORSHIP 


serving many points of the old pastoral and agricultural year’s round. 
We never use the Roman calendar months, The year begins with 
Yule Night, Christmas Eve; the Yule lasts thirteen days; hence a few 
days till the great month Thorri sets in on Friday, 9-16th January (old 
style), and is counted thus—rst week of Thorri, the znd week of Thorri, 
at the end of which comes the day Mid-Thorri, 3rd week of Thorri, 
and last week of Thorri, Thorri’s Thrall being the last day of that 
month. The month of Goi sets in on Sunday, 8—-15th February (0. s.), 
it is counted in the same way—1ist, 2nd week of Goi, Mid-Goi, 3rd 
week of Goi, last week of Goi, Goi’s Thrall; upon which Einmanudr 
(first month) sets in on Tuesday, with its rst, 2nd, 3rd, last week (no 
©Mid’ or ‘ Thrall’ here); the last day of that month is the last day of 
Winter. And then Summer sets in on Thursday, 8—r15th April (0. s.)* 
Then the reckoning begins from the First week of Summer, week by 
week, 1st, znd, 3rd weeks of Summer, and so on, ‘Midsummer’ falls 
on 12-18th July (o.s.) Towards the end of the Summer (for the 
year has only two seasons, Summer and Winter), for the last weeks 
the reckoning is reversed in the Sagas. “ When eight weeks of Summer 
were left,” etc., for instance, was the favourite time for weddings in 
Iceland, after the hay was in, before the next spell of work begun. 
After 26 weeks of Summer (27 in the Eke-year) Winter sets in on 
Saturday, 11-15th October (0.s.), reckoning the first, second, and third 
weeks of Winter, upon which follows the Yule Fast (I6la-fasta), four 
weeks, when Yule sets in. 

Summer and Winter are equal halves of the year, beginning re- 
spectively about Lady Day and Michaelmas, old style (Summer, 8- 
15th April; Winter, 11-18th October, old style), according, we doubt 
not, to the old Teutonic Nature’s Calendar, as Mr. Jeffries calls it in 
his charming book, from which we take the extract below”. 





1 An illustration of this—My grand-aunt, who brought me up, told me that I was 
born on the ‘last Saturday in Goi’ (laugar-daginn seinastan iGou). This, for years, 
was all that I knew, till once I asked my mother—‘ No,’ said she, ‘ you were born 
the last Tuesday in Goi’ (four days earlier). Neither of them had a thought of the 
calendar month. When letters have to be written, an almanac is looked into, but 
that is a ‘learned transaction.’ Thus it comes that still, if I want to realise what 
is going on in Iceland at a certain time, I must translate the Roman calendar into the 
homely one: say ‘ Mid-thorri,’ or the ‘tenth week of the Summer,’ and I know 
exactly the season of the year. Celebrating ‘birthdays’ was in my youth, as in 
ancient days, quite unknown, Christmas was the Birthday of the year, there was 
no other, and each Yule-night makes one a year older, no matter in what month 
one is born,— Editor. 

2 «Lady Day (old style) forms with Michaelmas the two eras, as it were, of the 
year. The first marks the departure of the winter birds and the coming of the spring 
visitors ; the second, in reverse order, marks the departure of the summer birds and 
the appearance of the vanguard of the winter ones. In the ten days or fortnight 
succeeding Lady Day (old style)—say from the 6th of April to the 20th—great 
changes take place in the fauna and flora; or, rather, those changes which have 
long been slowly maturing become visible. The nightingales arrive and sing, and 
with them the white butterfly appears. The swallow comes, and the wind-anemone 
blooms in the copse. Finally the cuckoo cries, and at the same time the pale lilac 
cuckoo-flower shows in the moist places of the mead. The exact dates, of course, 
vary with the character of the season and locality; but, speaking generally, you 
should begin to keep a good look-out for these signs of spring about old Lady Day. 
. .. But about Michaelmas (between the new and old styles) there is a marked 
change. It is not that anything particular happens upon any precise day, but it 
is a date around which, just before and after, events seem to group themselves.’ 








OF THE OLD NORTHMEN. 431 


Snorri names all the months, the Sagas name ‘ Tway-month,’ but 
only Thorri, Goi, and Einmanudr are now used. Thorri and Goi are 
personified in Flatey-bok and Orkney Saga, ch. 64. The names at the 
top of the published Icelandic almanac are artificial and never used in 
daily life’. 

The important days of the year are the Thirteenth night (our Twelfth 
day), the First Day of Summer (when New-year’s gifts are given), and the 
great Church days, Lady Day, Easter, St. John’s Day, the national Saint 
Thorlak’s Day (23rd Dec.), St. Olaf’s Day, Moot-Mary-mass (2nd 
July), Nativity, the Decollation or Head-Day (29th Aug.), Michaelmas. 

The Roman months are quite unknown save as book-dates, to be 
looked up in the almanac, and the published Icelandic almanacs must 
not be taken as evidence of the popular way of reckoning time. 

The ‘seasons’ in Iceland, ‘tid.’ From sheep-farming and the like, 
Lamb-weaning time or Pen-tide, ‘Stekk-tide,’ in May; Parting-tide, 
‘ Fra-ferur,’ when the sheep are driven to the hills; Market-tide, 
‘Kaup-tid,’ when all purchases for the year are made; Home-field 
hay-time and Out-field hay-time (July and August); Folding-tide, 
‘Rettir’ (Sept.), when the sheep are driven off the hill pastures into 
folds to be separated into flocks and marked. Again, from wild birds 
and eider-ducks, one calls the spring Egg-tide. The fisherman uses such 
seasons as Ver-tid, Fishing-tide; of these there is a spring and autumn 
and winter Fishing-month. Flitting-days, ‘ Far-dagar,’ come in the 
spring, and ‘ Skil-dagi’ in summer, when servants leave. 

It may be noticed that the old year must have begun in Spring, accord- 
ing to the name of One Month, for ‘ one’ in the old language means * first ;’ 
confirmed by our Old English reckoning, which made the world to have 
been created on the 25th of March, and the year to begin on that day. 

The old use of reckoning by zight rather than day (noticed by 
Tacitus) is accounted for by the observation of Ideler, i. 81, communi- 
cated to the Editor by Mr. Dale, of Balliol College, Oxford, that it 
refers to the ancient /umar year, the best opportunities for observing the 
moon [‘ Year-teller,’ as Alwismal says] and stars being at those times; 
in the same way days are still in Iceland counted by nights. Cf. our 
‘se’ennight,’ ‘ fortnight.’ 

The etymologies of Goi [Hiems?] and Thorri are unknown as yet”. 





1 In ancient Norway the summer began on Saturday, the reason we know not, 
probably owing to some intercalation of two days. This appears from Hakon Saga, 
ch. 231, where the writer, speaking of a battle fought in Norway, says, ‘This year 
(1240) Easter eve fell on the first day of the summer.’ [Easter in 1240 was 15th 
of April.] 

® Snorri (Edda, Sksm.) gives the list of the months thus :— 


1. Haust-manodr. 

2. Gor-manodr [the first in the Win- 
ter]. 
3. Frer-manodr[ =16]-ménudr,Rimb. 
550). 
4. Hrit-ménodr. 
5. porri. 
6. Goi. 
7. Ein-manodr. 


8. Gauk-ménoér and S48-tid [the 


first in Summer], 


g. Egg-tid and Stekk-tid. 
10. Sdl-manodr or Sel-manodr. 
11. Hey-annir, 
12. Korn-skurdar-ménodr [Tvi-man- 
odr, Rimb. 556; at Tvi-manadi sumars, 
the Sagas call it]. 


Observe—Nos. 8 and g are in the Ice~ 
landic almanac called Harpa and Skerpla. 
The Sagas onl¥ give four months, porri, 
Goi, Ein-manoér, and Tvi-manodr. 


EXCURSUS Tl. 


ON THE OLD NORTHERN AND TEUTONIC METRE. 


As with Mythology so with Metre, Northern metrists have begun 
their work from the wrong end, and so their ingenuity and industry 
have been, as too often happens, in great part wasted, and their 
labour lost. The reason for this is that they have started from the 
basis of Hatta-tal and Hatta-lykill, the metrical works of Snorri, 


c. 1222, and of Earl Rognwald and Hall, c. 1150. Now these two | 


poems, interesting enough in their own way, and authoritative on the 
subject of court-poetry, in the heyday of which they were composed, 
are of very small help with respect to the older poetry, with which we 
are now-a-days busied. Rognwald has, out of about fifty examples of 
different metres, given but three or four in the old metres at the head 
of the rest; and Snorri, out of his hundred specimens, has not more 
than seven or eight old-metre snatches, which he post-fixes as a some- 
what ragged tail to the body of his work, showing very clearly the 
comparative importance of the court-metres and old metres to his 
mind. Not only did these famous teachers of verse-making look on 
the older poetry as inferior, but they did not understand it; it was out 
of fashion in their day. Snorri also to a certainty misapplies the names 
for the older metres, as we shall see by and by; and the whole system 
of terminology which he employs, while excellently suited for court- 
poems, is neither historically nor actually correct when applied to the 
older metres. Snorri, indeed, knows this, and does not attempt to 
analyse or give the rules for the old poetry, but his modern followers 
have not shown such self-control, and have consequently fallen into the 
pitfalls which in all investigations entrap the unwary and misguided 
explorer. 

For example, with the exception of the excellent edition of the 
brothers Grimm, the old poems have been printed and are printed, as 
we see from books published last year, in half-lines, which is nearly as 
absurd as if one should print Vergil’s hexameters in two lines, cutting 
them at the cesura. The reason why the court-poets counted by the 
half-line or ‘clause’ (viso-ord) in this manner is manifest. The court- 
metre was their standard, where to each alliterative line there are two 
sets of rhymes, one in each half-line; and so the half-line was their 


unit. But the old epic metre knows of no rhymes, the alliteration. 


being its sole bond—so many sets of alliterations so many lines; and 
the ‘ viso-ord’ can have no place whatever in such a system. So the 
name head-letter applied to the alliterative element in the latter part 
of a line is a term which can only be rightly used with reference to 
court-poetry. 

A still fataller error, for it is one that strikes at the very life and soul 
of the old poetry, is the idea that the older metres depend on a strict 
number of syllables. The way in which this baseless fancy has been 
accepted by men who ought to have at once seen its worthlessness, 





PO eee ee a ee 


il 
eG yee en, 














OLD NORTHERN AND TEUTONIC METRE. 433 


is very shocking to us. It has arisen simply from beginning the study 
of the old poems with prepossessions, based upon some knowledge of 
the court-metre system. It implies a total neglect of historical and 
chronological method, and a singular lack of that as yet unnamed sense 
to which our pleasure in hearing poetry is due. 

Again, in edition after edition the unfortunate ‘Edda’ poems have 
been tortured into strophes, in total disregard of the flow of the poems 
themselves, in the teeth of the parallel poems in Old English and Old 
German, and in spite of the terrible wounds which the systematic ap- 
plication of the theory would inflict upon such noble works as Wolospa 
and the Helgi Lays. 

The more melodious, the more inspired, the older, and the purer 
a poem is, the worse it must needs fare under the cruel operation 
of this school of metrists; whilst the monotonous lines of the later re- 
naissance poets pass well-nigh unscathed under their treatment. Much 
time have they wasted over this chimera; for instance, in the glorious 
hymn of the Creation with which Wolospa begins, when—- 


‘The sun knew not her inn, 
The moon knew not her dominion, 
The stars knew not their place,’ 


they will query whether it were better to omit the second or third 
lines so that the regular half-strophe of two lines [four they would 
make it] might not be exceeded. 


Instead of beginning with the late court-poetry, let us rather go back 
to the earliest bits of Teuton poetry that have survived, and try to work 
downwards from them, for surely in no other way is it possible ‘to 
account for the processes and products of metric growth and develop- 
ment which make factors in our problem. 

But first it will be necessary to agree on some few technical terms. 
It is not well to borrow the terms of Latin and Greek metric here, and 
to talk of feet, arsis, thesis, cesura, and the like; for to use these old 
terms in new senses would only cause confusion. We have a different 
metric system -to describe, and must have our own terms. These we 
shall use, nor are they very numerous or hard to remember. 

Every line of Old Teutonic poetry is a d/ank verse divided into two 
halves by a line-pause which always comes at the end of a word. 

Each half is made up of a fixed number of measures, a measure being 
a word, or number of words, of which the first root-syllable is stressed, 
i.e. forcibly pronounced, as one does in speaking when one wishes to 
draw particular attention to a particular word or syllable ; .e.g. WE want 
it, We want 1T. A measure never ends nor begins in the middle of 
a word, such affixes as ge-, for-, un-, be- being treated as separate 
rss in poetry; compounds and strong inflexions are like separate 
words, 

In every line two stress-syllables at least, one in each half-line, must 
begin with a similar consonant ora vowel {these vowels being usually 
different, and in later Northern poetry always so]. Stress-syllables so 
alliterated are said to. carry Jetter-stress. 

In many lines there occur one or more unstressed syllables, which 
form, as it were, the elastic, unmeasured part of the line; these, for 
want of a better term, we call slurred syllables, or, collectively, a slur. 
It is not meant that these syllables are gabbled over, they may be 
spoken fast or slow, but that they are redundant or unimportant for 
the ‘make’ or structure of the verse, and that they would be /ess 


Ff 


434 ON THE OLD NORTHERN 


emphasised and spoken in a less vigorous tone than the rest of the line, 
There may be one or more s/urs in a line. 

When a monosyllabic word is stressed and followed by no enclitic 
words before the next stress it is succeeded by a short interval of silence, 
La § we call a rest. Such a monosyllable with its rest is a measure in 
itself. 

Quantity is observed in some measures, as in Greek verse. 

There are two kinds of rhyme or sound-echo used in later Northern 
metres: full-rhyme, which may be single, ‘take’ and ‘bake,’ or double, 
é taking > and ‘baking;’ consonant-rhyme or consonance, as ‘take’ and 
‘cook *.’ 

Rhymes may be end-rhymes coming one at the end of each half-line 
or line of a set, or they may be /ine-rhymes coming both within one 
half-line: /ine-rhymes may come in any stem-syllable of a word. 

A set of lines may form a verse-group, which is called a stanza. 

A set of lines or of stanzas may form a longer group called a strophe. 

A line or lines may be used at necessary intervals as a refrain or 
burden. 

The notation employed is as follows :— 

The Jine-pause is marked by :; a syllable-pause by *; the words of 
a measure are linked together by —; and the measures marked off 
by |; initials of Jetter-stressed syllables are printed in small capitals, 
slurred syllables in italics. 

In the shorter notation, a = letter-stressed measure; m-=stressed 
measure; s=slur, S=a big slur of many syllables; c=measure with 
consonance ; r= measure with rhyme, 


In the beginning poetry was simply excited and emphatic prose with 
repetitions of catchwords, and such we have no doubt was the primitive 
Teuton poetry. The different branches of the Aryan stock appear each 
to have developed, in obedience to natural law, a metric suited to their 
particular modification of the Arch-Aryan tongue or tongues, Thus 
with the Indian or Greek, quantity was the pivot upon which his metric 
turned; with the Teuton, alliteration of stressed root-syllables. The 
Teutons, having no musical instruments when we first know them, and 
having a tongue whose structure did not lend itself well to a purely 
quantitative system, seem to have hit upon the development of that 
alliterative stress which is a feature in almost all early verse, naturally 
satisfying that marked love of repetition which is seen in all children’s 
and savages’ songs and speeches. 

In the older Teutonic Law Formule and in the old Latin Saturnians 
we seem to get specimens of the earlier stage before regular verse of 
the alliterative type was completely reached, when all the necessary 
factors were already present—line-pause, stresses, and alliteration— 
but before the artist had arisen who was to fix the type. This great 
Unknown had however arisen before the English crossed the North Sea, 
for we find the same line, well marked and unmistakable, in the oldest 
remains of the German, the Scandinavian, and the English races. 

Its finest specimens are to be found in England, in the Vercelli-Book 





1 We call it consonance, in analogy with assonance in old French poetry: take, 
gate, is assonance; took, cake, consonance: the one minds the vowel and not the 
consonant, the other the consonant and not the vowel. The court-metrists call con- 
sonance ‘half-rhyme,’ but this is equivocal and would do as well for assonance. 





lt i lili a 











; 
f 
: 
: 








AND TEUTONIC METRE. 435 


and the Czxdmon MS., whence for convenience we have called this 
type of line the CHDMONIAN LINE. In the Lay of the Rood, attributed 
to Cedmon, as it seems, on the Ruthwell Cross, we have the purest 
extant piece of poetry in this metre. In the Vercelli-Book in which it 
is preserved, there is tacked on to it another poem on a somewhat 
similar subject, but wholly different in style and metre, which may 
very possibly be Cynewolf’s, In Judith and Genesis we also find pure 
passages in this old metre. 

In Germany, the Wessobrunner Prayer, the Charms, the Heliand, 
Hildebrand’s Lay, Muspilli, this line is used with different degrees of 
skill and purity. The Heliand is somewhat monotonous and stiff; the 
Hildebrand has been a fine poem, but it is badly corrupted and hacked 
about, as we have it, in the small fragment that has survived. The 
splendid Alboin or Elfwine Lays of the Lombards, Saxons, and Bava- 
ridns, paraphrased by Paul the Deacon (translated in the Introduction), 
were no doubt in this Arch-Teutonic metre. 

Of Scandinavian poems, this long line is used by preference in the 
Old Lay of Hamtheow, the old Attila Lays, the Lay of Hoarbeard 
(which is the most prose-like of them all), the Raven-Song, and often- 
times in the first line in each couplet of the old Dialogue Metre- 
poems, 

The Greenland Lay of Attila imitates the old Attila Lay. 

These are the principal poems surviving in this metre, and they 
should be carefully studied, for this line is the parent of every other 
native Teutonic metre, as the pedigree given below will show. 

We have chosen a set of examples of this old metre, which should be 
read over slowly aloud by the student till the ring and beat of the verse 
becomes familiar to the ear; for till it does, he cannot really under- 
stand the nature of the changes which the line underwent, nor appre- 
ciate its full beauty and use. : 

It may be briefly described as a four-measured line, 2:2 (two mea- 
sures in each half), with two letter-stresses in the first half and one in 
the second, the third letter-stress being the strongest, the first next, the 
second the weakest. Sometimes there is but one letter-stress in the 
first half-line. There is frequently a ‘slur’ of several words, and this 
is always placed at the beginning of a line or half-line. Cadmon him- 
self prefers to put it after the line-pause, and, as is well shown in the 
Rood-Song, this is far the best place, artistically speaking, for it. Occa- 
sionally, as in Muspilli, it heads both halves of the line. The slur is 
spoken in a low but distinct recitative; it is the elastic part of the line, 
and forms a background to the emphatic stresses which stud the line. 
The effect of such clusters of unstressed syllables was soon noticed and 
taken advantage of. i 

The last syllables of each Caedmonian half-line appear to have in 
preference the quantity -.; though neither Heliand nor the Northern 
Songs follow this law. There would be a very good reason for this 
strict and regular finish before each pause’; one wants to feel when the 
end of the half-line is coming in such a long and varying metre as this. 

The same want has given us the regular ending of the hexameter, 
which was very probably originally an indefinitely long dactylic line 
closed by a troche, 


— 


5 
1 The prevalence of troche-endings (datives, accusatives, infinitives, and other 
inflexions of the verbs) in the language is also to be remarked. 
Ff2 





> eter 
Bea 
pert 


-ancient Tune-Stone and two others,—perhaps the oldest extant Teu- 


436 ON THE OLD NORTHERN 





The following formule will give the chief effects of the Cedmonian 
line :— 
a|a:Sa|m _ Rood Lay type. 
Sajla:Sa|m ” 
Smj|a: a|m An old German type. 
Sala: a|m. 

The following examples are arranged in a rough chronological order, 
English, German, Scandinavian. It is a great pity that we cannot head 
the list with a few lines of Gothic verse, for this old metre, with its 
bold stresses and elastic measures, is so exactly fitted to the fully 
inflected Gothic nouns and verbs (which often run to five or six sylla- 
bles) that we should have had fine effects in it, had any one of the 
songs Theodric and Ermanric listened to been preserved to our day. 

In default of better we subjoin the lines on the Golden Horn and the 





tonic verse, and as such venerable. ‘The dialect is near to the Gothic 4 
of Wulfila. [See Reader, p. 446.] 
1. Ec uLewa-gastiz | noltingaz :.Horna | tawido. 
2. Ec Wiwaz after Woduride | Witai-gahlaiban | Worohto | runoz,. 
arbijas tjos | ¢ez-arbijand 
prijoz Dohtriz Dalidun . . . woduride staina. 
3. Aftaz uariwulafa | Hapuwulalfz : neru-wulafiz | warait runaz paiaz. 


There is a fine solemnity and an instinctive and harmonious variety 
about this old Epic line, which finds perhaps its nearest parallel in 
modern times, as far as the effect on the mind, in the weightier of 
Milton’s lines, 

ENGLISH, 
The Rood: 

Swetan-on-pa | swidran-healfe : eall-ic-waes mid sorgum-ge | dréfid. - 

Forht-ic-wes-for-bere | Fegran-gesihde : geseah-ic-pat Fuse | bedcen. 

wendan | w&dum-and-bleém : hwilum-ic-wes-mid wetan-be | stémed, 

dé styred-of | srefne-minum - gendmon-me-ber Strange | feéndas. 

Bérom-me-pzr | Beornas-on-eaxlum ; 00-pet-he-me-on Beorg 4 | setton. 

ge Foestnodon-me-per | Feondas-ge-noge : ge seah-ec-bé FRedn | mancynnes. 

on Girede-hine-pa | ceong-hzled : bet-wes God-zl | mihtig. 

burh vrifon-hi-me-mid | Deorcum-neglum : on-me-sindon-pd Dolg ge | ‘siéne. 

bismeredon-he-unc | Buti-etgedere : eall-ic-wes-mid BLdéde be | stémed. 

be coten-of-pes | Guman-sidan : sedden-he-hafde-his cdst-on | sended. 

Sare-ic-wes-mid | Sorgum-ge-drefid | hndg-ic-hwedre-bém Secgum-to | handa. 

du6fun-hine-of-pam | Hefigan-wite ; forléton-me-da-nilde | rincas. 

srandan | sredme-be-drifenne : eall-wes-ic-mid Srrelum for- | wundad, 

diedon-hie-hine | Lim-wérigne : gestédom-him-et-his tices | heafdum, 

be Heoldon-hie-dzr | Heofenes-dryhten : and he hine per uwile | reste. 

méde-zfter-d4m | Miclan-ge-winne : on gunnon-him-da Moldzrn | wyrc-an, 

Beornas-on | Banan-ge-sihde : curfon-hie-det-of Beorhtum | stane. 

ge Setton-hie-dzron | sigora-wealdend : on gunnon him pa Sorg-ledd | galan. 

Cadmon, Genesis: 

swa mihtigne-on-his | Mod-ge-pohte : he-lét-hine-swa | micles | wealdan. 

uéhstne-to-him-on | Heofona-rice : hefde-he-hine-swd | Hwitne-ge- | worhtne. 

swa Wynlic-wes-his | Westm-on heofonom : bet-him-com-from Weroda | drihtne, 

ge Lic-wes-he | veohtum-steorrum : sceolde ne drihtnes vof | wyrcean'. 

big-srandad-me | SrRange-ge-nedtas : bd-ne-willad-me-at-pam stRide-ge-- | 
swican, ; 

code-zfter | céde-z2negom ; ne-wille-ic-leng-his ceongra | wurdan. 





1 Lof transposed. 

















AND TEUTONIC METRE. 437 


for swipen-on-pis | Sweartan-mistas : swa-he-us-ne-meg-enige Synne-ge | stélan, 
pe@t-we-him-on pdm tande | Lid-ge-fremedon : he hafd-us-beah-bes Leohtes- 
be- | scyrede, 


Muspilli : 
Déir-ni-mac-denne mac’ | andremo : helfan vora demo mus’ | pille. 
war-is-denne-diu | Marka : ddr-man-eo-mit-stnen mAgon | piec 
denni-verit-er-ze deru | Mahal-steti : deru dar ke-markhol- | ist’ 
so denne der mahtigo | kuninc : daz mahal-ki | pannit, 
der Warch-is-ke- | Wafanit : denne-wirdit-untar-in Wic-ar- | hap’ 
in Fuir-enti-in- | Finstri ; dazi-ist-rehto Firinlih | dine. 
Hildbrand Lay: 
ih walloda sumaro-enti | wintro : Sehstic-ur | lante, 
dat uilti-brant | Hetti-min-fater : i# heittu nadu | brand: 
was-im-thuo-an ihro ge | sidie-ge | samad: endi fragoda umbi hwilika dia Saka | 
sprakin.—5966. 
that Wif-ward-thuo-an | Wuanon ; ¢hat siu muosta sulikan Willion | kidian.— 
5941. 
that sie that te Warun | Witin : that thu mi an thesa Werold | sandos.—4097. 
an thema Mareon | daga : that wirdid her ér an themu Manon | skin‘-—4312. 
Wessobrunner Prayer : 
dat ge FRegin-ic-mit | Firahim : Firi-wizo | meista, 
suma Hapt* | Heptidon : suma ueri | lezidun. 
du-wart-demo balderes | Volon : sin Vuoz-bi | renkit. 


GERMAN, 


NoRTHERN. , 

From the Atli Lay: 

Hvat redr-pu okkr seggr-inn | ceri : allz vit srikt: | heyrom 

hvat-hyggr-ju Bridi | Bendo : es-hon-okkr Baug" | sendi. 

Vell lézk ykkr mundo | Velja : vidrar | gnita-heidar 

es-fré Mordi-peirra | gunnars : khomnir-vdro-or Myrk~ | heimi. 
From the Dialogue Metre Poems: 

HOfOi | skemra : ldti-hann-bann-inn uRim-kalda | idtun 

Heipt-yrdi | ein: ; éelr-bu-per-i nuvi: | vetna 

hvars-pu 61: | drekkir : kidstu-per 1ardar | megin. 

veit-ek-ef-pu | Vaxa-nzdir : fyrir-pinna Vina | bridsti. 

_ pat veit-ek it Sex’ | tinda : ef ek vilja ins sVinna | mans 

pat-kann-ek-it | pridja : efmer-verdr porf: | mikil 

Janka-ek mildan | Mann: : eda-svd Matar | gddan 

ot es Ovist-at | vita : ba-es komom allir | saman 

eill-pui nu | Sigroedr : nu-hefir-fu Sigr-um | vegit. 

pvi at a uverfanda | Hveli ; vdro-beim uiorto | skopod, 

at bol-verki-peir | spurdo : ef hann veri med sondom | kominn 

hyi-namtu-hann | sigri-pa : ef per pdtti hann sniallr’ | vesa.—[Eirm.] 
From Raven Song: 

at SKalda-reido | vil-ek pik spyrja : allz-bu-pikkisk sxil: | vita 

srodom-nokkva-bré | srillir : es Adnom vas styrjar | veni 

Kunna-hugda-ek pik | Konong-mundo : bannz-d Kvinnom | byr’ 
From Harbard Lay: 

sryrdu-hingad | eikjonni : ek mun per srodina | kenna 

badat hann uxenni-menn | flytja : né HRossa | pidfa 

segdu-til | nafns pins : ef ba vill um sundit | fara. 

skylda-ek-launa Kogor-sveini-pinom | Kangin-yrdi : ef ek Komomk-yfir | sundit, 

sKkamt-mon-nt | mal okkat ; allz bé mer sxcetingo-einni | svarar 

ok mun hon kenna hénom Attunga | brautir : si] ddins | landa. 

Visa-pti-mer-nii | leidina : allz-pi-vill-mik-eigi-unteaginn | ferja. 


In the Charm Song the IRREGULAR LINES are not to be hastily con- 
demned, they, like the formule of the Ritual Song and the curse of 


Se ee em SEE Sc, ee 


438 ON THE OLD NORTHERN 





the Helgi Lay and the old Law oaths and declarations, are the last 
remnants of an older generation of poetry, which was replaced by the 
regular Cedmonian line, but still survives in an alliterative law car- 
mina and proverbs. It must have consisted of short alliterative phrases, 
with measured stresses, but without any regularity or fixture of type. 

The following pieces, from various sources, will give fair examples. 
In the passage from the Helgi Lay we have extracted the words of the 
Oath from the lines in which the poet has imbedded it. 

There are other instances scattered through these volumes, for 
example in the Wolsung Play, and in the charms of the Ritual and Spell 
Songs (ancient carmina) :— 


From the Old High German Charm Song : 
thu bi guolen | sint-gunth : sunna era | Suister 
thu bi guolen | Fria : Folla-era | suister 
thu bi guolen | Wodan : so he Wola | conda 
so se Ben-renki : so se BLuot | renki 
60:98 BAG) FOUR 5 eh <6. woe 
Bén zi Béna : BLuot-zi BLuota 
Lid-zi ge | Liden : so se ge Limida-sind. 
The Song of Saws: 
EIk-vid abbendi : ax vid fiolkyngi 
Haull vid Hyrogi, etc, ‘ 
From the Old Ritual, i: “ 
betra es 6-ristid : an se Of-ristid 2 
betra es 6-radit : an se Of-radit, etc. 


From Fragments of a Spell Song, i. 29: 
. : U 4 . 
ok a pvi hveli es snysk undir reid Rungnes 
& sLeipnis tonnom : of a sLeda fiotrom, etc.: or— 
Hausi | Heid draupniss : of or Horni | Hodd-rofnis, 


From Helgi Lay, which, deducting the poet’s adaptation, would have run thus :-— 

Bitia pat sverd : es bu BRegdir 

Rennia s& marr : es bé Ridir 

SKRidia pat SKip : es pu Sryrir. 

From Laws: 

sem Metendr Mato,—ok reljendr T61d0,—oc Démr Deemdi—ok piggjendr pago— 
me ¥é Fullo. 

menn Sittir : oc Sam-verir—at Oldri : ok at Ati—a pingi : oc d pidd-stefno—at 
Kirkna sokn : ok i Konungs hiusi. 

it skolot deila Knif : ok Kidt-stykki—ok alla hluti : ykkar i milli—sem Frendr : 
ok eigi sem Fiandr. 

enn sé ykkar es cengr : & Goervar setter—eda Vegr 4 : Veittar trygdir.—Grdgas. 

skal hann sva vida Vargr, | vrekr ok vrekinn : sem menn Vidast Varga VReka, 

Elldr upp brennr : 1ord groer—mogr Mddor kallar: ok M6dir Mog foedir—aldir : 
Elda kynda, 

sKip sKRidr : skildir blikja—s6l skinn : sne leggr—ridr skriér : Fura vex—valr 
flygr : var langan dag. 

standi hénom Byrr Beinn : undir Bada vengi, 

Himin uverfr : Heimr es bygdr—vindr pytr : VOtn til sevar falla,n—xarlar Korni 
sa, ete.—Grdagds Grida-mdl. 


There might be several more bits of old formula gathered from the 
Old Swedish and German Laws. “eb 


To the Cedmonian line, as we have said, every later form of line 
employed in these volumes till the influx of French metres may be 
traced. In Iceland to the present day the chief of its essentials— 
the alliteration of stressed words—is a sine qua non in all kinds of verse, 














we Sapa a 


AND TEUTONIC METRE. 439 


rhymed or unrhymed. In England the good old line survived till 
the Renaissance blank verse came in, and it is used by many a worthy 
medizval poet, by the unknown Author of the paraphrases of Genesis 
and Jonah, by William in his allegory of Piers the Plowman, by Sir 
Hugh of Eglinton in his Romance of Chivalry, by the Bagley who 
sung of Flodden Field, and by Douglas’ lettered son in the proem to 
part of his translation of Vergil. 


We have now to turn to the metamorphosed forms in which it presents 
itself in the West and North, according to the following pedigree :— 


OLD LONG LINE (Czpmon’s), 











Universal Teutonic Metre Keltic influence 
1 ° 
I 1 
Couplet Unstrophic Strophic 
i (16S ae Sian 
Dialogue metre | Church - 
[Scandinavia] Short Epic line influence | Turf Einar’s Bragi’s line 
4 : line 
Cynewulf and Ynglinga End rhyme [W. Isles] -~—-+—-- 
Helgi line, line, [Egil]. | Thiodwolf’s Joms- 
Western type Northern type Scotch Kraka- early wicking 
[England and [Norway, and mal _—_ court drapa 
W. Isles}. Iceland, English line. metre line. 
Scandinavia] medizval long 


line down to 1550. 
Liuflinga line 





i T | 
[late Icelandic]. Other 6-measured, 8-measured. 
varieties regular, and 
of this metre. variations, 


The first distinct variation upon the old line is what we have styled 
the DiaLoGUE METRE. This was invented, as far as we can tell, in 
the North, after the English emigration—for unless it be the following 
lines of an Old English Gnomic poem in the Exeter Book, 

pzs ne | cymed | cod'-—164, 
elec him hafad | sundor | sefan—169, 
and him et | somne | Swefan—179, 


we have not been able to find it throughout the whole Old English 
body of verse, nor has any verse of this metre ever been discovered in 
Germany. It is an old metre we cannot doubt, for not only are most 
of the oldest Northern poems composed in it, but it bears such clear 
marks of its origin as a variety of the old line. 

The Dialogue metre? consists of a couplet, the first member of which 
is the old Epic Cedmonian line, but the second is a line of three 
measures With tqwo letter-stresses, which may be arranged in several 
ways. It varies immensely from the lightly-built lines of later examples, 
which one would almost take for two-measured lines, to the heavily- 
made lines with triple letter-stress and sometimes slur to boot, which 
occur in the older examples, The third and last measure must, if 
bisyllabic, be vv (never - wv), a peculiarity first observed by Bugge (com- 





* It is by the court-metrists wrongly styled ‘lioda hagtr,’ whilst ‘ mala hattr’ is by 
them applied to an epic metre: now ‘ mal’ is just the standing name for the dialogue 
poems (Hava-mal, Vafthrudnis-mal, Alvis-mal, etc.), whilst ‘liod’ rather denotes an 
epic song, or else is a mere generic term. 





440 ON THE OLD NORTHERN 


municated to the Editor in 1877), which often yields a useful test of 
a doubtful line. The types of the line are very numerous :— 


Triple letter-stress: a|lal|a 
Double letter-stress: sa|a|m 


ps mj|ala 
= a[m|a 
Two-measured (?) : sala 


The lines in which two measures only are found seem to have once 
had a third measure, which has somehow dropped out. 

The Dialogue couplet was not understood nor known in Iceland 
when the Codex Regius was first discovered; the most amusing efforts 
were, in the edition of Hava-mal 1665, made to bring it into conformity 
with the short epic metre. It is for the first time properly printed 
in these volumes, where it at once catches the eye :— 


Triple letter-stress : . 
veizta-pu-pa | Vesall hve pu | vegr-—[Ls.] 
vilkat-ek at id | Vreidir | Vegisk—[Ls.] 
ok ualdit | neim: | Heéan—[Wols, Pl.] 
Hefna | HLyra | narms'-—[Wols, PI.] 
Halr es | Heima | nverr—([G, W.] 
etik skolo | ciold’ | ciofom, 
With slur, Double letter-stress : 
esa-sa Vinr 6drom es | Vilt eitt | segir—[G. W. 
opt-es Gott-pat es | camlir | kveda—[Loddf.] 
ok liai ber @ Frid | driiigrar | rFarar—[Swipd.] 
til bess gollz es i | Lyngvi | Liggr 
nema-pu: frydir mer | uvatz’ | Hugar—[Wols, Pl.] 
pa es peir fara vid | vitni at | vega—|Gm.] 
sva hygg ek 4 | valhollo | vesa. 
adr hann vas 4 | Bal-um | Borinn—{Riddle.] 
eda hefdi honum | suptungr um | Soit—[Less.] 
hvilda-ek hia beim | systrom | Siau’ 
ok hafda-ek | ced peirra allt ok | caman.—[Harb. | 
Letter-stress on second and third measure: 
hvar skal | sitja | sia: 
dzlt es | Heima | nvat- 
get pu | valodom | vel: 
an se | of-drykkja | dls-—[G. W.] 
verdr at | iss-4 | A—[Vafp.] 
Letter-stress on first and third measure : 
punno | hliddi | pegir—[G. W.] 
BLandnir | miok vid | BLOd- 
Annars } bridstom | or: 
Letter-stress on first and second measure : 
pidd veit ef | prir’ | ro—[G. W.] 
Ausinn | 6° | reeri 
DROgo | Dapr’ | liga—[Sun Song. ] 
Heima-skalat | uvild: | nema—(Alm.] 
H4-timbrodom | Hérgi | redr—[Gm., ] 
riskr’ | F268i | £ 
Fekk ek mer | Fé: | laga.—[G. W.] . 
‘Ok, ‘eda, and ‘ne’ make measure: 
Eda | al svidr | 1otunn—[Vpm. ] 
eda | Sél it | sama 
eda | Nott med | nidomr 
eda | Ver laus | Vesa—(Skirn.] 











; ro FF & el eee rea 


” 





AND TEUTONIC METRE. 441 


eda | sonno | sagdr-—[Wols. Pl.] 

eda-at | Lopti | Lid: 

ok at | Lopti | lid-—[p. 126, 12 and 14.] 

ok: | Fafni um | rarit—[Wols. Pl.] 

ok’ | sdlar | syn’-—[G. W.] 

né* | Harms in | Heldr* 

né* | Hestr in | Heldr—[G. W. 308.] 
Two-measured, or else somehow wrong : 

é n6fi | wafa—[G. W. 218.] 

dé FLeti | Fyrir—[300. ] 

an Manvit | mikit—[314.] 

ok sxollir med | skram-—[Less. 95.] 

4 Suptungs | Solom (better, suptungs | solom | {) 

enom sLevorom | sigr—[Ls. 91.] 

ok Mannskis | Mégr‘'—[Hm. 51.] 

Nidti-sa-es | Nam*— 

Heilir-peirs | ntyddo— 

Nidttu-ef-bu | Namt-— 

It is essentially a sentence couplet, the sentence must always conclude 
within the two lines. It is thus especially well-fitted for gnomic and 
didactic poetry and for dramatic exchange of sentence, question and 
answer, stoichomuthia, and the like’. The Didactic and Gnomic poems 
of Books i, ii, iii, the Aristophanic dialogue poetry, the heroic dramas 
which follow them, set forth the full capabilities of this good metre. 
Eric’s-mal, with its imitator Hakon’s-mal, close the list of this class 
with the exception of the Sun Song and Christian Man’s Wisdom, 
which, though not dramatic, are highly ethical. Beyond one or two 
scraps (in the 9th and 6th Books, Bk. vi. no. 13 a, and Bk. ix. § 1. viii) 
we have no more instances of the metre till the cloister translation of 
Cato’s Disticha, a twelfth-century revival by one who knew the Christian 
Man’s Wisdom and realised the peculiar aptness of the Dialogue metre 
for didactic purposes. We have not printed this piece, not only because 
it is a book-poem and a translation, but because we have not been able 
to get a good and safe text. 

After this down to Eggert Olafsson’s time there is hardly a poem in 
this metre, and Eggert and his followers, who revived it, have failed to 
observe the quantity of the last syllables and thus made many false verses. 


After the invention of the Dialogue metre, some time in the eighth 
century, there came over the Scandinavian tribes a Phonetic Change, 
of which we have given a brief account in the Oxford Icelandic 
Reader, pp. 464-65. The results of it were to alter the whole 
character of the tongue by violent contraction, which brought the 
long flexible Gothic words into short compact but harmonious 
vocables. It was accompanied or preceded by a considerable change 
in vocabulary. All unnecessary affixes were got rid of, and the lan- 
guage became from a dactylic polysyllabic a trochaic and monosyllabic 
tongue. That this change had taken place before the Danes settled in 
South Britain is proved by such forms as Urm, Ulf, etc., in the Parker 
MS., the coins, and other old MS. authority, English and Irish. It is 
similar in kind to that which Latin must once have undergone, and must 
have made a deep distinction between the German and Scandinavian. 

Of course these changes had their influence upon metre, and ren- 





‘ It is worth while to compare its use in the Old Wolsung Play with the Welsh 
gnomic metre, e.g. the ‘ Mountain Snow’ Book of Hergest iv [cxiv. Skene’s Ancient 
Books of Wales] and others. 


442 ON THE OLD NORTHERN 


dered possible and acceptable certain innovations which in the ninth 
and tenth centuries were borne by foreign influence into the Old 
Teutonic metres. 

But the next variety of metre, the SHORT EPIC LINE, comes, it seems, 
by natural progress from the long-line. It is met with both in England 
and in the Scandinavian colonies of the West, and has several well- 
marked varieties, such as the WESTERN or CYNEWULF and HELGI- 
POET’S LINE, and the NORTHERN or YNGLINGA LINE. 

These modifications were arrived at (1) by the shortening of the 
measure, till one word, and that a monosyllable with its rest, is reckoned 
sufficient, (2) by confining the slur to one or two enclitic vocables, 
only now and then allowing a noun or verb or weighty particle in the 
slur, (3) by quite disregarding the quantity of the last syllables before 
the final and line-pause, (4) by the free use of the licence to leave out 
one letter-stress in the first half-line. 

Among the older examples of the WESTERN type are the English poems 
of the second literary period in the tenth century, ranging from Cynewulf 
to the Lay of Bryhtnoth, comprising Beowulf, which certainly cannot 
be older than Alfred, and in the copy we have it is certainly later. 

Among the contemporaneous poems of our Books iii and v will be 
found many analogous examples. In England Cynewulf is far the 
most musical, in the West among the Scandinavians the Helgi Poet 
and the Ballad Poet are particularly skilful in their metre. The skilful 
alternation of light dactylic measures and weighty monosyllabic ones, 
with the use of an occasional slur, give possibility of almost endless 
modifications of this metre, which for ductility and power of expression 
was not equalled till the Elizabethan dramatists developed the full 
powers of iambic blank verse. 

A complete analysis of this important metre would be beside our pre- 
sent purpose; we have chosen a number of characteristic lines from the 
better poets that the student may become orally conversant with them, 
and it is not irrelevant to repeat the fact that it is only by careful reading 
aloud of these lines that their form and beauty can be appreciated. 

We begin with the English specimens, as possibly the older :— 


Enciiso—Cynewulf, Beowulf : 
Megin-cyning | Meotud : on ge M6t* | cuman. 
EArdes-at | Ende : sceal bonne anra ge | hwylc’ 
se Micle | doeg’ : Meahtan | drihtnes. 
Bugon-pa-to | Bence : Byrnan | hringdon,—[B. 327.] 
ofer ceofenes-be | Gang’ : ceata | lidde.—[362.] 
Alwalda | god: : bet et zr* | estan.—[Cynewulf, Christ.] 
of Lic’ | homan : Ledde-ne | cidan 
ne | Hearpan | HLyn’ ; ne Heleda | stefn“.—[Cynewulf, Phoenix. ] 


ne enig para | DRedma : pe pRythen-ge | scdp* 

Gumon-te | GLiwe : in Pes ceomran | woruld 

urig | fedra : Earn-sid-be | hedld.—[Cynewulf, Helene.] 

Wwelhreowra | Wig* : Wulf-sang-a | héf 

ac on Wacnigead | nu : Wigend | mine.—[Finnsb.] 

Habbad-eowre | linda : nicgead-on | ellen 

Winnad-on | orde ; Wesad-on | mdéde 

uLeodrode* | pa: : Heado-geong | cyning 

ne pis ne Dagad | edstan : ne her DRaca | fledged. 
Stressed words in slur: 


Bonne cén* | cwacad : ge hyred cyning | mezdlan, 
Word-cwide | WRitan : swmum Wiges | spell’. 





3 
P 
a 
4 
4 





a> 
= 
an 
ie 
ai 
‘a 

: « 
i: f 
By 
he 
2 











a et ae 7% 8 
yh PM ge 


a 


“AND TEUTONIC METRE. 443 


dat Ero ni | was* : noh vf | himil,—[Wessobr.] 
ant that Mud-spelles | Megin : obar Man: | ferid,—[Hel.] 
Menes | fulle : mut-spelli ; cumit.—[Id.] 
an THiustra | naht* : also ruiof: | ferid.—[Id.] 
NorsE— skegg-nam-at | hrista : skér-nam-at | dyja.—t[pkv.] 
ok hann pat | Orda : allz-fyrst-um | kvad° 
enn-per | skAlar ; es und skK6rom | varo.—[Volkv. ] 
N6ttom-féro | seggir : Negldar-véro | brynjor.—[Id.] 
. skildir-bliko | peirra : vid inn skarda | mana,—|Id. | 
nii-eromk FRann* | mekir : @ Fiarri | borinn.—[Id.] 
siti-hann-& | audi : sofi-hann-& | duni. |. [Grott.] 
vaki-hann-at | Vilja : ba-es Vel* | malit.—([Id.] 
HNigin-es | Hel-grind : Haugar | opnask.—[ Wak. ] 
vid-skolom aka | tvau’ : ¢ totun | heima,—([pkv.] 
ef ek-ek-med | pér : 4 1otun | heima.—[Id.] 
BRoedr-mono | Berjask : ok at Bonom | verdask.—[Vsp.] 
Opt’ | dsialdan : pd hon Enn’ | lifir’. 
hugda-ek-mer | Gunnarr : crimt i | svefni 
Svalt-allt-i | salt : ettak Seing | kalda. 
sud-man oll* | ydor : xtt* | hniflunga 
Afli | gengin ; erod | £13: | rofar. 
sem fyr | ulfi: 6dar | rynni.i—[Helgi i.] 
Geitr af | fialli : ceiska | fullar. 
es @ Ask’ | limom : Ernir | sitja. ; 
ok prifr | prétt-dll : pRaum-pinga | til’. 
hvart-ero-pat | svik-ein : es-ek sid: | pykkjomk. 
verda | ofigari : allir & | ndéttom. 
paudir | Dolg megir : an um Daga | lidsa. 
ur-svalt | 6-fialgt : ekka | prungit. 
With a double syllable pause: 
colli | pakéan : d cim: | 16 —[Vsp.] 
hvat es mik-at | pvi* : pdtt mer | sé-.—[Gripi.] 
- Deyr* | fé" ; Deyja | frandr’ 

The NORTHERN type of short Epic-line is arrived at by a still more 
vigorous curtailment of the old long-line; the slur is less used, the 
measures are short and trochaic or monosyllabic, more regular and 
less dactylic than the Wéstern short-line, yet avoiding strict syllable- 
count, with seldom more than one letter-stress in the first half, the 
whole line is stiffer and more simple, yet, when skilfully managed, it 
is by no means monotonous. 

It is best handled by Egil and Thiodwolf, and was the progenitor 
of nearly all the later short-metre verse in Iceland, down—through 
such poems as Skaufhala-balkr and the Ditties in Bk. vi—to the Fairy- 
pee of the later middle-ages, whence it got its modern name of 

idflinga-hattr. 

The examples given will show the difference between this and the 
Western short-line. 

There will be found lines of this Northern type mixed up with those 
of the Cynewulf type in many poems, partly through the scribe pre- 
ferring the more contracted forms of word and measure, and partly 
perhaps through the oscillations of the Cynewulf metre between a 
longer and a shorter line, but there can never be any doubt as to the 
metre in which the poem, as a whole, is composed in. There was 
a distinct tendency in England to shorten metre as the tenth century 
advanced. The short lines in the Brunanburh Song (composed some 





1 N.B. Volospa evidently uses —¥ in the last measure by preference. 


444 ON THE OLD NORTHERN 





time after the battle) are probably a case in point. We cannot suppose 
that the short-clipped lines, in which some glossator has translated 
Bede’s Latin version of Cedmon’s proem, would have been tolerated by 
Czdmon himself. 


NorTHERN, 


Ynglingatal: Ok: | vard hinn: es alfr of | va: 
vordr’ | vé-tiallz : wm veginn | liggja 
ok | Ingiald : f-fiorvan | trad- 
ok | sxe’ | reid’ : ¢ sKirings | sal: 
um BRynj | alfs* : Beinom | dripir. 
Loga | dis* : at Lopti | héf 
Lay of Hymi:  vrév | diarfliga : pAd-rakkr | pore 
orm’ | zitr-fan : upp at | bordi. 
SwEDIsH— hann opt | Sigit : “i sim- | gala 
Dyrom | knerri : wm pémis | nes* 
EI man | ligja : medan aldr* | lifir 
sar fié- | Eigi : at upp* | sdlom 
en Va: | medan ; Vapn’ | haféi.—[i. 370-71.] . 
IceELANDIC— __—EK bar | Emn’ | af Ell | ifo “3 
Bana | ord: : BLAstu | meirr’ ¥ 
DRupir | h6fdi : Daudr es | pengill 
HLeja | HLidir ; vid Hall’ | steinii—[i. 361.] 








Egil Sonatorrek : 
pat ber-ek | Ut: : or ord: | hofi 
Merdar | timbr* ; mali | laufgat. 
ok sd | mudr’ : es Mina | bar- 

Lay of Arinbiorn : 
Hofud | lausn: : fyr nilmis | kné- 
vask Ar | vakr’ : bark ord: | saman 
med mal: | porns’ : Megin | verkom. 


It is not unusual for the two first letter-stresses to be close to one 
another, only separated by a syllable pause. In the Dialogue line we 
note the following instances :— . 

Wols. Pl. 136, 142; Less. 68; Vpm. 68; Eiriksm. 19. . 
‘i In the Epic line, the Western, as well as the shorter Northern, we 

ave :— ; 

Helgi i. 15, 70, 120, 275, 278, 300, 325; ii. 5, 40; iii. 3, 34, 39, 42 5 
Wak. 10, 44,47; W.W.L. 9, 29, 36; Vsp. 16, 55, 59, 61, 73, 92, 105, 
108, 109, 113, 114, 195, 214; Sh. Br. L. 63; Old G. L. 52,6153 Gripi 
122; Long Br.L.115; Hym. 5, 22, 43, 49, 67, 70, 85, 89, 125, 135, 140, 
142; Rm. 12, 56, 91, 109, 110; Hyndl. 1, 3, 26, 160; Yt. 62, 78, 126, 
130; Ad. 76; Dart Lay 3, 24, 37; i. 266. 12, 16. 


The Long-line also gave birth to a peculiar metre of considerable 
beauty and flexibility, which may be called TURF-EINAR’S LINE, which 
was apparently’ developed or invented in the Western Islands (see 
Book vi. § 2), where we find traces of it down to Kraka-mal and the 
Ragnar-Songs (Bk. ix. § 2). This metre has unfortunately suffered much 
from copyists and editors, who have tried to squeeze it into later 
regular court-metre. We have not much more than a hundred ex- 
amples, and many of these are not to be depended on. But the 
character of the line can be made out. 





* The court-metrists clearly misapply the name; we here use it just as we find it 
in the fragments bearing the name of Turf-Einar, Earl of the Orkneys, 














— 


“AND TEUTONIC METRE. 445 


It was a five-measured line (3:2), with two letter-stresses in the 
first half— 


m |ajfa:sa |m. 


The first measure usually of three syllables, and sometimes also the 
fourth following the line-pause; a brief slur after the line-pause; the 
three-syllabled measures are followed by a trochaic measure, for 
instance :-— 


The peculiar ending, reminding one somewhat of the last feet of 
a hexameter, is easily caught by the ear, and the good pure lines (few 
unfortunately) can be picked out from those which have been ‘mended’ 
and tampered with, as our examples will show. 

It is very possible that the first measure of the line is merely a 
developed regular slur, hardened into a stressed measure. 

In the KRAKA-MAL LINE, which is formed out of Turf-Einar’s line, 
the last half becomes three-measured, and the whole stands (3:3). Yet 
the poet has not completed the metamorphose, and leaves the line still 
distinct from the court-metre line, without its rhymes. 

The Turf-Einar metre in Snorri’s Edda is a spurious imitation of 
the real Turf-Einar line, with rhymes added, and three stresses in the 
second half, of which the first is the letter-stress :— 


sékat-ek | HRolfs or | Hendi : né HRollaugi | fliiga 
enn ¢ Kveld: | par-es | KNyjom : aé Ker-straumi Pies 
pegjandi | sitr’ | petta : pdorir 4 | mari? 

Rekit hef ek | R6gnvaldz | dauda : enn Réd0-pvi | nornir. 
skalat-maér | Runar | Rista : nema RAda-vel | kunni 

pat verdr | mérgom | Manni : at wm myrkvan-staf | villisk 

pat’ | melti min | mddir : a¢ Mer skyldi'| kaupa 

farit hefek | BLédgom | brandi: sva at mer Benpidurr | fylgdi 
viltu | penna | piggja : er pora hiortr | atti 

per ann ek | serk inn | sida : ok Saumadan | hvergi 

Orrostor | hefek | Attar : ber er Agztar | pdétto 

samira | Okkr of | 6ldrom : of Gudugi | preta. 

hvat-skaltu | sveinn i.| Sess minn : Sialdan-hefir-pu | gefnar 
sa ek 4 | relgdo | ralkni : rio-laun | stafi”. 


In modern times the metre has been used by the Icelandic poet 


Biarni Thorarinson (1787-1841), working on the model given by ‘the 


lines in Egil’s Saga (which, we take it, once formed part of the Ragnar 
poems in this metre). He uses it for dirges on friends and countrymen, 
which are good poetry in good metre. All his best verse, the most 
inspired, some 150 lines, is in this metre. He has caught the true lilt, 
and reproduced it very successfully (save for the quantity of the last 
measure, which is not a blemish to modern ears). He has chosen the 
dactylic both in the first, second, and the fourth measures, which gives 


his lines a hexameter-like flow. So few old lines being left in this 


metre we subjoin several: scraps from Biarni’s poems, which well deserve 
translation, so unaffected, thoughtful, and melodious are they :— 


Frials-pinn-og | avdigur | andi : sér Atti-og | nytti 

Alfa slot | hverjum i | hamri : og hegindi-i | skyjum ; 
bu-gard.| hvers i | blémsturs : bikari | midjum, : 
og hvern til | vid-tals sér | valdi : af vitriffgum | lidnum, 





1 jarl is not needed. 2 ristna is not needed. 


VD eae 


446 ON THE OLD NORTHERN 


Orlaga | drvar dvi | nddu : pig aldrei ad | fella, 
ad undan | feri pinn | andi ; 2tid sér-| hafdi; 
var hann a6 | leikum me lidnum : eda lids-Alfum | muna 
harma | nornir pa | heima ; hann hugdu ad | finna. 
Or— Vaknadir | opt pu um | evi : “il Shyggijo og | sorga, 
vist er nu | vent til ad | hugsa : ad vakna til | lcika 
aldrei sem | endast med | hrygdum : hia eilifdar | bornum, 
og upp til | idju ad | risa : sem aldrei mun | lyja. 
Or— p6 svo ver | séum fra | henni : ad sam-vistum | skilin 
sizt hana | naum ver | nalgast : ¢ né-brautum | harma; 
tidr ei pess | lifir i | lidsi : ad leita i | myrkri, 
né pess hia | lifondom | lifir : ¢ landi | daudra. 
Or— pvi pa | fatid | fyrnist : fellur pad | betr ad | limum, 
og letur | skirar i | lidsi : logun hins | innra 
fogur Gnd | andlits ens | gamla : mun eptir sér skapa 
og ungdéms | slétt-leik | 2dri : & per | skrud résir | grafa’. 
Or— Veist pu nu | lif mitt in | lidfa : ber liggur & vérum 
leyfdu ad pad | sofanda | sitg-eg : dir sdl-fagra | bednum: 
lattu ei | bana mig | bida ; eg bid pig, min | Svafa ; 
gefou mér | Gnd mina | aptur : og aptur mig | kysstu. 


We now come to the metre which was the fountain-head of the 
various court-metres, the LINE OF BRAGI. Unluckily, though we have 
some seventy lines of this poet, they have been so overlaid that we 
can scarcely pick out more than eight or ten pure ‘ Bragian’ lines ?, 
to which may be added a few more from Thiodwolf’s Haust-lay. 
These pure lines exhibit the following characteristics. They are six- 
measured (3:3), the first half being blank with two letter-stresses, the 
second half with a letter-stress in the first measure, and a pair of 
consonance Or full rhyme-stresses (for Bragi does not seem to distin- 
guish between them, using either indifferently). A letter-stress may. 
coincide with a consonance or rhyme in the same syllable. The slur 
is occasionally used, and the first or blank half-line may be of two 
measures (just the reverse to Turf-Einar’s line), as it is obviously of 
less weight and import than the more elaborate second half-line. 
Quantity is strictly preserved before a line-pause. The measure never 
exceeds three syllables. Bragi’s lines are all in stanza. 

Bragi’s innovation of /ine-rhyme and more regular stressing we should 
certainly ascribe to foreign influence, probably Celtic; we can account 
for it in no other way. The novelty of Bragi’s poem, his own good 
position as member of a powerful family of nobles, and his attachment 
to the Ragnar family, would spread the innovations he championed 
so well; and thus it was that he was able to direct the stream of 
court-poetry into the course it kept so long. 

The Jomswickinga Drapa is a kind of Renaissance attempt to re- 
produce Bragi’s line. Its first half is blank, its second contains a pair 
of consonances, but never of full-rhymes. It is of course like all later 
poems strictly measured, and without slur, 

The line-types may be thus represented :— 

tor mijperasa [et } e]--B 
sAemipee::.ac fom {co t-sf, 





1 Trregular line, ~~ ® Pace Mrs. Gamp, 

















¥ =, ‘al x a ae 





AND TEUTONIC METRE. 447 


Nearly every untouched Bragian line preserved is here given :— 

Bragi: vilit | wRafn-ketill | Heyra : hve HRein* | groit | steini 
ok um | hedins | aeda : dsk* | kvdn-at-pat | sinom 
res gafomk | Reidar | mAna : Ragnarr | ok fiold: | sagna 
knatti | endr-vid | tlan ; rormun | rekkr-at | vakna 
pat-es-& | weifa | Landa : taufi | fatt-at | hofdi 
pat-sék | Fall-4 | rdgrom : FLotna | randar | botni 
hinn-es | vatt 4 | vida : Vinda | dndor | disar 
bro | yxn ok | Atta : Enni | tungl pars | gingo 
fyrir | Venis of | vidri : val’ | rauf fiogor | haufod. 

Thiodwolf: patz of | rat 4 | Fialla : Finnz* | iljabri | minni 
Baugs pak | sifom | fada : Bif' | kleif at por | leifi. 
Er of | sér es | 16tna : dtti | 1ét of | séttan. 

Thiodwolf, following in Bragi’s path, seems to have finally determined 
the form of the COURT-METRE in a poem which is perhaps the best in 
that form. Yet he himself uses the old Bragi-line in his burdens!, and 
perhaps (for no doubt his poem has been a little touched up here and 
there) occasionally in his strophes, nor does he distinguish very strictly 
between consonance and full-rhyme. 

We may now examine the Court-/ine, and give some account of its 
peculiar characteristics. 

It is six-measured (3 : 3), and each line contains two separate parts 
linked together by alliteration, but possessing each its own subordinate 
unity, so to speak. In the first half-line are two letter-stresses and two 
consonant-stresses (one stress at least therefore being double), the second 
half-line has one letter-stress which immediately follows the line-pause 
(no slur is ever allowed here) and two full-rhyme-stresses (which may or 
may not coincide with the letter-stress), The third letter-stress, from 
coming immediately after the line-pause, is called by the Court-poets 
the head-letter, while the other two are known as props (studlar). 

It will be seen from the above description that the Court-metre 
admits great variety. Thus the following table shows twelve changes 
which may occur :— 


SirriMe file Bes 
fac ja Petes ten 
ease °[e 3 re. FRY ft 


Ist half, Y hes [a jac: 
m jac jac: 


ac |m fac: 
4 Pal Ce 2 Oe 





There is also a further source of variety in the stress-placing; for 
instance, either half-line may be composed of three bisyllabic mea- 
sures, as— 

Zi 2. 3. 4 5. 6. 
hoefir | heit at | rivifa ; and : Eid-fastr | Haraldr | skeidom; 
or it may follow the more frequent and beautiful arrangement in which 
the heavy single syllable and root of the first measure is balanced as it 
were by the length of the second measure, as in the following examples :— 





? Out of Haustlong’s 80 lines, 15-20 are blank in the first half, and of a more or 
less Bragian type; the Burden is purest Bragian. Wege the poem preserved as it 
came from Thiodwolf’s mouth, there would surely be more of these. But in the 
latter half Thiodwolf almost invariably uses a full rhyme, not a consonance. 





448 ON THE OLD NORTHERN 


I. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 
(Al: | gilda mank | aldar: (: 6° | laus burar | hausi 
al: | tifo son | drifa : : bift | kleifar por | leifi 
Ist half. { dyn’ | sedinga | daudan: and |: forn’ | haldin skdp | norna 
kyveld- | runninna | kvenna : : stdd° | einrida | b1ddi 
ramt*'| mein vas pat | reyni: : mégr’ | haf-nyra | fogro 


: hrét* | innan své | minnom 
4 : parf* | laust Haraldr | austan 
: lifs: | grand i stad | véndom 
: grams’ | erfingjom | hverfa 
: bla | fialladan | gialla 
: 6 | nidradan | pridja 
: prek: | forlodom | iarli 
|: iarls* | fylgjorom | dylgjor 

It is utterly false to count by syllables and divide, e.g. 

alfif | o son | drifa, or iarls fylgj | orom | dylgjor; 

for these reasons: (1) the rhyme would then fall on the second un- 
stressed element of the measure; (2) still worse, the unstressed inflexive 
syllables would have to make up the second measure; (3) the measure 
division would fall into the middle of a word; (4) the distribution of 
sentences, the chief and intercalary one, farther tends to show that 
docked first and fourth measure, especially the latter, followed by 
-—vv or-—-v, were favourites with the old poets. 

The measures in Court-metre are far more strictly connected than in 
the earlier poetry, and rarely exceed two syllables. 

It may be noticed that the final ‘r’ never makes_a syllable in poetry 
till the fourteenth century and after the Reformation’. This is evi- 
dently a usage derived from the days when it was not ‘r’ but nearly 
‘z,’ not ‘fricative’ but ‘sibilant,’ and hence really combined with the 
preceding letter, e.g. in ‘ Haraldr.’ 

There is another ‘licence’ which runs throughout the Court-poetry: 
‘a’ and ‘9 (ao)’ are allowed as full rhymes. The reason for this is not 
that, for instance, ‘haond’ was ever pronounced ‘hand,’ as has been 
supposed; that is impossible; but merely that the two sounds made 
a fair rhyme to a rough ear, for the old sound of 9 (ao) was not that of 
the present day, but rather a back-vowel than a front one—the ‘a’-part 
being more felt than the ‘o’-part. It is not till later, when the 
‘o’-part became the more influential, that any great discrepancy be- 
tween ‘a’ and ‘9’ would be felt by the ear. At the beginning the 
sounds were probably as near as the English ‘aw’ and French ‘a,’ which 
were used to transliterate each other, e.g. ‘Spaw,’ in the last century. 

The quantity-rule, that a measure of (— v) shall end each half-line, 
is strictly observed. In the stumpy or docked metres this last foot is -. 

The Court-metre lines are always combined into couplets, each couplet 
containing one main sentence. That this was the original stanza (as in 
Irish poetry) one sees from the burdens, which are at first always 
couplets. But the Court-poets early began to combine ‘two couplets 
into a stanza of four lines, which became the normal Court-stanza. 
The two couplets are linked together by sense, as is noticed below. 
The stanzas may stand alone as /ausa-visor, loose or stray verses, or 
they may be combined to form the ‘/okr,’ a short simple poem without 
burdens, or built up into the strophes of the complex ‘ drapa’ or burden- 
poem. An account of these compositions is given further on. 








1 In fourteenth-century poems, e. g. Olafs Rima and Skida Rima, a syllabic ‘r’ 
creeps in ever and anon, .but never before a pause. Its use before a pause first 
appears about the Reformation time. 











AND TEUTONIC METRE. 449: 


There are many varieties of Court-metre, some of which are the mere 
freaks of the poets’ ingenuity, and were never used in regular composi- 
tions. Such are many of the varieties to be found by the curious 
student in Snorri’s Hatta-tal (Metre-List) and Earl Rognwald and Hall’s 
Hatta-lykill (Key of Metres), but others are really employed by poets 
and will be found in these volumes. ‘These we may briefly describe. 

The best of them is probably the EIGHT-MEASURED COURT-METRE 
(4: 4), which was known as ‘ Hryn-henda’ or ‘ Flow-metre.’ It is first 
found in the Hafgerdinga-drapa, c. 990, made by a Sodor-man [see 
ii. p. 54]; and it is used by Arnor, c. 1047 [see ii. p. 186], and Mark 
Skeggison, c. 1105 [see ii. p. 235]. It was popularised in Iceland by the 
Lilia in the fourteenth century. With the addition of the end-rhyme 
to each half-line and the omission of the final quantity it is followed in 
the Western Proverb-Song [ii. p. 363]. It is the Court-metre, with an 
additional measure in each half-line. The addition makes it an easier 
metre,.as the composer has more room to get in the alliterative, con- 
sonant, and rhyme stresses. But it requires skilful handling, as the 
lengthy line tends to run into regular bisyllabic measures, and become 
monotonous. The following examples will suffice :— 


“Minar | bid-ek | Munka | reyni : Meina | lausan | farar | beina 
Haukr réttr | ertu | Hérda | dréttinn : hverr gramr | es per | stérom | verri 


A FOUR-MEASURED COURT-LINE is found in Thormod’s Hrafnsmal, 
c. 1012 (ii. p. 115), and its imitation by Lawman Sturla, in the year 
1264. It is practically the Helgi-metre, with the addition of rhymes 
and consonance stresses. The first and third stress-measures tend to 
fall into a dactylic form; e.g.:— 


Saddi svan | greddir : sara dyn | baro 


Sighwat shows another variety (ii. p. 135) of FOUR-MEASURED COURT- 
LINE, his verse being rather on the model of the: Ynglinga-line, with, of 
course, the addition of rhyme and consonance stresses. The first and 
third measures tend to be heavily bisyllabic ; e.g. :— 

Kémo | fylki : far-lystir es | bar: 
. hervig i | hug’ : hafanda | staf 


Sighwat’s poem and metre were imitated by Thorarin’s Praisetongue, 
c. 1027 (ii. p. 159). Neither variety, Thormod’s or Sighwat’s, is quite 
pleasing; but the latter is to our mind the better of the two. 


There is a peculiar metre, used by Steinarr in the twelfth century 
(ii. p. 294), and known to Earl Rognwald, who calls it skialf-hent, shiver- 
metre, in reference to its origin; ‘ for,’ says Snorri, ‘it was invented by 
the poet Weili on the reef where he was shivering cold and naked after 
a ship-wreck.’ It is known as favi-skelft also. One may almost look on 
it as a seven-measured line, of which the first two measures are stumps 
or docked. 

Each line begins with a spondee, which fills the first measure, and is 
usually, made up of two weighty monosyllables. Examples are :— 


senn Oll | sidan | runno : snekkjo | bord or | Gordom. 
The rhyme-stress is sometimes intentionally thrust on the second part 
of the spondee— = 


Fim-tan | fiornis | mana : fleygjendr | at gram | rendo 
her-morg | hala | tiorgud : 


Gg 


450 ON THE OLD NORTHERN 


In older poets a line of this kind occurs here and there; e. g.:— 
Sig-hvatz | hugir ro | hitzig :—f[ii. p. 145. 5]. 
Sedr gekk | Svolnis | ekkja :—[Haust. 60]. 

Einar (ii. p. 48) late in the tenth century uses a kind of echo in his line, 
making the first stress after the line-pause in alliteration and consonance 
with the last stress before the line-pause. This metre is called idr- 
melt, iterative by Snorri :— 


Hug: | stéran bid-ek | heyra : heyr iarl | kvasis | dreyra. 


The seven-measured STUMPED or DOCKED metres are manufactured 
by the simple process of cutting the final trochee of each half-line down 
into a single long-syllable. A good example of this is Orm Stein- 
thorsson’s dirge (ii. p. 322), where a docked metre is very appropriately 
chosen and beautifully treated; e. g.:— 

Fastan | lagda-ek | flagds: | gust: : fiardar 4 | brimis | gard- 
pviat | hols: | hryn* | bals* : hramma-batz-ck | ber’ | framm-: 

In the West there occur instances of the employment of END-RHYME 
as an additional ornament, besides the regular alliteration. The earliest 
examples are the Old English Rhyming Lay in the Exeter Book, and the 
Head Ransom of Egil upon Eric Blood-axe, c. 952 [Bk. iv, vol. i, p. 266]. 
It is, we doubt not, derived from the Latin Church hymns, It does 
not occur as applied to the old long line. 

END-RHYME may be double or single; it comes at the end of the two 
half-lines of one line, linking them together, but sometimes the same 
rhyme is carried on to the next line, thus binding the two lines 
together; e.g. in English :— 

The Exeter-book Song: Wic ofer | Wongum : Wennan | gongum, 
Lisse mid | Longum : Leoma ge | tongum, 
And in Northern verse :— 


Single rhyme: (1) Mun strandar | Mar’: sva es Mitt of | far- 
(2) — 16furr sveigdi | ¥* : fugo unda | by’ 


Double rhyme: -—w Vagna | vara: velliss | tara 
ve of crams’ | cladar : Geirvangs | radar. 
Couples : budomk uilmir | 168° : nu-d-ek urddrar | kvdd- 
ber-ek Odins | midd: : d Engla | bidd- 
And iofurr hyggi | at’: hve ek yrkja | fat 


gott péttomk | pat: : es ek Hogn of | gat 


The end-rhyme is else entirely alien to the old Teutonic poetry; 
comparatively late poets may, for sake of effect, throw in a line now 
and then; e.g. Cynewulf’s 

per wes borda-ge | brec* : and beorna-ge | prac’ 

heard’ | hand-ge-swing : and herga | gring’-—[Helen, 114, 115] 
can hardly be accidental. The Helgi poet’s 

Vard ara | ymr*: of iarna | glymr-—[Helgi, i. 104] 

and . 
Flitiga Vibris | grey: : Val-giorn um | ey-—[Helgi, i. 52] 
are possibly unintentional, though, being intercalary sentences of the 
nature of epic commonplace, they may have received (like Cynewulf’s) 
special ornament; the possibility of their coming from a later poem is 
also to be considered ?*. 





1 One of the earliest examples of rhyme in Teutonic poctry is about a century 











—— 








———— 


ee nS 


AND TEUTONIC METRE, 451 


The example of Egil was not followed by many, the Court-poetry 
with its many adornments was more attractive. Gunlaug (ii. p. 111), 
Egil’s kinsman, Thiodwolf (ii. p. 211), and a few more (ii: p. 109), how- 
ever, composed in the metre of Hofudlausn, but nearly all they have 
done is lost. The Court-poets judiciously avoided overloading their 
difficult burden of verse with fresh weight. 

In the West, however, we have two examples of alliteration and end- 
rhyme, one the Runic-Song, c. 1150 (ii. p. 369), in which it may be 
noticed that the final -« rule is observed, and the other, the Proverd- 
Song (ii. p. 363), C. 1175-1200, which, like Egil, neglects the final-quantity 
rule, but sets up a fresh principle of having the double rhyme in u u, not 
~—v, and prefers the single rhyme to end in -, not in u (of which the 
instances are only one to five)’. 


The old epic poems, not being very long, and containing a stirring 
story, were not in need of other than natural period divisions. But 
one sees that, in compositions of a more lyrical character, the song 
cannot proceed so evenly; the passion comes in bursts and gusts, and 
breaks the song into waves, and there is a natural tendency to mark 
the fall of each of these waves of song. ? 

This is done by a repeated exclamatory sentence of the speaker, or by 
a burden-verse, which looks as if it had been taken up by the listeners 
in a kind of chorus. 

Instances of the exclamatory kind are the sibyllic 


Vitod ér enn eda hvat? 


of Wolosp4, and the similar 

Allt es pat ett bin. Ottar heimski! 

Véromk at vitir sva. Viltu enn lengra? 
of the Lay of Hyndla; and the characteristic refrain of the risen ghost 
in the Doom of Balder :— : 

Naudig sagda-ek : Nu mun-ek pegia, 
Sometimes, in great grief, we have a recurrent wailing phrase of the 
same character, as in the English Deor’s Lament :— 

p2s ofereode : pisses swa meg! 
or, 

peygi Gudrun grata matti, 

sv& vas hon mddig, mundi hon springa.—[Tale of Gudrun. ] 





earlier than Egil’s poem, Otfrid’s Gospel-book, finished in 868; but in it, as with 
the English poets of the eleventh century, the rhyme is thought sufficient without 
alliteration. There occurs in England, in the later English Chronicle verses, and in 
the Brut of Layamon a curious alternation of alliteration and rhyme, either being 
used at will, but never the two together in one line; this inartistic and irritating irre- 
solution could never continue, and the mass of English poets opt for rhyme, though 
the Northern English cling to alliteration down to the sixteenth century, Orm alone 
striking out a new path in pure blank verse with regular stress-measures. The later 
Scottish alliterative poets frequently add final rhyme to the end of the line, coupling 
it with other alliterative lines into stanzas, etc., as do the author of the Pearl, 
Hugh of Eglinton, Clark of Tranent, Gawin Douglas. This is of course a wholly 
new development. 

* The medizval metrists call this metre runhenda; but ‘un’ here we take to be 
a mere misreading for ‘im:’ the metre is of foreign @xtraction, and ‘rim’ (rhyme) 
is the word wanted. This likeness cannot be mere accident; the reason is obvious, 
‘rim,’ a foreign word, conveyed no meaning to the Norse copyist, and so he read 
‘run.’ 


Gg2 





458 ON THE OLD NORTHERN 


Goethe’s beautiful natural use of this figure in Gretchen’s song, 
Meine ruh’ ist hin, mein herz ist schwer, 
ich finde sie nimmer und nimmer mehr, 

will occur to the reader. 

Of the Surden, or chorus couplet, as we might call it, which is always 
in the third person, we have the famous instances in the two different 
parts of Wolospa :— 

pa gengo regin oll 4 rok-stdla, 

ginn-heilog god, ok um pat gettosk; 
and the awful warning :— 

Geyr Garmr miok fyr Gnipa-helli, 

festr mun slitna, enn freki renna. 

From such lyrical and irregular divisions as these it is easy to pro- 
ceed to a system of regular sections, marked off by a couplet. And this 
step was taken in the Shield Songs, probably first by Bragi, who after a 
prologue, such as we find in the Gudrun and Brunhild Lays, addressed 
to the company or the patron, divides the body of his poem into strophes 
of regular sets of couplets, each such strophe telling a separate story 
and marked off by a burden, which is ever varied in words, but always 
the same in sense :— 

This I see painted on the shield, 
The shield the king gave me. 

The very character of the Shield-poem, a description of the pictures 
painted or engraved on the various compartments of the buckler, would 
favour regularity of structure in the composition. 

Such complex poems were called DRAPA, a name we explain thus :— 
The burden, which was probably accompanied by the 4arp when the 
kings and princes had been westward and learnt from the example 
of the Celts to keep a harper (a usage, however, which has left but 
slight traces, if any, in Norway itself), was called the strike, ‘drapa,’ 
from the string accompaniment to the chorus, which closes each stretch 
of recitative. The Aoi of the Chanson d’Roland very probably imple 
an interval marked by music, 

So the Court-poetry acquired a definite form, which lasted throughout 
its whole life; the perfect Drapa-form being after this wise :—It opens 
witha dedicatory Introduction, ‘ upp-haf,’ then comes the Jody, ‘stefia-~meél * 
(see vol. ii, p. 187), consisting of a number of strophes, ‘erindi,’ of equal 
length, each preceded and followed by. the burden stanza; then follows 
the Conclusion or ‘sloeem’ (the ‘slim’ or tapering end), which cor- 
responds in size to the Introduction. The general rule being that the 
Introduction and Conclusion together should equal the Body. The 
typical form is well preserved in Egil’s Head Ransom, which is luckily 
perfect. It may be thus represented :— 


b=burden, E =erindi or strophe, p=pair or couplet. 


Introduction. 
iop. 
Body of 3 . 
E. 


b+ eee Gps) +(4p +b 
Conclusion and Envoy, 
Iop+Ip. ; 
The whole balancing thus :— 
Iop+16p+i1iIp=37p; 

















AND TEUTONIC METRE. | 453 


or, if we count by verses of four lines, thus :— 
(5V+1OV+5v)+1V=2Iv. 


It is long ere we find another complete instance of the Drapa, for the 
bulk of the Court-poems have only reached us in fragments, and we have 
to wait for the twelfth-century Geisli and Jomswickinga Drapa to 
compare with it. Their structure is given on pp. 284 and 302. The 
later Saints’ Drapas yield many more instances. 

We have in every fragment of Court-poetry been careful to mark 
the burden. by italics, e.g. in Hallfred’s Olaf’s Drapa (vol. ii, p. 90), so 
that it may at once catch the eye. The burdens in vol. ii, pp. 54 
and 40, and § 2, are exceptions. . 

The Burden is very variously treated; sometimes it is varied, as in 
Egil and Bragi and Hallfred, and other older Court-poets; sometimes 
- it is repeated unchanged. The burden may be also either free or Jarded. 
If free, it invariably marks off the deginning of the Stave-sections or 
Erindi. It is then repeated after each stave-section. If Jarded, it 
is wedged into the body of the stave-section in divers ways. It is 
then called a cloven stave (klofa-stef, rek-stef). The oldest example of 
this kind is the curious larding of short mythological sentences into the 
section verse, one to each couplet, of which the earliest example is that 
of Cormac (vol. ii, p. 33). An earlier analogue is the conclusion of each 
verse of the Dialogue-metre poems by a saw or proverd, as in the Old 
Wolsung Play (verses 66-79). We have many examples of durden- 
larding in the Court-poems which survive. In Wolf’s Husdrapa, c. 980 
(vol. ii, p. 23), the burden (....) is put in thus at the last half-line of 
a couplet :— 





Only the last line of the burden survives in this poem; but it is pro- 
bable from what is left that there was only one line more. 

In Eywolf’s Banda Drapa, c. 975 (vol. ii, p. 52), the section is bound 
or rivetted by the burden thus :— 


Strophe of 5 pairs. 





The whole five pieces making up the burden-sentence. 

Sighwat’s Stretch-Song, c. 1027 (vol. ii, pp. 135-36), so called from the 
way he treats his two-pieced burden, gives the following arrangement 
of strophe :-— 


2 and 3 burdenless. 4. 


Thus the first and last half-line of each strophe gives the burden, 
This disposition is copied by Thorarin (vol. ii, p. 159). 


454 ON THE OLD NORTHERN 


In Arnor’s Thorfin’s Drapa, c. 1064 (ii. p. 194), the burden of two 
pieces is thus larded, probably in the frst and last stanza of each 
strophe :— 


—_——— 


Stuf’s Harold’s Dirge, c. 1067 (ii. p. 222), gives a four-piece burden 
thus larded :— 


4x 


» And Stein, c. 1070 (ii. pp. 224-26), imitating Sighwat in sense’, but 
Stuf in order, gives his three-piece burden :— 


3 x 


. 
7" ee eo @ 


Steinarr’s Rek-stefia, or Broken-Stave, c. 1150 (ii. pp. 295-200), has a 
five-pieced burden treated in precisely a similar fashion. 

Jomswickinga Drapa, c. 1190 (ii. pp. 302-308), adopts a fresh fashion 
of larding. He gives his burden of two lines in the main clauses of 
the last stanza of his four-stanzaed strophes, thus :— 


Burdenless poems were often divided, like Arinbiorn’s Lay, into 
sections. 

Short sectionless poems in court metre were, in distinction of the 
complex Drapas, called ‘Flokkr’ or ‘Ode.’ These seem to have con- 
sisted of from ten to sixteen stanzas. The most perfect remaining poem 
of this class is the Dirge on Erling by Sighwat. For aking’s encomium, 
recording the long roll of his exploits, the ‘flokkr’ would be too short, 
and the amusing story of Cnut’s pride (vol. ii, p. 158) will be remem- 
bered on this head. An early example of the word ‘ Drapa’ is found in 
Landnama-bok, iii. 1, where the sons of Arnor Thorordsson are men- 
tioned: ‘Thorbiorn, whom Gretti slew, and Thorord Drapa’s-stump, 
who made Ofeig’s Verses... the father of Walgerd, who married Skeggi 
Shorthand; the son of Skeggi Shorthand was Gamli, father of Alfdis, 
mother of Ord the monk.’ The story as to how Thorord got his name 
is unluckily not told: one may guess that it was in mockery of his poem, 
which was nothing more than the stump of an encomium. The Ofeig 
might be the hero of Bandamanna Saga. The ‘flokkr,’ as drawn 





' A proof of the creativeness of the age of Harold Fairhair, and the close way in 
which each poet’s invention or improvement in metre was watched, is found in the 
the story of Eadwine IIl-poet alluded to in vol.i, p. 262: ‘he took the refrain out of 
the Encomium, which Wolf Sebbason, his kinsman, had made on King Harold; 
whereby Eadwine got his nickname and his Encomium the name of Stolen-stave, as 
it is told in the Story of Wolf Sebbason and Earl Quae :’—a story which is unluckily 
lost and was apparently unknown to the compiler of Scalda-tal. 








AND TEUTONIC METRE. 455 


straight from the older burdenless undivided short epic poems, would 
be a more archaic form of composition than the ‘ Drapa.’ 

The older name of poems of a personal character seems to have been 
‘visor’ verses. This is the name applied to unshapen poems made up of 
stanzas more or less loosely strung together, without section or burden 
or the stricter logical form of the ‘flokkr.’ Thus in Landnama-bok, 
ii. 6, speaking of Godlaug the settler, Ari says, ‘ His son was Godlaf, 
who had one merchantman, while Thorolf, son of Loft the old of Eyre- 
brink, had the other, when they fought with Earl Gurth, the son of 
Sigwald, in Middlefare-sound [the Little Belt between Funen and Jut- 
land], and kept their goods, whereof Godlaf made Gurth’s verses.’ 

This Gurth may be the man from whom Godwine got his name, 
for we should take Sigwald to be a kinsman (perhaps grandfather) of 
Sigwald Strut-Haroldsson, whose brother Thorkell the Tall is well 
known in English history. The best specimens of Visor are perhaps 
Sighwat’s East-faring verses, West-faring verses, and Ness-verses. 

A single occasional stanza is called /ausa visa, a loose verse ; improvi- 
sations on special subjects such as Ejinar’s were so called. At first 
lausa-visor were couplets, afterwards they were quatrains, and there are 
(in the Kings’ Lives, for instance) traces of improvised couplets having 
been edited into quatrains. 


The Structure of the Court-poets’ verse is very rigid and peculiar, 
It must be remembered that the composer’s aim was to announce 
and annalise in due order and in brief and simple clauses (dressed up 
as gallantly as he could) the roll of his patron’s exploits. The main 
part of his poem is the list of a series of battles, in most cases. He 
must, as Ari tells us, be truthful; he does not rely for the force of 
his verse upon the exaggerating of his facts, but merely upon his 
elaborate way of stating them, so that his statements, stripped of 
their showy trapping, come down to sentences of the highest sim- 
plicity. 

Every couplet of the Court-poetry, as we have seen, contains one 
| main-clause, and is a perfect verse in itself, but it is usually (invariably, 
; in the later poets) joined to a second couplet of two lines, containing 
a parallel main-clause, repeating and amplifying the former. A clause 
must never overrun its own two lines, and the two main-clauses of a 
stanza must bear a close relation to each other. So that, in fact, as 
the translation will show, a normal Court-poem runs on in verses such 

as these :— 


The M... king let his standard advance ; 
He dyed his sword at N.... 

He put his foes to flight; 

The O... men fled before him, etc., etc. 








; It will be noticed that the king’s name often occurs in the jst 
half-line of a stanza, and the place-name in the fourth or eighth. 

The parallelism of the two main-clauses in the Court-verse is merely 
the regularisation of a very common phenomenon in early Teutonic 
poetry, especially in Old English verse of the tenth century, where 
the important sentence is continually doubled as it were, being said 
over again in different words, precisely after the fashion of the Hebrew 
poets. In cases such as these, where elabgrate syntax could not be 
employed, this is the only way in which the poet can manage to convey 
his whole meaning clearly and impressively. The repetition of the idea 





456 ON THE OLD NORTHERN 


is impressive, the fresh presentment of it enables one to see it in a 
new light without the impatience produced by mere reiteration. The 
prose of the English version of Utopia and the sermons of almost 
any Tudor divine will yield excellent examples of the powerful and 
beautiful way in which parallelism can be employed. In the older 
poems, such as Helgi i. lines 66, 68, 128-131, 225, there are instances of 
great force; but asarule, with the older Northern poets, especially of the 
Western School, the action moves too quickly and the dramatic 
passion is too high to need parallelism. The splendid parallelism of 
Wolospa, prophetic in style and strength, and often, like Isaiah’s, 
running into triplets, is exactly suited to the inspired pythoness, © 

In the Court-poetry, besides the main-clauses, we must notice another 
distinctive feature, the ‘stal’ or fi//-gap. Stal literally means ‘steel,’ 
an image drawn from the old smith’s craft, by which the steel core of 
the blade of sword or sickle is embedded in the rind of soft iron of 
which the outer wrap of the blade is composed. With the poet, it is 
the term for an intercalary sentence larded, as it were, into the main- 
clause of a verse, with which it has only a secondary connection. It 
is used by the Court-poets, either as an adornment to fill up their 
verse, without breaking up the severity of arrangement, which they 
universally adopt, or (and perhaps originally more often) to enable them 
to get in proper names of men and places, which, but for the help of 
a fresh object or subject supplying possibilities of new synonyms, they 
would have found difficult to bring into their-verse. For example, the 
poet, wishing to tell us in one of his simple clauses that King A., whom 
he is celebrating, beat his foes at X., some place the name of which he 
could not easily find a rhyme or alliteration to, is able by the addition 
of a fill-gap to get in a word meaning ‘ wolf’ or ‘raven’ or ‘blood’ or 
the like, which contains the desired rhyme. These j//-gaps seldom of 
course convey any very useful information, and one can almost always 
leave them out in translating; indeed, to put them in would often 
merely cumber the clearness of the verse. Still, wherever the fill-gap has 
yielded any statement of the slightest value, wherever it is in any way an 


index of the poet’s style, wherever it is poetic in itself, we have made it ~ 


our rule to translate it fully. 

In the text we have been careful, wherever the sense was intelligible, 
to mark the ‘stal’ off by ( ) from the main-clause to which it belongs, 
for no mere punctuation would suffice to distinguish the enamelled 
inlay from the body of the verse: and when, as sometimes happens, 
a second fill-gap occurs in the same main-clause, we have marked the 
second by [ ]. As may be clearly seen by our brackets, the fill-gap 
generally occupies a regular position in the two lines of the clause to 
which it belongs, the most frequent arrangement being— 


when the bracket comes after the fourth measure in the line, especially 
when that measure is a heavy monosyllable and rest. 

The st4l is an ingenious device, and certainly adds to the beauty 
of the sound of the verse, though it must be confessed that it is of 
little advantage to its sense. The larding of durdens is perhaps the 
first budding of the stal-system, which attains a great development 
in the later Court-poets, so that one looks for the fill-gap as a natural, 
if humble, companion to every main-clause. 

The stdl, dovetailing two lines as it does, is obviously of great 


¢ 


ea j 


ee ee 


| 
Pe TP Pte Ti ee ee ee ee Oe eee 








=yvax 





; 


AND TEUTONIC METRE. 457 


assistance to the memory, but forgetfulness or changes of its meaning- 
less contents would entail the loss of important detail in the main clause 
to which it belongs. 

To the nature and description of the ‘ Kenning’ or Synonym we have 
devoted a special Excursus; it remains only to give a brief view of 
its technical uses and divisions. As we divided synonyms into physical 
and mythical, according to their origin, so we might divide them into 
descriptions and similes or likenings, according to their nature. Thus 
to call the 4ero a spear-hurler, a wolf-feeder, a steersman, a wage-taker, 
a ring-giver, is to use a descriptive synonym, while to speak of the shield 
as the ‘leaf’ of the ship, the ‘walk’ of the spear, the ‘thatch’ of 
Walthall, the ‘foot-stool’ of Rungni, the ‘ship’ of Wuldor, is to use 
likenings or similes. 

Synonyms may be single, double, triple, or even quadruple, as 
multiple in fact as the length of two lines will admit of. Instances 
of long similes are the following, the first of Thord Siarreksson 
(meaning warrior), 


ship shield battle spear 
nausta- blakks- hlé - mana - drifo- gim - slongvir 
dock - steed’s - quarter - moon’s - gale - fire’s - hurler 
or this of Hallfred, who calls Tryggqwason 
ship shield battle raven feeder 
Heita - dyr - bliks - dyn - sedinga - hungr - deyfir 
Seaking’s - beast’s - moon’s - tempest’s - bird’s - hunger - sater 
or this of Thorarin, who styles Canute 
sword shield battle sword 
gunn- vita - géto - graps - leygs - bdr 
battle - beacon’s - path’s - storm’s - fire’s - tree 


In a ‘finished’ Court-poem,—one of those which would have satisfied 
Einar Sculason,—every person and thing almost is clothed in a garb 
of ‘kennings,’ so that it is sometimes difficult, especially when the 
weaving of the stal into the main-clause is at all intricate, to trace the 
meaning of the verse. The verb is always clear however, and is one’s 
best guide to the subject; when that is got at, the rest of the sentence 
falls into place and meaning. 

The abuse of the kenning is one of the chief blots of the Court- 
poetry. It is carried to an extent which is simply childish and 
barbaric; but, if one is content to listen to the verse, without trying to 
trace its meaning, as no doubt was the case with the good Queen 
(vol. ii, p. 260), who behaved so kindly to Sturla, we must admit 
that the harmony of the line is sometimes enhanced by the ‘ thundering 
battle-words’ that the synonym-system enables the poet to bring in 
whenever he wishes. 

In the Hatta-tal of Snorri (composed in 1222) the student will find 
a mass of examples of the many various modes and fashions into which 
the already elaborate drott-kved or Court-metre is tortured and 
twisted: he will also find the technical terms used by the Court-poets, 
based all of them upon an analysis of the Court-metre. And it may 
not be unnecessary to note here that these technical terms in many 
cases are misunderstood, and neither can nor‘ever did apply to the older 
metres, the old technical terms for which are lost entirely. Thus the 
unit of the Court-poets is double (1) the alliteration-unit, the /ine, and 


458 ON THE OLD NORTHERN AND TEUTONIC METRE, 


(2) the rhyme or consonance-unit, the alf-/ine : thus in Hallfred’s Saga 
the king makes him put a sword into each visu-ord [verse-sentence] 
or half-line. So that there may be some justification in printing 
Court-poems in eight lines instead of four, though we have preferred 
to rather lean on the alliteration and the historic structure of the verse 
than the mere ornament. Moreover, the arrangement we have pre- 
ferred has the additional merit of saving space and helping the eye. 


The backbone of Teuton-poetry is alliteration-stress, and this is 
most strikingly exemplified in the history of Iceland-poetry. Where 
rhyme comes in, for instance, in the popular hymns of the Reformation, 
it is often mere consonance, but the alliteration never fails. It is impos- 
sible to satisfy the popular ear in Iceland without alliteration even to this 
day. The Editor remembers many instances of this from his childhood, 

Again, syllable-counting is all right, as applied to the polished school 
of Einar Sculason and his imitators, though there are mistakes in the 
way of applying it even to them, which its advocates have fallen into; 
but it must not be for an instant supposed that this strict-measuring 
was ever thought of by the older poets, and to cut the Helgi-poet’s lines 
down after the fashion of Procrustes to fit a rigid bed so many feet long 
seems to us simply barbarous. 

In noticing that Snorri’s rules do not apply to the older metres, 
we cast no slight on Snorri himself. His essay is a marvel of medizval 
learning; he sets forth his rules for Court-poets, and they suit Court- 
poetry admirably. He is.no more authority on the older verse than 
King James would have been on Cedmon, nor indeed does he profess 
to be; he glories in slighting the ‘old poets.’ It is those who have 
mistaken his aims and misused his information that are in the wrong. 

No theory of the Old Northern metres can be satisfactory which will 
not account for the parallel phenomena of Old English and Old German 
metres also; no theory can be accepted which would maim and mar 
the older poetry in conformity to the supposed authority of the later 
poets, in defiance of all history, grammar, and harmony. 








NOTES: 


(Fresh renderings are distinguished by Italics,) 


BOOK I. Guest's Wisdom, (p. 3.) 


Tue stanzas, which in R seem to have been flung pell-mell into a chest, like 
Mahomet’s blade-bones, are here for the first time sorted and strung together. Yet 
there are still wide gaps, and all is more or less fragmentary. In a few instances 
the halves of the stanzas are mispaired, and do not rightly cohere, being bits of 
different stanzas on different subjects; we especially mark vv. 9, 13, 14, 17, 29. 
As for the title, only the last of the series is rightly termed ‘ Havamal’ or the Lesson 
of the High (see p. 28, v.27). The collector, finding this, has superscribed the 
whole as ‘ Havamal,’ whence in Editions that name is applied to the whole jumbled 
mass from one end to the other. We have removed stanza 1 of Rto 77. The 
second stanza of R we take to be the true beginning; it is the frame to the ethic 
collection, which hence we called Guest’s Wisdom. 

Proverbs, quite marked, ll. 14, 60, 78, 92, 100, 104, 108, 128, 140, 143, 144, 
163, 165, 172, 220, 236, 250, 256, 269, 272, 275, 279, 283, 286-7, 312, 321. 

Rare words, still known in Norway, but never in Iceland, oerir 36, glissir 31, 
kopir 25, and many more, 

verse I. There is a proverb ‘Brad ero brautingja erendi’ [Reader, No, 18]; some 
have therefore altered bréndom into brautom, against ordinary rules of emendation, 
for bréndom, being the rarer of the two words, is more likely to be the true original 
one, It-is the guest at the gate (brandar), not the beggar on the road, the poet 
introduces us to, 

line 6. & kné, see Dict. 37 a, C, iv. 

v. 3.. pidd-168, a hearty welcome. ordz ok endr-paga, talking and listening in 
turn, a hearty talk, cheerful conversation. 

1, 13. Should be ‘ wrata,’ old alliterative phrase, cp. 1. 11, Alvm, 21. 

1, 22. punno hliddi, silence is likened to a thin veil of ice, through which all is 
observed; the image only occurs here, Cf, our ‘ breaking silence.’ 

1. 25. Genitive, cp. 1. 216. 

1, 29. Perhaps read ‘rekr’ (sa es 4 flotta rekr), as Hom. Od, xviii; ‘hdinn,’ 
here an impossible word, for hedinn? to mock at a worn gaberdine? The second 
half is not wholly right, 

v. 9. We must read ‘ vidi’ (the MS. v’pi): vidi and vreka is an alliterative law 
phrase; the two halves of the stanza have, we think, been misjoined ; the first half 
is explained by Christian’s Wisdom, II, modelled, we believe, on this very line, which 
would then have to be removed elsewhere. Many a man who has begun brightly 
has ended an outlaw in the woods. 

v. 10, var pik, cp. 1. 167; dubious, * 

v. 13. The halves do not join quite well. 

v. 14. Two halves, indeed parts of two stanzas, 


5 a A dt, at aie Ps Fe Nl li om. “a 
pa es ok ew eS Sie Wing, Be bread ee ¥ =e Lrg ae rab ee ie = # — " 
: i a 8 + I ae pes - rita es cae Ty ik - 


460 NOTES TO PAGES 4-9. [BK. 1. 


1. 60, Should be obelised, it is maimed and displaced somehow; cp. 1. 196 (slikt 
es { v& vera ?). 

v. 17. Seems to be parts of two stanzas: the second half fits well enough to the 
succeeding stanza 18. 

v. 20, bucot, a necessary emendation ‘ bucot,’ ‘litit,’ the difference but one stroke, 

1. 85. For the genitive cp. matar illr, Yngl. ch. 52; mildr matar, p. 96, l. 77. 

1. 88. bagi, here impossible (- vy); at leid sé laun begin? 

1. 96. etid (wu v)s but éta [- v). 

1, 102, sialdan-sut is not right; a proverb is hid under it—skalat maér 6nn ala, 
which may be the true reading, a man should not brood over care to come. Cp. 
Matt. vi. 34, ok fyrir pvi skulu per eigi Gnn ala annars morguns, Reader, p. 275. 

1. 105. Read ‘sytir,’ thus R, not ‘ syrgir.” 

1, 106. The men of wood, as way-marks (hafnar-mark). The last ‘woodman’ 
was still extant in Iceland in Paul Widalin’s day. He says—Oll gef eg hin sému 
svér um ykja likneskid 4 Hofi i Vopnafirdi, sem menn segja vera skuli porkels 
Geitis sonar, og svo hatt, ad Mons, Biorn Petrsson, syslumadr par i heradi nu i dag, 
megi ganga undir hond 4 stigvelum med hatt 4 héfdi; er Mons. Biorn einn af stér- 
voxnustu monnum bessa tima. Eg vil pegja um vitleysu peirrar traditionis, at 
porkell hafi 4 sinni tid pdétt svo litill vexti, ad par fyrir hafi hann ei matt logmadér 
verda {Paul Wid. Skyringar, p. 4z]. This is that ‘Mons. Biorn of Bustarfell’ 
{d. 1726], ‘who saved the Giantess’ [a family tradition told. the Editor when a 
child]. This woodman, the popular legend maintains, was a life-sized likeness 
of Thorkel, a great lawyer of the Saga time (known from Vapnfirdinga Saga), but 
who was never made Speaker? And why not? He was not of the lawful height, 
and therefore could not be admitted, howsoever wise; yet, such dwarfish creatures 
are we, that Mons. Biorn, reckoned a giant now-a-days, could walk hatted and 
booted beneath the armpit of this woodman. 

1109. This image is clearly Norwegian, the young pine or fir. 

i, 115. med morgom =at méti, to the moot, formzlendr, counsel; cp. ll. 193,194: 
the two halves do not fit rightly. 

1. 118. We have elsewhere, from this interesting phrase, drawn conclusions as to 
the calendar of the ancient Scandinavians, their months and pentads, cp. p. 16, 
Il. 43, 44- 

1, 125. Metaphor from the holy rite of blending blood, see Excursus, p. 423. 

1, 130. Pining for what is unattainable, or what cannot be got back. Regret is 
the worse of illnesses. 

v. 35. As if a fragment of a whole string of saws, like those preserved in the 
A.S. Exeter book [Grein i. 204, 210]. 

1. 139. Cp. Helgi, i. 327, 351. 

1, 143. brendr, i.e. buried, cp. Song of Saws, |. 1. 

1. 147. brautar-steinar. This word we treated years since in Dict. p. 54a. 

ll. 149, 143. ‘fé’ was probably by the poet sounded bisyllabic. 

1. 160. The image is not quite clear, nor the genitive: in the next line one 
should read, sud ero ged guma? such are the souls of men, cp.1. 163: hvar, any- 
where, in any one place. 

1, 165. ‘api,’ no relation to an ape, rather=UIf. aba (a man); we now propose 
to read, margr es dsvinnz api, cp. Less. of Lod. 52, Old Wols. Pl. 102: proverb, 
1, 167, should be obelised, being quite obscure, 

v. 46. The antithesis in the simile is_missing, ‘but it is not every one that 
knows how to keep measure with his tongue’ (or the like). 








$1] NOTES TO PAGES 9-14. 461 


vv. 48-55 form a group apart, bare of popular saws, a little ‘ Book of Fools,’ 

1. 184, ‘vetna,’ cp. 210, as if sounded uu. 

1. 190. ‘snotrom’ cannot be the right word, ‘ef hann at sumbli sitr ?’ 

1. 196. See Dict. Introd, to Let. V, B. iii, 3 (p. 672). 

1, 198. firar (Uv). 

1. 209. ‘ vesall,’ perhaps wrong for dsnotr, unless ‘ ves’ was sounded as vowel, as 
suggested Dict. 699 b: illa skapi=illa skapi farinn? or rather somehow wrong: 
uskafinn ? unpolished ? 

1, 213. Cp. Hm. 50, Less. Io. 

Il. 219, 220. Occurs again Old Wols, Play, 127, 128. 

1, 237. fambi, a dunce, a fool, dm. Aey. 

v. 65. Mark the Hebrew character, true sentence poetry, with the image from 
a potter’s wheel. 

v. 66. We should prefer, brigdarro karlom konor, pé per fegrst mela, etc,: that 
women are false to men, they speak fairest, etc. ‘The verse is otherwise too modern 
and sentimental. 

1, 262. lausung, here in the English sense, ¢ leasing.’ 

1, 266. Letter-stress on first and third measure, ‘ vinir’ half stressed. 

1, 269. Alliteration faulty; read, erosk alda vinir (‘alda’ stressed, ‘erosk’ 
slurred): in the next line ‘ ef pat” slurred. 

1, 273. *hdllo,’ half filled? 

1, 275. A proverb (read Ey) ; a fragment of a stanza, stuck in a wrong place in R, 

v. 72. The two halves do not fit: the latter part enforces silence, keep your own 
counsel ; the former, free and frank exchange of words, 

v. 74. Saxo gives this verse—Pernox enim et pervigil esse debet alienum adpetens 
culmen; nemo stertendo victoriam cepit, nec luporum quisquam cubando cadaver 
invenit. Saxo, Bk. v. 

v. 76. Cp. Hakm. v. 13. . 

v. 77. ganga framm means to go fo the door, answering a call, see Dict., fram, 
A. II (p. 169): examples in the Sagas, Grett. ch. 45 (slaying of Atli), Fostbr. ch. 3 
(slaying of Iodur), The stanza, from standing at the head of the poem, paired off 
with the guest’s entrance, has been hitherto misunderstood. Correct the translation, 
reading forth for in, and lurking round one’s house for sitting in another man’s house. 

v. 78. Solginn here means hungry, famished ; for ‘ ltr’ read ‘ étr,’ he eats like a 
Samished [wolf], and has no mind for talk; for the proverb, see Reader, p. 263, 
no, 172. : 

1, 306. Read, sét, be not (sed, R). 

1, 311. heimis gardr, cp. Old Wols. Pl, 267, Harb. 120. 

ll. 213, 314, belong to vv. 15, 16. 

1, 318. purr-fiallr, cp. Akv. 44, vol. ii, 56, 1. 2. 


Song of Saws, (p. 14.) 


A string of golden rules (Dan, Remser): the ‘Samhendur’ by Hallgrim Peter- 
sen, composed shortly after 1651, were called forth by this portion of the Havamal 
group, then fresh in the poet’s hands; they have been published in Snét, an Ice- 
landic Anthology, second edition, 1866, p. 299, but are unluckily too long to be 
inserted here, The paper copies, too, have here added some lines. ‘ Trust not’ is 
a favourite in medieval lore? cf. Shakespeare— He is mad that trusts in the tame- 
ness of a wolf, a horse’s health, a boy’s loye, or a whore’s oath,’—King Lear, iii, 6, 





eS. ihe a a SB BS ‘ 
ee st cut 


462 NOTES TO PAGES 14-18. [BK. 1. 


Proverbs are ll. 1, 5, 39, 41-46. 

1, 7. Emend., Dict. kostr, I. 4 (p. 352 a). 

1. 8 sqq. If ‘ice’ is literal here, it means the sliding on shin-bones, the skates of 
ancient days, cp. Hkr. p. 682, for of sledgings aka is used; sliding on ‘skid’ or 
éndurr was more practised, cp. vol. ii, p. 276, 1. 7, whence Skadi’s name Ondor-dis, 
Hit. 12: ‘saurgan’ means here rusty, for old blades, often taken out of cairns, were 
priced high: ginanda ulfi, Shakespeare’s ‘tameness of a wolf:’ barni konungs, the 
old ‘trust not in princes:’ volo vil-meli, the proverbial equivocation of oracles 
(Herodotus): brodur-bana, cp. Skirn, 62, Old W, Pl. 309, Grott. 22, Christ. Wisd. 
v. 21. 

ll. 34-39, manifestly healing charms and medical rules, in part obscure: 
‘jardar-megin’ is corrupt for some plant’s name, ‘ bins =ioll, angelica sylvestris, used 
to spice ale with ; in ‘megin’ may be hid ‘ eigin,’ a young sprout of corn: fire and 
heat were old heathen remedies for fever: the witchcraft-ill which the ear heals is 
probably sterility; mana heiptom is obscure; here the passage probably refers to 
menstrual disorders, cp. Less. Lodd. 1, 67: bit-sdtt, some ‘gnawing,’ internal com- 
plaint, cp. Yngl. 113. Haull and hyrog we have put right, Dict. p. 241 b. 

ll, 43, 44. Cp. Guest’s Wisdom, v. 30. 

1, 45. Tveir rot ...., somehow wrong. 

1. 46. Should be obelised, manifestly corrupt; the bearing of the saying is given 
by Saxo—vili interdum amiculo validas subesse manus [p. 285], and, nam tegmine 
sepe ferino contigit audaces delituisse viros [p. 27]—und hedins hréri hendr vaskar (?), 

ll. 47-50. Things impossible, The mistake in 1, 49 is strange, for the bear’s éail 
is meant, The Fairy Tales relate how the fox persuaded the foolish bear to fish by 
putting his tail as a line down a hole in the ice. The tail freezes fast to the ice, 
and when the hunters come up poor bruin only saves his life by the loss of his tail. 
The prose in Edda has the same error—Hann var gorr af sex hlutom: or dyn kat- 
tarins of af skeggi konunnar, af rétum bergsins, ok af ‘sinom” biarnarins, af anda 
fisksins, ok af fogls hraka (miolk, better, the Lay),—-Edda W. 


Lesson of Loddfafni, (p. 16.) 


The name Loddfafni, obviously wrong, is only met with here: we suggest Hodd- 
fafni, the Treasure-Snake. We should prefer imagining the serpent giving, not 
receiving, the counsel; cp. the dying Fafni giving sage advice to Sigfred, Old W. Pl. 
vv. 18-39. It would originally have run: O counsel me, thou Hoard-Serpent: and 
the frame may once have been the same as in the Old Wolsung Play. ~ 
Proverbs, ll. 49, 59, 80, 92-93. 
v. 2; Beware of a witch’s embraces, cp. troll-rida, myrk-rida, tuin-rida; palsy was 
supposed to ensue from it, cp, Eyrb. ch. 16. 
1, 14. Better kvan; so also 1. 83; in the poets ‘kona’ is woman, kven wife: 
eyra-ruina, a mistress, Lat, pellex, see Excursus to vol. ii, pp. 473, 474+ 
1. 40. Cp. Guest’s Wisd. v. 32. 
1. 45. Repetition of Guest’s Wisd. 1. 262. 
1,52. api=afi, UIf, aba, esp. in the allit. phrase, osvinnr api, an unwise man, 
see note above, 
1, 58. Pronounce ‘ wordom,’ the letter-stress on vordom and verra, ‘skalattu per 
vid’ being the slur, 
1. 62. skésmidr refers to horse-shoe, cp. Lay of Arinb. 1. 80. 
1. 67. Emend., from Song of Saws, 1. 37. 








a ye ey a mS 


ea 


§ 1-2.] NOTES TO PAGES 18-22. 463 


1. 68. Cp. Old Wols. Pl. 269. 

v. 15. gialti, old dat. (ep. skialdi for skildi), only in the phrase, verda at gialti, 
of panic terror, to be turned into a hog; cp, Enn pér erdiz allir ok yrdit at gialti 
eptir 4 vegum uti med villi-dyrum, Vatzd. S. ch. 26, and Dict. p. 223b. Cp. the 
curse on the Runic stones, where the Rune cutters seem not to have known the 
word aright: r6di (Thulor, 477) would be the right word [Reader, p. 447, Nos. 3 
and 5]:—‘halir’ is here strange=of the inmates of hell, like in Vsp. and Vpm., 
Alvm.? In v. 17 pidfar can hardly be right; pyjar? (=harlot): wine and illicit love 
is the burden of the stanza: for of varan read évaran or Or-varan; Or- is the older 
form, cp. 6r-vent, 

l. 91. pul; cp. Havam, 1, 1, Old Wols, Pl. 184, Vpm. 32, Reader 447, No. 1. 

1. 93. Cp. Hamtheow Lay 121. 

ll. 100-103. Is very doubtful and obscure, as if two wrong halves were here 
pieced together: ‘lz,’ here ill, disease, pains in the limbs = arthritis ? 

Fragment. The teacher, the sage, shall sit, the ‘asker,’ or pupil stand (as a sign 
of respect) ; it is the reverse of to ‘sit at one’s feet’ of the N. T. 


Woden’s Love-lesson, (p. 20.) 


I. ll, 1, 2. Cp. Guest’s Wisd, 256. 

1. g. iarls yndi, ‘ earl’ here in the old common Teutonic sense. 

1, 12, Letter-stress on ‘hana’ and ‘hefik ;? ‘ beygi ek,’ slur. 

1. 13. Billingr, a dwarf’s or giant’s name, occurs vol. ii, p. 322, 1. 3 from the 
bottom (Billings bridar full=poetry), This story is a doublet to the following, 
though stripped of anything supernatural, and perfectly human; only the name 
‘ Billing’s daughter’ remains to mark it as a Soma myth. 

1, 17. Read, ‘star ésk6p né einir vitit,’ Jet no one know of our unlawful love; in 
‘allt’ we think ‘ast’ is concealed, 

1. 19. Read, ‘at aptni ek hvarf’ (kom), in the evening I came back and thought to 
win her will (. . . vifs vilja fa). 

1, 20. Somehow wrong, 

1, 24. Read, vard-drétt, or ‘ve-drétt’ (the household), cp. sal-drétt below. 

1, 25. bornom, read, ‘bronnom,’ burning torches. 

Il, Here we have another story, Woden’s love adventure with Gundfleth, the 
Soma Giant’s daughter. The story is told at length in Edda, whereof we subjoin a 
translation : 


The Origin of Poetry. 


There was a man named Eager (Egir), or Lear (Hlér). He lived in the island 
which is now called Leasey (Hlesey). He was a great wizard, He made a journey 
to Ansegarth, and when the Anses knew of his coming he was welcomed heartily, 
though there was much witchcraft; and in the evening, when they were about to 
drink, Woden let bear a sword into the hall, and it was so bright that the light 
shone from it, and there was no other light while they sat at the drink, Then the 
Anses began their guild feast, and the Twelve Anses sat themselves down in the high 
seats where the judges ought to sit, and these were their names :—Thor, Niorth, 
Frey, Tew, Heimdall, Bragi, Widar, Wali, Wuldor, Hoenir, Forseti, Loki; and also 
the Ansesses, Frigg, Freya, Gefion, Idun, Gerth, Sigyn, Fulla, Nanna. Eager thought 
it splendid to look on, the wall-panelling was all covered with fair shields ; there was 
also strong mead, and they drank deep. Next man to Eager sat Bragi, and they 
shared drink and talk, and Bragi told Eager of many things which had happened to 


464 NOTES TO PAGE 22. [BK. I. 


the Anses.... After telling the Story of Thiazi (translated vol. it, pp. 10, 11), it 
goes on :— 

Now Scathe [Skade], the daughter of Giant Thiazi, took helm and mailcoat and 
all the weapons of war, and came to Ansegarth to avenge her father, but the Anses 
offered her peace and weregild, and chiefly that she should choose her a husband from 
among the Anses, choosing him by the feet and seeing no more of him #o choose by. 
And she saw a man’s feet wonderfully fair, and said, ‘Him I choose, all is fair in 
Balder!’ But it was Niorth of Noatun. As one of the terms of peace she would 
have, also, that the Anses should do what she thought they never could do—make 
her laugh. But Loki did this; he took the beards of certain goats,...... and 
both of them screamed aloud. Then Loki tumbled on to the knees of Scathe, and 
then she laughed, and straightway the peace between her and the Anses was hand- 
selled. And it is told that Woden did this as weregild for her, he took Thiazi’s eyes 
and cast them up into the heaven and made them into two stars [Castor and Pollux}. 

Then spake Eager: ‘ Thiazi seems to me to have been a mighty man,—of what 
kin was he?’ Answers Bragi, ‘Alwald was his father’s name, and it will seem a 
wonderful thing to thee if I tell thee of him. He was very rich in gold, and when 
he died, and his sons were about sharing the heritage, they set about measuring the 
gold which they were sharing, and each of them was to take his mouthful, all sharing 
alike. One of them was Thiazi, the second Idi, the third Gang. And we have that 
now as a saw among us, to call gold the giants’ mouth-reckoning, and we hide it or © 
wrap it up in Runes or in poet-craft thus, calling it the speech or word or tale of 
these giants.’ Then spake Eager, ‘ Methinks the Runes hide it safely away.’ And 
again he spake: ‘ Whence got ye that craft, which thou callest poet-craft ?’ 

Answers Bragi, ‘ The beginning of it was that the gods had a peace-breach with 
the folk who are called Wanes, And they set a tryst of peace between them, and set 
grith [sanctuary-right] in this manner, that each of them went to one vessel and spat 
their spittle therein, But when they parted, the gods, not wishing to let that token 
of peace be lost, took and shaped a man out of it, who was called Quasi. He was 
so wise, that no one could ask him anything which he could not unfold, and he used 
to travel far and wide from home to learn the history of men. And on a time when — 
he came, as he was bidden, to a feast, with certain Dwarves, Fealar and Galar, they 
called him aside to speak with them alone, and-slew him, and let his blood run into 
two cups anda kettle. The kettle was called Spirit-rearer, but the cups were called 
Son [Soma] and Bodn, They mixed honey with the blood, and made from it the 
mead, of which, if a man drink, he becomes a poet and a sage. The dwarves told 
the Anses that Quasi had choked with his own wisdom, because there was no one who 
was wise enough to question him, Then the dwarves bade a giant, whose name was 
Gilling, with his wife to their house; and when he was come, the dwarves asked him 
to row out to sea with them, and when they went out to sea the dwarves rowed on 
a sunken rock and upset the boat, Gilling could not swim, and he was drowned; 
but the dwarves righted their boat and rowed to land. They told his wife of the 
mishap, and she bore it very badly and wept loudly. Then Fealar asked her if 
she would be easier in her mind if she could see the place where he was drowned out 
at sea, and she wished to do so. Then he agreed with Galar his brother that he 
should get up above the doors, as she went out, and let a mill-stone fall on her head, 
for he said that her shrieking was most horrible to hear, and so he did, 

‘Now when Suftung the giant, the son of Gilling, heard these tidings, he went thither 
and took the dwarves and carried them out to sea and set them on the reefs the tide 
runs over, They prayed Suftung to give them their lives, and offered him as atone= 








§ 2.] NOTES TO PAGE 22. 465 


ment for his father’s weregild the precious mead, and this atonement was agreed upon 
between them, Suftung carried the mead home and shut it up in the place called 
Hnitberg, and sat his daughter Gundfled there to watch over it. Hence we call the 
poet’s craft Quasi’s blood, or the Dwarves’ drink, or cup, or lees of some kind,—Mind- 
rearer’s or Bodn’s or Sdn’s (Soma), or the ship of the Dwarves, because this mead 
got them a ransom for their lives from the reef, or Suftung’s mead, or the lees of 
Lock-hill [Hnitberg’.’ 

Then spake Eager: ‘I think it dark speech to call poetry by those names, but how 
did the Anses get at Suftung’s Mead?’ Answers Bragi,‘ The story goes that Woden 
was journeying from hence, and came to a place where nine slaves were mowing hay. 
He asked if they would like him to sharpen their scythes, They said yea. Then 
he took a hone from his belt and sharpened them, and they found their scythes cut 
much better for it, and bargained for the hone. But he stood out that he 
who would buy it, must give [text corrupt] for it. And they all said they 
would do so, and prayed him to hand it over to them, but he threw the hone up 
into the air, and they all tried to catch it. And the end of the matter was, that 
every man swung his scythe about his fellow’s neck. Woden sought lodging for the 
night at the house of a giant whose name was Beag, a brother of Suftung. Beag 
said that his business was going ill, and said that his nine slaves were slain, and that 
he did not know where to get workmen. But Woden said that his name was Bale- 
work, and offered to undertake the nine slaves’ work for Beag, but asked for one 
draught of Suftung’s mead for his wages. Beag declared that he had nothing to do 
with the mead, saying that Suftung wished to keep it for himself alone; but he de- 
clared that he would go with Balework and try if they could get the mead. That 
summer Balework did the work of the nine slaves for Beag, but when the winter 
began [Michaelmas] he asked Beag for his wages. They both set out together to 
Suftung’s. Beag tells Suftung his brother the bargain he and Balework had made, 
but Suftung utterly denied them even a drop of his mead. Then Balework told 
Beag that they.ought to try some trick to get at the mead withal, and Beag was 
well pleased that they should. Then Balework pulled out an auger, called Rat, and 
said that Beag should bore through the hill, if the auger bit. So he did. Then 
Beag said that the mountain was bored through, but Balework blew into the 
auger-hole, and the chips flew back into his face. Then he saw that Beag was 
trying to deceive him, and he bade him bore through the mountain. Beag fell to 
boring again, and when Balework blew a second time the chips flew inwards. Then 
Balework turned himself into the similitude of a serpent, and crept into the hole of 
the auger, but Beag stabbed at him with the auger and missed him. Then Bale- 
work got into the place, where Gundfled was and lay with her three nights, and then 
she gave him leave to drink three draughts of the mead. In the first draught he 
drank the whole of Odrearer, at the second all Bodn, at the third all Sdn, and by 
that time he had all the mead. Then he turned himself into his eagle’s coat, and 
flew away as hard as he could. But when Suftung saw the eagle’s flight he betook 
himself to his eagle-skin, and flew after him. And when the Anses saw Woden 
flying, they set their vessels out in the court, and when Woden came into Ansegard 
he spewed up the mead into the vessels. But it had gone so near Suftung’s catching 
him that he sent some of the mead backwards, and that was not kept; any one might 
have it who would, and we call it the poetasters’ share, But Suftung’s.mead Woden 
gave to the Anses, and to those men that knew how t@& compose. Wherefore we 
call Poesy Woden’s booty, or find, and his drink, and his gift, and the Anses’ drink.’ 

1. 34» ‘Suptungr,’ cp. 54, 57; in Edda assimilated ‘Sutt- We take p to stand 
Hh 


466 NOTES TO PAGES 22-24. (BK. £ 


for m (qs. Sumptung, Sum-t-ung), ‘Son’ or ‘Soma’ being the root, and Sumtung 
being indeed the giant of the Soma, or Holy Mead. 

1. 35. gafomk, restored, cp. Sonat. go, and Il. 42 and 51 below; see Dict. 124 b, 
s.v. ek B. 

1, 44. We read ‘ vél-keypt’ (not ‘vel’), fraud-bought, the poet’s very apt term 
for the Soma-drink; cp, kaup-fox, cheating, Dict. s. v. 

1. 45. A proverb. In the translation, for now that, read for. 

ll. 46, 47. Odrerir, -Uu, cp. Havam. 21: alda vé =oixoupévy: ‘iadar,’ edge, the 
Holy Mead was fetched from Hades beyond the outskirts of the inhabited earth. 

v. 13. Here is a manifest blank, and the line ‘on the Hall of the High, an echo from 
the other Lay, is here misplaced in R; nor can the words, ef hann veri med bén- 
dom kominn, be right: read, ef hann veri til brééar kominn? or, ef hann veri med 
biédri um kominn. The meaning of the verse we take to be this—The Hrim-Giants 
(Titans), missing the mead, assemble asking, ‘Has Suftung recovered his mead and 
slain false Balework ?” Then there is woe and wailing, Giant-home desolate, Gund- 
fleth distressed, Suftung slain, the mead gone, The assembly is in the Giant-hall, 
the Titans could not gather at the Hall of the High. After gods in the transla- 
tion read or. 

1. 55. baug-eid, the oath on the holy ring, Excursus, vol. i, p. 422. 

vv. 15-17. In R this has been thrust into the Guest’s Wisdom; it appears to 
be a bit of another version on the Soma myth; here Gundfled is a witch—a Kirke, 
not the innocent beguiled giant maiden of the preceding lay; and Woden, after 
being spell-bound in her house, recovers and carries away the mead, Is not there 
a relationship between xipxos and hegri, nay, and even with Kiprn herself? It 
would be but one more likeness between the wide-roaming, much-enduring Odusseus 
and Woden wandering in quest of the Mead and the Holy Mysteries of knowledge. 

1, 64. Fialar, according to Edda a Soma Dwarf.—Still one more version of the 
Soma myth, 

1. 63. For sona read sonom. v.17 probably belongs to the Guest’s Wisdom, 
and the translation should read, Ale is not so good as it is said to be for the sons 
of men, for the more a man drinks the less is he master of his wits. , 


Havamal or The High One’s Lesson, (p.. 24.) - 

v. 1, The minstrel’s or wise man’s introductory words:: 1:2 runs with the following 
verses. Woden is here meant, who, silent and observarit; sat at the Weirds’ well, 
where the Norns reside. Hence, in 1. 4, ‘manna’ cannot be right; we suggest 
‘meyja,’ I listened to the speech of the maids (i.e. the Norns), cp. Vpm. 195. 
There are three places—(1) Weird’s Bourn, (2) the Hall of the High, (3) the 
Gallows-tree, in all of which I (Woden) learned the sacred mysteries. 

v. 2, Vinga-meidr, occurs besides in Ht. 1. 18: ‘vingi’ is probably an ancient 
law term of one hanged, the rocking, swaying body, hence Woden, hanging in the 
tree, is called Vingi—Enn stundum vakdi hann upp dauda menn or idrdu eda settiz 
undir hanga, fyrir pvi var hann kalladr drauga dréttinn eda hanga drdéttinn [Yngl. S. 
ch. 7]. The sacrifice to Woden and the marking with the spear is also recorded by 
Ari (partly if not mainly from our song), see Excursus, vol, i, pp. 408, 409. Cp. also 
the remarkable story of Starkad and Wikar, which we subjoin in full translation :-— 

King Wicar sailed from Agd northwards to Hordaland with a great fleet. He lay 
at the holm some time, for a mighty head wind arose against him. They east the 
chips for a fair wind, and they fell to the end that Woden should receive a hanged 
man chosen by lot out of the host. Then they cast lots, and the lot fell upon King 








i 
; 


§ 3.]. NOTES TO PAGE 24. 464 


Wicar [lit. the lot of King Wicar came up]. At this all became speechless, and it 
was agreed that the counsellors of the king should call a meeting over this hard case 
next day. That night nigh upon midnight Horsehair-beard [Woden] woke Starcad 
his fosterling, and bade him come with him, They took a little boat and rowed to 
an island inside the holm. They went up to the wood and found a clearing therein, 
and in the clearing there was a great assembly and a court set withal. There were 
eleven men sitting on stools, but the twelfth stool was empty. They went up to the 
moot and Woden sat down on the twelfth seat, and they all greeted him. He spoke, 
saying that the doomsmen should now decree Starcad’s fate. "Then Thor took up 
his parable and spake: ‘ Elfhild, the mother of Starcad’s father, chose a dog-wise 
[cunning] giant to be the father of her son rather than the Anses’ Thor, wherefore I 
decree this for Starcad that he shall never have son nor daughter, and so his race shall 
come to an end,’ -Woden: ‘I decree for him that he shall live three generations.’ 
Thor: ‘ But he shall do a dastard’s deed in each life.’ Woden: ‘I decree for him 
that he shall have the best of weapons and weeds.’ Thor: ‘ But he shall never own 
land or heritage.’ Woden: ‘I give him this that he shall have much chattels.’ 
Thor: ‘ But he shall never think that he has enough.’ Woden: ‘I give him victory 
and fame in every fight.’ Thor: ‘But he shall get a scarring wound in every 
fight.’ Woden: ‘I give him poesy so that he shall make verse as easily as he can 
speak,’ Thor: ‘He shall never remember again what he has made. Woden: ‘ He 
shall be thought the noblest among gentlefolk and the best born.’ Thor: ‘ He shall 
be hateful to the people.” Then the doomsmen doomed all this that they had 
spoken upon Starcad, and with that the moot broke up. 

Woden and Starcad went off to their boat. Then said Woden to Starcad, ‘ Thou 
shalt repay me well, foster-son, for the help that I have given thee.’ ‘J will,’ says 
Starcad, Says Woden: ‘Then thou shalt send King Wicar to me, and I will find a 
means to bring it about.’ Starcad agreed to this, Then Woden gave him a spear 
in his hand, and told him it would look like-a_reed-stalk. Then they went back to 
the fleet, and by this time the day was up. The following morning the counsellors of 
the king came together for counsel, and they all agreed to make some semblance of 
a sacrifice, and Starcad announced their counsel. There was a fir-tree standing near 
them and a tall stump hard by the fir, and low down on the fir-tree sprang a thin 
shoot, which reached up to the crown of the tree, ‘The serving men were dressing 
meat, and there was a calf there cut up and cleaned. Starcad took the guts of this 
calf and mounted upon the stump and bent down the thin shoot and knotted the 
calf’s guts thereon. Then he spake to the king—‘ The gallows is ready for thee now, 
O king, and it does not look very perilous, Come hither and I will lay the noose 
about thy neck.” The king said, ‘Verily, if this contrivance be not more perilous 
to me than it looks, then I think it will not hurt me, but if it be otherwise, then 
fate shall settle what may happen.’ Then he mounted the stump, and Starcad laid 
the halter about his neck and then stepped down off the stump. Then he struck 
the king with the rod and said, ‘I give thee now to Woden !’—and let loose the fir- 
shoot. The rod of reed turned into a spear and ran the king through, the stump 
fell down under his feet, the calf’s guts turned to a strong withy, the shoot flew up 
and bore the king into the crown of the tree, and then he died, And ever after- 
wards the place is called Wicar’s Holm.—[Gautreks S., ch. 7.] 

1. 14. We should prefer, hveim hann af rétom renn. Of what roots that tree 
springs no man knoweth, It is the legend of the Crossethat is, partly at least, the 
mother to this legend of the Gallows-tree and Woden hanging on it. The whole is 
fragmentary, and the text decomposed. 


Hh 2 


468 NOTES TO PAGES 24-28, [BK. 1. 


1. 15 is faulty in grammar; we discern the, two words, /oaf and horn, meat and 
drink. The meaning would be,—without loaf or drink (fasting) I hung on the tree, 
This act of self-sacrifice is here represented as undergone in order to win wisdom, 
the hidden Mysteries or the Holy Mead, in quest of which Woden peers down into, 
or even, Odysseus-like, descends into the Deep Abyss of Hades. 

1. 17. cepandi, wrong; ‘ob,’ song, or one of its compounds, as ‘ op-galdr,’ is 
probably the original word. ‘Fell ek aptr padan,’ too, is senseless; the real phrase 
must refer to the descent to Hades, to visit the Soma-keeping Giant Balethorn, 

1, 19. Bestla, Woden’s mother, Balethorn, Woden’s grandfather, is here repre- 
sented as a Soma Giant. 

1. 24. We prefer here to sound the w, ‘word mer af wordi wordz leitadi,’ which 
yields a sound-harmony between this and the following line—a very expressive 
line. Woden, having got the Holy Mead, feels as if new-born. 

v. 6. Mysterious to us now that the clue is lost. The etymon of ‘hropt’ we 
know not, it seems to mean a Sage=pulr? For counsel read counsellor. 

vv. 7, 8 (Il. 36-49) are probably no part of this song, but rather an independent 
bit of a ritual Carmen, containing several sacrificial terms, now hidden and enigmatic 
tous. We have filled in the text so as to make questions and answers square. 

vv. 9 to the end is an old song of Charms or Spells, a catechism for the young 
to learn, It is quite fragmentary; a few more lines may be supplied from the first 
chapters of Ynglinga Saga, the author of which has paraphrased verses now lost to 
us; cp. also the Lay of Swipday, and Menglad I, and the Old Wols. Play. 

I, 50. Read, piddans barn? the alliteration is faulty; the stress should be on 
piddan (1i6d ek per pyl, es kannat piddans barn ?). 

1, 55. liva, see Dict. s. v. lyf, p. 400 b. 

v. 11. Paraphrased in Yngl. S. ch. 6—Odinn kunni svd gora, at i orrostom urdu 
évinir hans blindir, eda daufir, eda dtta-fullir, enn vapn peirra bitu eigi heldr an 
vendir (velir of the poem): hence we have altered ‘ne’ into ‘an;’ ‘vélar’ would 
here be inadmissible on account of its quantity (— v). 

1, 67. Mark the forms, stddvigak 68, biargigak 75. 

1. 70. Read, ras-vidar, rush-wood, see notes to vol. ii, p. 73, No. 9 [p. 572]. 

1. 74. sess-megir = bekkjo-nautar. 

ll. 77, 78. es ollom er nytsamligt at nema, very flat, and no doubt corrupt: 
judging from the context we read, ef med Gldom fara nid ...? of deadly drunken 
riots, quarrels, libels, or nid, cp. Old Wols. Play, v. 72. 

v. 17. Yngl. S. has paraphrased verses 15 and 17: pat kunni hann enn at gera 
med ordum einum, at slékkva eld, ok kyrra sid, ok snua vindum hyerja leid er 
hann vildi. 

1. 85. tun-ridor occurs only here, = kveld-rida, myrk-rida. 

1, 89. heim-haga, a needful and evident emendation, cp. sva at allar fari per villar 
vega, ok engi hitti sitt inni. [Egils S. ch. 60.] 

v. 19. Freely paraphrased in Yngl. S. ch. 2, pat var hattr hans, etc. 

v. 20. Paraphrased in Yngl. S. ch. 7, Enn stundum ... hanga dréttinn. 

v. 21. The heathen baptism, see Dict. p. 35 a, s. v. ausa, I. 2.8. For lord read 
man. 

v. 22. Read, tévar, see Dict. 634 b. One would prefer, ef ek skal fyr fyréa lidi 
telja tiva rdk, cp. Vpm.147; for it is the ¢ale, not only the zames, that he knows; 
cp, also Vsp. 4. 

i. 107. Asa ok Alfa, the two tribes of gods, cp. Havam. 32, Skirn. 27, 63, 
Grimn., Io. i 











ee Se 


I TT Te ea 
. ; 








§§ 3, 4.] NOTES TO PAGES 28-33. 469 


1, 110, Dellings doors, cp. Riddles, 30 sqq.; of the same root as Heim-dallr, 
]. 112. Hropta-Tyr, the Sage God, Woden, cp. Hakm. 38, vol. i, p. 76, 1. 53. 
v. 27. Partly the words of the Sage, partly the Minstrel’s Epilogue. 
Appendage, ll. 3, 4. Repetition from Havam,, ll. 29, 30. 


Spell Song, (p. 29.)—Il. 1-9. Very obscure: 1. 2, cp. Havam. 31: Clear-dripper’s 
skull =the sky? hoddrofni’s horn, the crescent moon as Bull’s horns? Note Mims 
(not Mimis), cp. Vsp. 135, 138, Sonat. 88 (all monosyll.), see also Yngl. S. ch. 4. 

ll. 10-21. Most, if not all, we hold to be signs of the Heavens, the Northern Con- 
stellations, but the clue to most of them is missing; some original Teutonic, others 
adopted from abroad :—ll, 10, 11, cp. Grimn., vv. 30, 31. Torfzus tells how he once 
asked Hallgrim Petersen the poet, who told him that the ear, the uppermost part of 
the Sun’s horse, denotes the dawn (aurora), and the hoof, the nethermost, the dusk—a 
poet’s commentary: 1. 12, read, reid Vingnis = Woden’s, (the Charles Wain ?) : Sleipni 
(Pegasus ?), the Sledge (the Plough ?), the Bear-paw (the Pointers ?). 1. 16, ‘blodgom,’ 
must be wrong, we expect some beast; we suggest ‘ blzings’ (raven’s), Thulor 
579: so also ‘Bruar spordi’ (the same line) corrupt; we suggest ‘ bruungs’ (the 
whale, Thulor 376), or perhaps ‘ Bifrs,’ the Beaver’s tail, 

1, 23. The holy mead=the Soma, 


The Old Wolsung Play, (p. 32.) 


The interpolated epic fragments of the Western Wolsung Lay are given in their 
proper place, Bk. iii, § 1, p. 155. 

Proverbs marked, ll. 34 (?), 64, 80, 83, 84, 88, 104, 201, 259, 267, 286, 290, 
31. . 

A few ‘kennings,’—such as, gold, lindar logi 4; ship, segl-marr 227 ; man, vapna- 
hlynr 248, aud-stafr 294, see the note; battle; hildi-leikr 181, are somewhat modern, 
and seem to have slipped in from the interlarded epic lines. 

No help is to be got from the Wolsung Paraphrase, the text being just the same 
as ours: and line 294 (see the note) would show that Gunlaug the Benedictine 
(Merl. i. 22) must have had our written mutilated text. 

The Play represents on the whole the old Teutonic life and ideas of the Scan- 
dinavians before their contact with foreign people (pre-wicking tide). It is full 
of law terms—a kind of heathen Decalogue, yet all fragmentary; we have been 
able to make some few fresh safe emendations. 

l. 4. lind, a Gaelic word, frequent in mod. Icel. of a brook or rill, but in old 
writers (unless it be Vsp. 147) only met with here. 

1, 5. The Thulor, 360, gives andvari as the name of a fish, it is unknown which, 

1, 12, We must read of necessity ‘litigask’ (not hoggvask), as seen from the 
answer; the verse treats of slanderers or perjurers. 

1. 14. Vad-gelmi, a Hell-punishment, strange in a lay as old as this; cp. Vsp. 
211-213; ‘vad’ is somehow wrong, a repetition of the following ‘ vada.’ 

1, 16. We mend, langar leida limar, the image is taken from the branches (limar) of 
a tree, as we speak of to béar a bitter fruit, cp.1. 258 below and note to vol. ii, p. 215: 
fior-neppr, ii. 175, 1. 22. 

1, 26. nept, cp. Vsp. 173, Rune Song 8; Bk. vi, No, 1, read ‘déneppan;’ fior- 
neppr, ii, 175, 1. 22. 2 

1, 31. ekki lyf (mot a whit), dw. Aey., most probably corrupt; for there is no 
right flow in the line: hdét pin hredomk (here a word has fallen out ?). 


470 _ NOTES TO PAGES 33-36. - [pK. 1. 


1. 34. A proverb; read, Mérg es begns pidn(?), cp. 1. 201, and the modern, 
Mart er manna bdlid. 

1. 36. hlyra (dat.), she is to avenge her father’s death on her brother. 

v. 11. Sentimental and modernised, the real sense is quite the reverse. Lyngheid, 
the ‘ wolf-hearted lady’ of W.W.L. 7 (lines that should be placed here), eggs her 
brother on to slay Fafni. The sense is clearly this—Call forthwith on him for thy 
sister’s portion and for thy patrimony, for it is not meet that Fafni should keep (us) 
the lawful heirs out of our inheritance ; ‘bridar arfr’ is the sister’s portion; for cedra 
hugar (manifestly wrong) we read, 6dal-haga ( patrimony); for ‘ hiorvi’ we suppose 
‘heyrom,’ an old law term, see Dict., p. 261 b. 


Read—. Bridar kvedja skaltu bradliga 
arfs ok d6éal-haga: 
esat pat hoeft at heyrom skyli (or skyldom ?) 
kvidja Fafnir fiar. 


Cp. déal-torfa, and heim-haga, Havam. 89. 

1. 42 (44, 46). heill, here neuter pl., see Dict. 248 b, s. v. heill A. 

l. 52. tai, the fore-court, cp. Tregr. 1, and correct the translation. 

1. 54. Cp. however Helgi i. 300. 

v. 16. Hence the proverb, Fall er farar heill, so as to avert the bad omen. 

1. 59. tdlar-disir, obscure, the only parallel being the black fairies in the story of 
Thidrandi [Reader, p. 102]. 

1, 61. Cp. Guest’s Wisd, 217, 276, and as to sense, Guest’s Wisd., vv. aS 79. 

1, 68, sténdomk, ep. Love Less. 35, 42, 48, 51, Dict. 124 b. 

l, 69. ‘Géfugt dyr;’ the clue to this pun is now lost. Lines are here missing, 
telling how Sigfred was cut out of his mother’s womb, a birth of miracle which the 
Wolsunga Saga wrongly attributes to King Wolsung. 

1. 79. ‘fodor bitran’ does not come aright (fodor-bana ?). 

1, 80. A proverb, but mangled; skiarr vid skot (Lokas, 53) are the nearest words, 
but they do not fall in with the sense. 

1, 83. hroeraz, to decay from old age. 

1. 85. The image we find in Helgi i. 33. 

1, 86. wreidan wega, alliterative, cp. 126, 177, 276, Lokas, 60; hence we have 
in this lay restored the wr, |. 205, etc. 

1. go. fedr-munir, inheritance? Lat. patri-monium. 

1, 91. haptr and hernumi are law terms, hapt, captivus, the stronger of the two. 

1. 98. eina dags, cp. ein-dagi; here death, the last term, is meant. 

1, 101, Norna démr, death, cp. urdar ord, Svipd. 237; Norna kvidr, Hamé. 1 38. 

1. 102. osvinnz apa, see above ; better vocative,—O foolish man, the Norns’ verdict 
(death) will overtake thee off the nearest point. 

1, 107. Better, na-gonglar, of the midwife Norns; na-kona is a midwife, 

1. 108. Read, kidsa fré moedrom mégo (see Wols. S. l.c.) 

vy. 30. The alliteration is faulty (‘miok’ is flat), yet the same error occurs in the 
Edda citation (an evidence that the verse was inserted afterwards). The answer, 
as usual, repeats the question ; the poet, we believe, said— 

N&-génglar mégom hygg ek at Nornir sé 
sundr-bornar saman., 
The Norns, who are present at every man’s birth, are sprung of different races 
altogether —some are, etc.: kungar=kyngar, from kyn. 
1. 118. Correct translation, and didst scream with a cruel heart. 








§ 4.] NOTES TO PAGES 36-42. 47% 


1. 119. Bilrdst, thus also p. 77, 1. 4; Edda prefers Bifrdst, 

l. 128. for fleirom, read folkom, cp. Guest’s Wisd, 193. 

1, 136. it gialla goll, a popular etymology; hence we say that the assimilation, 
Ip into il, had taken place when these lines were composed, 

l. 152. Sigtiva (gen. sing.) synir, the Heroes, the sons of Woden. 

1. 161. The holy mountains, Lay of Righ, 146, cp. holy water, Hkv. i. 2. 

1, 166. eiskéld, n. pl., cp. Long Brunh. L. 30 (emend.); eiskialdi, vol. ii, p. 281, 
1. 3; absent in Thulor 632-633. 

1, 178. harliga? 

1, 179. The main letter-stress on first and third measure, cp. 16, 36. 

1, 187. fiold, goes with gold, most of the gold. 

1, t91. Manifestly corrupt; read, kannat hann sia vid svikom, he (Sigfred) sws- 
pects no treachery. 

1. 192. Fafnir is called the ‘Old Giant,’ 1. 173, and his brother Regin, a Frost 
Giant, a name else reserved for the huge Chaos-Giant aig Vpm. 79, and Giant 
Rungni, Lokas. 199, and their brood of Wolospa. 

1. 201. Read, Marg ero lyda lez, a proverb, Manifold are the woes of mortal man. 

1, 204. In Edda (from partly lost songs) Night is the mother of Day and 
Earth; Delling, one of the kin of the Anses (Haimdall), is the father of Day (Vpm, 
97), who thus in brightness takes after his father, What means ‘Nipt’ here? We 
propose to read, Heil nédtt med nidom, cp. Vpm. 96, Vsp. 24. Earth is already 
named, 1, 209.—Day’s sons are the beams of light: /Esir and Asynjor (here named 
in close connection to Mother Earth) would here be used in the primitive sense, of 
Anses = departed Heroes and Heroines [in Pindaric sense]. 

1, 207. ‘sitiéndom sigr,’ wrong, though we cannot hit on what is beneath it. 

1, 214. Valbést, perhaps = fridbénd, the bast cords wound round the scabbard, 

1, 215. Read, ok merkja tysvar Ty (the character Tew), cp. 219, 229. 

v. 57. Alrtinar, Jove runes. Grimm has-treated this word at length ;—once the 
name (nickname?) of a German Sibyl, Tac. Germ. ch. 8. The next stanza treats 
of ale runes (beer runes); both have been confounded by the reciter, and lines 
dropped out. 

1. 220, ok vid fari sid, very tame, and somehow wrong; one recalls, lattu grén sta 
pa, sonr (vol. ii, p. 528, last line), and expects some sifting or straining of the drink, 

1, 224. of lido spenna cannot be right; read, ok of lido spanna, om the joints (the 
wrist ?) of the out-stretched hand. 

1, 225. Disir, here of midwives, like Norns, |. 107, 

1, 229. We would read, ok merkja Elld ok Ar,—both names of magic characters. 

1, 232. Is not ‘lif-rinar,’ runes of life, the word? cp, Havam., verse Io. 

1, 236. ef pu vilt... harm, not clear. 

1, 240. ‘ piddar,’ but it is mal (the case) that must ‘fara i dém; 
is hidden here. 

1, 248. feigjan, restored from the Rok-stone [Reader, p. 446]. 

1. 254. Better hefni (imperat.)? as for sense, cp, Sighvat vi. 28, 

1, 258. Alliteration wrong; yet ‘limar’ is warranted by 1, 16, and grimmar is a 
suitable word; hence the error sticks in the latter half, one synonymous law term 
having been interchanged for another: we read, grimmar limar ganga af (not a?) 
grida-rofi, Breach of Troth strikes fearful shoots. Scan ‘ ganga af’ as slurred. 

1, 259. vara vargr =var-liugr, Lay of Arinb., 1. 50. % 

1, 267. A law proverb; observe the old genitive. 

1, 271. for-deda, a murderess, or poisoning palsying witch, cp. Less, of Lodd. v. « 


> some law term 


472 NOTES TO PAGES 42-45. [BK. 1. 


1, 281. Clearly corrupt and meaningless, There are law terms hidden beneath it ; 
‘sifja’ yields the clue to the former,—sifja slit’ or ‘spilla sifjom ;’ and ‘svefni’ 
to the latter,—bridta kono til svefnis, to ravish a woman, Hence we restore and read, 
Sifjom spillattu, ne per til svefnis latba, Thou shalt not commit adultery being the 
burden of the whole verse: svefnis, by the way, is an archaic genitive of svefn, 
masc., like heimis of heimr, not from svefni, neut. This poet is very fond of law 
terms ; indeed, such poems as Havamal and Wols. Play are the Decalogue of the old 
heathen Scandinavian; more such must have once.existed, The whole line should 
have been obelised, 

1, 288. md6-tregi, else mun-tregi, q. v. 

v. 74. Palpably corrupt; ‘fight sooner than be burnt in the house’ is too mean- 
ingless: we are here again in law; for ‘ aud-stafir’ we substitute ‘ ord-stofom,’ ‘illom 
ord-stéfom,’ bandy not evil words, and we have the clue.—The Dialogue and Ethic 
poets are fond of compounds on stafar, in a gnomic or law sense,—flerdar-stafar, 
O. W. Pl. 296; bdl-stafar, 289; blund-stafar, 203; ord-stafar [294], Atlam. 33; 
likn-stafar, G. W. 50; lasta-stafar, Lokas. 39; leid-stafar, 117; mein-stafar, 113; 
feikn-stafar, Grimn. 44, Solarl, 112; dreyr-stafar, 29; hel-stafar, Rimeg. 76. 

Read— pat r. ek p. i. s. ef pu sakar deilir 
vid heimska hali, 
berjask er betra an bregdask sé 
illom ord-st6fom. 


If in the assembly thou hast a suit with fools (foul-tongued men), sooner fight than 
bandy foul words—a warning against flyting scenes and libels, often repeated by the 
ancients, 

1. 296, flerdar-stafir, fraud, cheating, falsehood. 

1. 305. Mark the foreign word, ‘chest,’ of a coffin, cp. Atlam. 374, Volkv. 82. 

y. 78. The two halves do not pair off well. There is a lacuna between 1. 314 
and 1. 315. 

1, 318. Sid vandliga vid vél-radum vina pinna.—Wolsung Paraphrast. For ‘vita’ 
read ‘ vina.’ 


The Old Lay of Aili, (p. 45.) 


It is striking to find that the details of Attila’s death so powerfully pourtrayed here 
are for the most part historically correct, yet so it is, as the following passage of 
Jordanis relating to the fiery Hun proves :— 

“* Who,—as Priscus the historian tells, speaking of his death,—having already wives 
without number, as was the custom of his race, took to himself a very fair maiden, 
whose name was Ildico; and at the wedding feast, as he lay senseless on his back, 
overdone by the exceeding revelry, and heavy with wine and slumber, the superfluity 
of blood, which was wont to flow out through his nostrils, not finding its accustomed 
channels free, sought another and a deadly issue, and falling into his throat choked 
him,””—Jordan. ch. 49. 

Priscus was a contemporary of Attila’s, and had been at his court, and the citation 
is probably almost verbal according to Jordanis’ wont. 

There was of course in the earliest Lays no connection between the Sigfred and 
the Attila Cycles, It is the character of Gudrun that has been amplified and made 
a link between them, to the great increase of the interest in her at all events. There 
are two other stories centering round Attila’s woman-kind,—the Ordeal of Gudrun, 
where the treason of Herkia (the historic wife of Attila) is exposed, and the Loves 
of Ordrun and Gundhere, which are obscurely treated in the Lament of Ordrun. 





eae EE ee eS Pee le 
a et ee aa en 





CH ght 








§5.] NOTES TO PAGES 45-46. | 473 


The Attila tragedy has left an echo in the Kings’ Lives. Tryggvason is made to 
marry Gudrun daughter of Ironbeard, a heathen whom he has slain. On the wed- 
ding night Gudrun tries to stab him with a knife which she has hidden. Of course 
the story could not go further, as it was well known that Tryggvason disappeared 
at Swold, so it is made to end tamely by the divorce of the vengeful lady, The 
legend has no doubt crept into the Kings’ Lives from the Latin book-writers. 

Priscus also gave the following story, which Jordanis also cites :— 

“It happened that a certain cowherd saw that one of his heifers was halting, and 
as he could not find out how she had got so badly wounded, he took the trouble 
to follow up her bleeding tracks, and at last came upon a sword which she had 
heedlessly trodden on as she was browsing in the grass. He dug it up forthwith 
and took it off to Attila, who was delighted with the gift, and, being a man of a 
lofty soul, made up his mind that he was thereby raised to the empire of the whole 
world, and that by this sword of Mars power was given him to be lord of war.” 
—Jordan. ch. 35. 

It is probably also to Priscus that we owe the admirable sketch of Attila’s person 
and career, which must by no means be overlooked :— 

** Now this Attila was the son of Mundzucus; he had two brothers, Octar and 
Roas, who are said to have reigned before Attila, though not over quite all the 
people that he ruled. And after their death Attila and his brother Bleda [Budli 
of our Lays] together succeeded to the kingdom. ... But Bleda, who was ruler 
over a great part of the Huns, was cut off by the treacherous wiles of his brother, 
and Attila then brought the whole nation together under his sole sway,... A man 
born into the world for the braying of the nations, the dread of all lands... . For 
he was a man of a haughty address, ever casting his eyes round about this way and 
that [as Varnhagen says of Napoleon, whom parts of this description would admir- 
ably suit], of short stature, broad-chested, with a somewhat large head, small eyes, 
a thin beard, and scant hair, pug-nosed, and “sallow-skinned, thus showing the clear 
marks of his race.”’—Jordan. ch. 35. 

1. 4. drin-greypr, here and 1. 63: we would prefer ‘4rin-geypom’ (cp. 12, 63), 
hearth encompassing, an epithet of the benches—‘ greypr’ being never used but in 
a metaph, sense, fierce, cruel. 

1, 5. dyljendr? traitors =dolg-megir; we suggest, né peir dyléndr ugdo, hey drank, 
unsuspicious of traitors. 

1, 6, Walhall is here used of an earthly hall, the great Hall: ‘ Hniflungar,’ for 
Gundhere was a Nibelung, not a Hun; or is it, vetki sask peir Hina (not fearing 
the Hunnish guest)? or are we to read, ‘verdir sdto uti,’ as in 1. 55, where this pas- 
sage seems repeated ? 

1, 10. mél-greypr, ‘ bit-fierce, tugging at the bit. 

1, 14. Read, goll-hrodna, A.S. gold-hroden, and translate gold-bound. . 

1. 16, ‘dafar,’ def, a kind of spear, Thulor 284; read, dafar ok darradar, spears 
and darts. 

1.17. Read, ‘vell’ and ‘velja’ (gold and treasures): we have an echo of this 
in Angantheow Lay, 25 sqq. ‘Translate, the gold, the treasure of wide Gnita- 
heath. 

1, 18, ‘stofnom,’ but sverdom must be meant; we have shields already in a pre- 
ceding line. Translate, and gilt swords. 

l, 28. soeman=seimdan? sérung must be the sense. ™ 

1, 33. Corrupt, sense and metre wrong ; ‘heidingi’ is a repetition from the suc- 
ceeding line. We read, vargs hedni varid, wrapt in a wolf’s skin; there was a two- 


o>, 


fy MN freee Re ee Tg re eae be ed ee ed ee ee ee ee ey A a ey 





474 NOTES TO PAGES 46-51. [pK. 1. 


fold token—a ring wrapt in wolf’s skin, and a wolf’s hair éwisted in a ring: ridit, 
i.e. wridit, In the translation, for For read And, 

1. 39. ‘merr,’ better mzra. . 

Il, 42-45. Thus partly mended ; ‘ grin-vaeddir, blakk-fiallir,” so much is safe; 
what ‘ pref’ is we know not: ‘gamma,’ read, ‘geyja man ” gré-stod, cp. Helgi i. 239. 

1. 47. The poet is fond of participles, dylendr 5, radendr, rynendr 37, gratendr 47: 
Hniflunga, for the Giukungs were Nibelungs, not Huns. 

1, 53. Corrupt, yet we have not the clue to an emendation. 

1. 54. See 1. 16. 

1, 56. wana, we take to mean /o a the word, or give notice, ‘now they are 
coming :’ vitja, better ‘ 4 vit.’ 

1, 57. Not yet understood. 

1, 59. Obscure; ‘ bidr’ is the front partition in the hall. 

ll. 62, 63. We now suggest, at pu at bekkjom ferir ., . 4rin-geypom, .. . and, 
sceekja heim Atla, and, setir pu at ‘sumblum,’ i.e. thou hadst better have stayed 
feasting at home than come to see Attila, Between 64 and 65 a few lines seem 
to be missing, and a fresh train of images. 

ll. 69, 95. Geir-hniflungr, the great Nibelung. 

1, 73. ‘Rosmofigll,’ a crux to commentators: we have the clue in Jordanis, 
*‘ Rosomonorum gens infida ;” it is thus the name of a people, an echo of a much older 
lay, which Jordanis paraphrased, whereon see below. ‘Translate, across the hills of 
the Rosmons, 

ll, 81 and 87. gumna; better ‘ Gotna.’ 

1, 93. kumbla-smid, weapon-wright, cp. Hamd. 47. 

1, 100. Read, indo? 

1, 103. Mark the £ alliteration; hence we have restored the hk: the letter-stress 
in here on the fourth and last measure; this is met with in A, S. poetry, but is very 
rare in Northern; and may be only owing to faulty text here, 

1, 107, svinn dskunna, most certainly wrong. The lost words must have given 
a new synonym for the hoard, to wit, the ransom or murder-fine of the Anses. 
We have two such expressions from lost passages of verse in Edda—slig-giald and 
naud-giald Asa. The melody of these lines, 104-109, is superb. 

1, 108. Better ‘ lysisk.’ 

1, 110. For harness read yoke to. 

ll, 111-116, An obscure and mangled text, to which no clue as yet is forthcoming : 
Glaum is Attila’s horse, p. 80, 1. 11, 

ll, 117-120. For the oath, see Excursus, voli, p. 422: ‘drofa’ is a safe emendation, 
a law term. 

Il. 121-126. More modern in tone than the rest; here the harp is for the first 
time mentioned, 

ll. 127, 128. Text unsafe, yet the meaning clear, 

1. 129. dynr (din), or dunn (a crowd, flock). 

ll. 132-134. reifa gidld Rognis amd gnadda niflfarna (Hniflunga ?), quite corrupt ; 
some allusion to arval or funeral banquet to be held in honour of her dead brethren 
—a law phrase? Some standing epithet of Gudrun lurks under the corrupt ‘ gnadda 
nififarna,’ 

1. 135. Obscure, alliteration faulty ; refers to Gudrun slaying her sons and dress- 
ing a Thyestes banquet for Attila: for iofrom read 6rfom. 

‘1. 140. naudigr n&? cp. p. 348, 1.22. Cut out the words between morsels and 
but in the translation. 





- 


Fa Tie 





§ 5.] NOTES TO PAGES 51-53. 475 


1. 144. ‘or,’ the king used to send dainties from his table to friends in the hall. 

1, 146. Slreifr, must refer to Attila, not to the boys. 

1. 151. Translate, a wail from the women. Cp. our M. English phrase, ‘ gainest 
under gore,” 

1. 157. skép lét hon vaxa, cp. Atlam. 5. 

1. 158. In A.S, feorh-hus is the breast, ‘life-house,’ it recurs 1, 169: the line should 
have been obelised; the meaning we now think is this, she brewed a grim plot in 
her breast; and in 1. 169, the hall and the men within were consumed by the fire. 

1, 170. ‘bor;’ a plural word is required, ‘ bradir ?” or ‘ boeir Budla ?’ cp. AM, 187. 


Old Hamtheow Lay, (p. 53.) 


The earliest testimony to Ermanric’s death is that of Ammianus, lib. xxxi, 
cap. 3:— 

‘* Wherefore the Huns, when they had overrun the countries of the Alans, whom 
the trend of the Tanais makes the neighbours of the Greotings, and had slain and 
plundered many of them, joined the rest to themselves by a bond of alliance, and 
somewhat emboldened by their fellowship, burst, in sudden inroad, upon the broad- 
lying and fruitful lands of Ermanric, a very warlike king, who was feared by all the 
peoples because of his many brave deeds of all kinds, But he was heavily smitten 
by the blows of this sudden storm, and, although he long struggled to stand firm and 
upright, yet at last, when report kept magnifying in more than common kind the 
horrors of the future, put an end to his fear of mighty dangers to come by killing 
himself, After his death, Withimer, who was made king, held his own for a while 
against the Alans, by means of the Huns, and others whom he brought over to his 
side; but after many defeats, he was overcome by force, and gave up the ghost in the 
midst of the battle. And Alatheow and Saphrax, the captains of the host, men 
known for their steadfast bravery, undertook the guardianship of his little son 
Wideric.” 

Now the two faithful guardians fought as Fredgern’s allies in 378, so that we 
may calculate Ermanric’s reign to have lasted somewhat beyond 360: and as 
Ammianus in his youth followed Julian on his fatal expedition of 363, it follows 
that the lives of this great Gothic king and the last true Roman historian, who 
celebrates him, overlap, and that we have in the above passage the plain straight- 
forward utterance of a contemporary. But our next witness speaks from tradition 
merely :— 

“For not long after Gefric, King of the Goths, having passed out of this life, 
Hermanric, the noblest born of the Amals, succeeded to his kingdom; and he 
thoroughly tamed'many of the most warlike tribes of the North, and made them 
obey his laws. Wherefore our elders, not without reason, have likened him to 
Alexander the Great... .[Then, after an account of the appearance of Huns and 
Alans, he proceeds] For although Hermanric, King of the Goths, as we have said 
above, was of such great renown as the conqueror of many tribes, nevertheless at the 
very time that he was thinking over the coming of the Huns, that faithless folk the 
Rosmons, who, with many other tribes, then acknowledged his rule, took advantage 
of the following circumstance to betray him. The king had ordered a certain 
woman of the said folk, named Swanhild, to be bound to wild horses and torn 
asunder of them, for he was moved to wrath by the ffeacherous desertion of her 
husband; wherefore her brothers, Sarus and Ammius [Amthius?], smote him in 
the breast with the sword to avenge their sister’s death; and he being grievously 





476 NOTES TO PAGES 53-54: [ax. t 


wounded fell into ill-health by reason of the weakness of his body. And when 
Balamber, King of the Huns, heard of his bad health he moved his host into the 
borders of the East-Goths, from whose fellowship the West-Goths had already sepa- 
rated by reason of a certain quarrel which had arisen between them. And in the 
midst of these things, not being able to endure the pain of his wound, nor the in- 
toads of the Huns, Hermanric died [killed himself] very old and full of days in the 
hundred and tenth year of his life. And it was through his death that the Hun$ 
were able to prevail over those Goths, who, as we said, dwelt on the East march, 
and were called East-Goths.”—Jordan. chs. 23, 24. 

In these words are imbedded the tradition which produced the Hamtheow Lay, and 
there is little doubt but that Jordanis or his informant is here actually quoting from 
a song’, a lost Ermanric’s Lay; the mention of the ‘ faithless Rosmon-folk ’ (known 
to us from the ‘ rosmofigll’ of Atli’s Lay, 1. 73), the epic details of Ermanric’s age 
and wound, as well as the express citing of the names, all seem to point to this 
conclusion, Would that we had this oldest of all Hamtheow Lays, the prototype 
of those which Saxo paraphrased and the R collection imperfectly preserved! 
Jordanis was living just at the right distance of time from his hero for the tradition 
to have ripened fully into song, and for the song itself to have become well known 
and admired (a gap of 200 years separating them, as it does Ari and Fairhair, Paul 
and /Elfwine). It is worth noting here that the earliest form of the DeatH oF 
Ermanric knows nothing of the magic armour with which later tradition, bor- 
rowing from some mythic source, endows the avengers. It is also to be remarked 
that Saxo does not make the Avenging of Swanhild a part of the Sigfred or Hniflung 
cycle, but a separate episode. The name Gudrun may have been the link which 
suggested to the later poets the addition of a final tragedy to the chain of woes 
which hung round their favourite heroine. 

Deeply true of Ermanric, as of Attila, Elfwine, Charlemagne, Fairhair, Tee 
vason, and the rest of the ‘sceptred shades,’ are Mr. Carlyle’s words,—‘‘ What an 
enormous camera-obscura magnifier is Tradition! How a theory grows in the 
human Memory, in the human Imagination, when Love, Worship, and all that lies 
in the human Heart is there to encourage it. And in the darkness, in the entire 
ignorance, without date or document, no book, no Arundel marble, only here and 
there some dumb monumental cairn, Why, in thirty or forty years, were there no 
books, any great man would grow mythic, the contemporaries who had seen him 
being dead. And in three hundred years, and three thousand years !” 

The poem before us is one of the most noble antique cast, if we may judge from 
such shattered fragments as ll. 95-98, 132-135, though now it is all ruin. Whole 
strings of verses are utterly maimed, others are grammatically unsafe, while there 
are shocking gaps and blanks every few lines. Moreover, two Songs, or bits 
of Songs, differing in type and age, have been mingled hotch-pot together: we 
have tried to separate them in our text; Gudrun’s Chain of Woe is given Bk. v, 
§ 3, p- 328. But we must still go a step further, for ll, 16-18 of that latter poem 
are manifestly parts of Hamtheow Lay; the metre, the strange obsolete words such 
as ‘ hnof,’ the savage character of Gudrun, all speak to their being part of Gudrun’s 
Egging, and have to be restored to our Lay between Il. 21, 22, where a yawning 
gap is ready to receive them. The duplicate text we have given in Appendix to 
vol. i, p. 374, where the doublet lines, not marked in the foot-notes, can be seen. 
The Hamtheow Story from Edda is given in vol. ii, pp. 541, 542. 

1, 15. The brothers are Huns (originally Rosmons), Il. 15, 44, 64: the name of 
Gibika (Giuki) is quite alien to our song (I. 102 being corrupt). Ermanric is 











Rae Oo 








a ” 
pha oce ns 


a 


§5.] NOTES TO PAGES 54-57, | 477 


a Goth, ll. 10, 84, 89, 106, 109, 132 (some of which lines we have restored) ; his 
land God-pidd (1. 59), the Gutbiuda of the Gothic Calendar. 

1. 16. prungit, cp. Lay of Skirni, 128. 

ll, 20, 21. vidir, willow (an easy emendation) : 1. 21, we would read, pa es kvisto 
skedja konor um dag varman, (as a willow) that women lop on a warm day; see 
skedja, Dict. p. 542 b (with dat. and acc.) 

1. 24. ‘vokto’ cannot be right; Atlam, |. 324 gives the clue, probably, es id Sig- 
roedr roekdozk svefni or (or S. rakdisk), when ye were aroused from your sleep, 

1, 25. svaftu, cp. Long Br. Lay 94; or is it ‘sdttu?’ the sense being, thou didst 
see thy bed soaked in blood. 

1, 26. bekr.. . ofnar vélundum fluto i vers dreyra [Text A]: for ‘boekr’ [A and 
B) perhaps read ‘ broekr.’ 

1. 29. Gunnar per sva vildi, tame, it was all G.’s doing, 

1. 37. Better ‘slidar,’ cp. A.S, slide, Ulf. sleipis = cruel. 

1. 43. Somehow wrong. Here the egging ends. 

ll. 49, 50. Self-evident transposition: Gudrun picks out their armour, they put it 
on, mount their horses, say good-bye to their mother, and ride off. Lines are here 
missing, narrating the magic virtues of the armour, proof against steel, fire, all 
save stones, and lacking too is some warning word, Beware of stone-casting.—An 
ancient myth, as of some Titans, sons of the Earth, whose bones are stones. 

ll. 59, 60. Half-maimed, though the sense gleams through (at geirniord hn. 4 G. ?). 

1. 66. ‘iarp skamr ;’ what is this? ‘strati’ [Lat. word] can scarcely be right. 

ll. 68-71. Hann [Erp] segir, at hann mun veita peim pvilikt sem hénd feeti; peir 
segja, at pat var allz ekki, er fotr studdiz vid hénd ..., They then slay (stone) Erp; 
shortly after which one of the brothers, slipping with one leg, is by one hand pre- 
vented from falling—*‘ Ah !’ cries he, ‘ now the hand helpeth the foot.’ 

l. 74. Evidently a’ proverb; we read, Lllt es i blaudom hal brautar-gengi, one. 
gets poor backing from a craven heart. 

ll. 76, 77. Maimed lines, The Wolsung paraphrast says—Hon haféi sv4 buit 
peirra herkledi, at pa bito eigi iarn, ok hon bad pa eigi ‘ skedja gridti,’ né 6drum 
stérum hlutum, ok kvad peim pat at meini mundu verda, ef peir gerdi sv4. .., and, 
i pvi hofdu peir af brugdit bodi mddur siunar, at peir héfdu gridti skatt, i.e. they 
should never fling stones as weapons. 'They did so, and were stoned themselves, 
We espy beneath ‘skidi iarn’ ‘skedja iarn,’ iron could not hurt them, nor sword’s 
edges: ‘at mun flagdi,’ what is that? the lines are probably misplaced, They slew 
Erp, we take it, by throwing stones at him. 

1, 80. Maimed, and so is 1, 83; in ‘trgno hvogt,’ some gallows-simile ; see Dict. 
639 a (trana II). 

1, 84. ‘holl” we mended years since, Dict. p. 271, and rightly: it is but idle 
to defend false, phonetically impossible, alliterations (as Prof. Bugge does) by stray 
examples from Beowolf (extant in but one vellum, and that by no means an im- 
maculate one) or from still more corrupt texts, such as the central parts of Lay of 
Menglad and Swipday. ‘Gotna’ (emend.): ‘ Atla’ comes from these lines, having 
been foisted into the Atli Lay. 

1, 89. Mark, the natives were Goths; the new-comers Huns, 

1. 90. The casual verb is peyta (peyta horn, to blow a horn); it is the watchman 
sitting in the watch-tower (hlid-skialf), 

ll. 95-98. A grand scene like that of King BelshazzarPDaniel, ch. v: ‘ bravngo’ is 
otherwise an unknown word, or it may simply be a misreading, ‘ bruidi ungri’ (or. . 
ung are in both words) ; it was, we suppose, blurred in the archetype—at any rate we 





478 - NOTES TO PAGES 57-64. (pK. 1 


take it to mean Jeman, and consequently read ‘beindizk’ (beidazk at e-u is un- 
grammatical and void of any sense whatever): bédvadisk, dr. Aey. (bglvadisk ?) 
s& 4 skidld hvitan, what is this? (skiall-hvitan ?) 

1. ror. Perhaps read, berja mun ek pa ok binda; cp. 1. 107. 

1, 102. For ‘g6d born Gitika’ we read, god-borna guma, cp. 1. 50 (‘Giuki’ is 
here an impossibility altogether). 

ll, 103-105. Very corrupt; we believe misplaced too, being really a part of 
the egging; read, hrodin golli... mefingr malti vid mégo sina, gold-decked... 
the slim-fingered lady spake to her sons. 

1, 106. Mended; the scribe of R or the collector confounds Goths and Huns here 
as in 1, 89. 

1. 107. Mark the dat. ha, here and Il. 85, 109, when postponed (but, inni havo borg). 

1. 09. Gotna, thus of a certainty, not Gauta. 

1, 115. Dict. p. 286 b, misled by this corrupt passage, we tried once to establish 
a double verb, hriéta (to clash) and riéta (to roar and snore); yet it is an inadmissible 
distinction ; an r-word has slipped out, ‘rikt,’ or the like,—pa kallar Ermenrekr, at 
pa skildi med gridti berja [Edda]. 

1, 118. Ionakr; the name is nowhere else found ; may be some Hunnish name, 
drawn from the lost Lay that Jordanis used; the last part (-akz) resembles Mund- 
zucus, Attila’s father. 

], 121. Did the brothers here throw a stone? for the proverb, see Less. Lodd. 

1, 123. A proverb, cp. Guest’s Wisd, verse 15. In translation for to lack read 
the lack. 

1]. 126-129. From a different poem in dialogue metre? Norna grey, the wolves, 
cp. Vsp. 110 sqq. 

ll. 130, 131. Obscure and mangled. 

. 1, 134. ‘goerr” here, like in Ulf., to-morrow. 

1. 135. Proverb, cp, Lay of Swipdag, 1. 237. 


Theodric Lay, (p. 59.)—por-mdér (a new word): garuz, older form for geerr, 
sitting on his horse, in his cairn, like a Wicking. Maringaz=Merowioingas of 
Beowolf. 


BOOK II. Vafprudnis-mal, or The Lessons of Web-strong, (p. 61.) 


Pedagogic and pedantic; yet with an under-current of poetic religious feeling, 
A kind of Primer of Physical Science and Archeology as then understood. 

1, 2. Quantity at fault ; read, Vafprudnis 4 vit; or at vitja Vafprudnis vea? 

1. 5. Quite ungrammatical; for ‘letja’ read ‘setja,’ I would make thee stay at 
home; cp. setja e-n aptr. 

1, 23. Mark the subjunctive, 

v. 8, The Giant asks the new-comer to sit down; but on the stranger’s bench; 
the guest, however, continues standing, like a boy under examination. 

v..9.. This verse looks as if it belonged to the Guest’s Wisdom. 

vv. 10-17. A sort of preliminary examination, Giant asks the questions like an 
examiner, for he knows it already, and is in no want of information. 

1, 47. austan, of the night, read vestan? if w might alliterate with a vowel; 
night’s race being between west and east (no farther), 

1. 60. Stress on the latter ‘ 4,’ river. 

v.17, The Field of Wigrid is an_echo, one fancies, from Attila’s Catalaunian 
Fields (Chalons)—Convenitur itaque in campos Catalaunicos ,.. centum leuuas (ut 


a a 


. 
3 
4 
4 


a : 














Se ar 





PEYOTE TS 0S, Ps, BF RS Peete me VE EE 


a ae aol 
- 





ee 


MATE Oe) Ty Le | oh 
i ereainar > sate alae 


i, Uke, PLE 


Myon) 


iE Rana ee 
Se 


sl UR pel CA TR, sAc tu Le maladie bak 
IO i PO SEA 








§ 1.] NOTES TO PAGES 64-70. 479 


Galli vocant) in longum tenentes, et septuaginta in latum.—[Jordan, ch, 36.] Our 
poet has rounded the figures into square. 

v. 18. Woden, having got his ‘accessit,’ is invited to sit down with the Giant, 
as his compeer in wisdom, and now in his turn asks the questions—a fatal step for 
poor Giant! 

v. 20, A doublet of this verse we have rejoined, for it is clearly a part of Waf- 
thrudni’s Lay. hridfeldo (1. 83), tempestuous, Cod. A. (better).—The medieval 
Frisian idea of the making of man was that Adam was made of eight thing's (bones 
of stone, flesh of clay, blood of water, heart of wind, thought of cloud, sweat of 
dew, hair of grass, eyes of sun [and moon}), and then quickened by the holy breath 
of God; as Prof. Skeat observes in his Notes to P. Plowman.—All this is heathen 
psychology and a kind of inversion of the Ymi legend told here. 

v. 22. Mundilfceri, popular etymology, the origin of which is to be sought in 
Sanskrit ‘ Para-manthus,’ whence Greek Prometheus [Mr. Harry Ward’s observation, 
of the British Museum, communicated orally to the Editor]. See also Kuhn’s well- 
known and learned Essay on the Fire Myth, 

1, 103. We have restored the masc. gender. 

vv. 27-32. Creation of Giants; ‘Ymir’ is the Giant of Chaos; -gelmir, in the 
compounds, not from gamall, rather from root ‘galm,’ of the dinning, seething 
Elements; cp. Hver-gelmir, Vad-gelmir, she Pit (Tartarus). After v.32 more verses 
must have slipped out, narrating the creation of Dwarves and last of Men; cp. 
Wolospa and Lays of Righ and Hyndla. 

v. 34 relates a flood or deluge; one giant saved in a box, hidr. Is this an echo 
from Christian legends, or ‘ urverwandt?’ The giants were drowned in the blood of 
the Chaos-Giant Ymi, says Edda (from a poem ?), 

1, 142. ‘2 menn,’ read ey-manni, cp. 1, 218, zo man, no body, 

1. 149. Mended, Néa-tiin, Shipton ; né-r, as well as naust, we take to be a loan- 


_word from Latin. The Roman galleys were the first big ships the Northmen 
- knew of. 


v. 39. Question and answer ‘have run into one: we could not restore them 
completely. 

1, 164. Read ‘allz” for * hvi’ (?). 

1, 173. ‘halir,’ here the inmates of Hell, a second death, as it were. 

v. 44. ‘Lif’ =Gr, pappaxor, a simple. 

1. 185. Mark the acc. ‘ essa,’ having overtaken her, Dict, fara, B. I. 2. 

1, 192. Emend. ; cp. proverb, ‘ Margir ro mar-lidendr,’ Eyrb. ch. 16. 

1, 195. prasis (Uv), not prasis (— VU): it calls to mind Gen. ii, 8-14: cp, also the 
A.S, neorxna-wang. 

1, 196, Partly mended; the ‘ hamingjor’ dwell among men, but the Holy Mother- 
Norns are of Giant kind. 

1, 205. Somewhat obscure, when the Thunderer (Wingnir) is dead (?). 

1, 213. Vitnir we render the Beast; root is vit, witchcraft, the bewitched monster. 

1. 216, Alliteration faulty, for ‘4dr’ is no stressed word; read, Hvat malti Baldri, 
ddr 4 bal stigi| S....i eyra syni. In ‘sialfr’ we surmise Woden’s name (on s), 
‘Svidorr’ or the like, 

Grimnismal, (p. 69.) 

For the prose introduction in R, see vol. ii, p. 524. 

1, 1. hripodr, see Thulor 532, quoting from here, Spa®k-showerer probably. 

v. 2. Note the blessing bestowed for a cup of drink. 

vv. 3-16 are the cream of the poem; the twelve Celestial Dwellings. One 


480 NOTES TO PAGES 70-74, [Bx. 1. 


cannot help thinking of the twelve Zodiacal Signs. The names are quite different 
from those of the Spell Song, pp. 29, 30. 

1. 20. ‘Ass,’ Edda ‘ Odin.’ 

1, 22. Quantity amiss; read glymja yfir, 

1, 23. Saga (—v), not Saga, cp. Vell. 41, vol. ii, p. 334, 1.74. S4&ga, from Goth, 
saihwan, according to Professor Verner’s supplement to Grimm’s law, a seeress, 
prophetess, refers to some lost myths on Woden drinking wisdom out of golden 
beakers at a Pythoness’, 

vv. 7-9 is one of our main sources for the Walhall-myth; used word for word 
by the Edda author in his account of the Walhall-myth, of which he is so fond. 

1, 35. vargr, a felon, a malefactor, cp. Lay of Hamtheow, ll, 81, 82. 

v. 11. Breida-blik; we say ‘ blika,’ to blink, of the Fixed Stars. 

v. 13. Freyja has a Walhall of her own for women, for such must be the meaning 

of ‘halfan val:’ the one half of mankind comes to her; cp, Egil’s S. ch. 81—por- 
gerér segir hatt, engan hefi ek natt-verd haft, ok engan mun ek fyrr en at Freyjo: 
*sessa kostom i sal,’ the Edda paraphrast read, as it seems, ‘ Sess-rymnis sali’ (‘ Salr 
hennar Sess-rymnir, hann er mikill ok fagr’). 

v. 14. Forseti, Judge, son of Balder, says Edda. . 

v. 15. Niord, god of the sea and of riches, ‘rich as Niord’ runs the proverb: 
manna-pengill, cp. vol. ii, p. 518 (clause a). 

v. 16, ‘ha,’ read ‘havo ;’ ‘ham’ is a true form, but ‘ha’ (neut.) scarcely, see 
however Hamtheow Lay, 1. 107. Vidi, wood, forest; a county in Norway is thus 
called. 1. 63 wholly dark. 

vv. 17~21. All descriptive of Walhall and its surroundings: v. 17 very obscure. 
v. 19. Note the 640 doors and 960 heroes,—the concrete numbers denoting un- 
numbered multitudes, as with Homer’s Thebes. Cf. Appendix, 1. 15. 

- vv. 22-29. One of our main sources for Yggdrasil: mark the court being held 


under a ¢ree. In the ancient poets, Vsp. as well as here, it is always ‘the Ash of 


Ygg-drasill,’ never ‘ Ygg-drasill’ alone; drasill, drésull, means a horse, the dragger, 
puller; in ‘ Ygg’ there must be some name hidden, like ‘vingi,’ hanged=the 
ash of the horse of the hanged one, that is, the gallows-ash. ‘The image is mani- 
festly inspired by Christianity, though the word itself is Norse. For the steeds, 
cp. Thorgrim’s Thulor. 

After 1. 100 a verse has slipped out, paraphrased in Edda (Gg.)—‘ Orn einn sitr i 
limom asksins, ok er hann margs vitandi, enn { milli augna hdénum sitr haukr sa er 
heitir Vedr-folnir,’ cp, 1. 36 above. 

1, ror. See Dict., p. 317 b. 

1. 103. For ‘arnar ord’ read ‘ 6fundar-ord,’ Edda paraphrasing—ok berr 6fundar 
ord milli arnarins ok Nidhdggs; it recalls Phedr., Book ii, Fabula 4. 

1, 109. Better ‘afa’ here as elsewhere, 

1. 116. Read ‘ hlidom,’ for dat. sing. ‘ hlido’ is inadmissible. 

vv. 30-32.°On the Sun: 1, 121, Edda—Enn undir bégom hestanna setto godin 
tv vind-belgi at koela pa, enn i sumom frcedom er pat kallat isarn-kol. 

1. 123. Mark ‘ god,’ in singular case of a goddess; thus Skadi is ‘ Vanagod.’ 

1,127. til varna vidar has puzzled commentators; we now take ‘varn’ (n.?) 
simply to be a well-known English word, warren; to the warrens of the wood, where 
the sun every evening disappears to appear next morning at heaven’s east gate, 

The verses on the moon (to two children and their pail) are in this-place para- 
phrased in the Edda, see p. 77; they may even have been part of our poem. Fora 
cut of which, see the Translator’s Old Stories, 1882, p. 13. v. 33. Very obscure, 


ee ee ee OT ee Dae 








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§ 1] NOTES TO PAGES 75-77; 481 


Appendix (p. 75) is in parts very obscure, fragmentary. 

vv. I-5 is Walhall over again, the Wolves, Ravens, Walcyries. See the out- 
fitting of Hell’s hall, vol. ii, p. 546. v.6. The Dwarves, see story in Edda below. 

vv. 7-12. Woden’s adventures under various names; for, like Odysseus at Poly- 
phemus’, in his wanderings he ever gave a false name. Some names are known, 
as Gangleri and Thridi and Har from Gylfa-Ginning; Hnikarr from the Helgi Lay; 
Grimni from Grimnis-Mal; Harbard from Hoarbeard’s Lay; Hropt from Hava-Mal. 
But of the others the legends have perished. 

In v. 11 is a lost Soma Giant’s myth; mid-vitnis, qs. mi6d-vitnir? the Mead- 
monster. 


The Best Things, (p.7'7.)\—A story in the Edda (Skaldskapar-mal) :— 

The Gods’ Treasures.—Loki Laufeysson had devised, out of malice, to clip all Sif’s 
hair off. But when Thor was aware of this, he took Loki, and would have broken 
every bone in his body if he had not sworn to get the Black Elves to make Sif a golden 
head of hair, which should grow like other hair. Thereupon Loki went to those 
dwarves, who are called the sons of Iwald, and they made the hair, and Skidblade, and 
the spear that Woden has, which is called Gungnir. Then Loki wagered his head 
with the dwarf who was named Brank (Brokk), that Brank’s brother Cinder (Sindri) 
could not make three treasures as good as these were. And when they came to the 
smithy, Sindri laid a swineskin on the anvil, and bade Brank blow, and never cease 
before he took off the anvil what he had laid thereon. But as soon as he went out of 
the smithy and began to blow, a fly came and lit upon his hand and stung him, but he 
blew on as before, till the smith took ¢he skin off the anvil, and lo it was a boar with 
golden bristles. Next he laid gold on the anvil, and bade him (Brank] blow, and 
not cease from blowing until he came back; then Brank went out, and straightway 
the fly came and lit upon his neck, and stung twice as hard as before. But he blew 
away, till the smith took off the anvil the gold ring that is called Draupnir [Dropper]. 
Then he laid iron upon the anvil, and bade him [Brank] blow, and said that the 
smithying would be spoilt if the blast fell. With that the fly came and lit between 
his eyes, and stung the eyelids; but when the blood fell into his eyes so that he 
could not see, he caught up his hand as quick as could be while the bellows were 
down, and swept the fly off him. With that out came the smith, and said that it 
had gone near, but the work on the anvil had been spoilt. Then he took a hammer 
off the anvil. And all these treasures he gave into his brother Brank’s hands, and 
bade him take them to Ansegarth and pay the wager. And when Loki’s friends had 
brought forth their treasures a/so, then the Anses sat down in their judgment-seats, 
and as Woden, Thor, and Frey gave it, so the verdict should stand. Then Loki gave 
Woden the spear Gungnir, and to Thor the hair Sif was to have, and to Frey Skid- 
blade, and showed them the powers of all the treasures, —that the spear should never 
be stayed by anything, that the hair should grow to the flesh as soon as it touched 
Sif's head, that Skidblade should have a fair wind as sooneas the sail came aloft, 
wherever one wished to go, and that she could be folded together like a cloth 
and put into a purse, if one wished. Then Brank brought forward his treasures. 
He gave Woden the ring, and said, that every ninth night there should drop from it 
nine rings of the same weight as itself; and to Frey he gave the boar, and said, that 
it could run through air or sea, night and day, faster than any horse, and that be it 
never so dark in the night, or in Mirkham, there should always be plenty of light 
wherever he went, the bristles would shine so. Then he gave Thor the hammer, 
and said that he could strike as hard as he liked whatever was before him, and that 

I1 





482 NOTES TO PAGES 77-81. (px. m. 


the hammer should never break, and that if he cast it, then he should never miss; 
and that it would never fly so far, that it would not come back to his hand, and 
that if he liked it would become so little that he could keep it in his shirt, but there 
was one blemish in it, that the helve was rather short. Their judgment was that the 
hammer was the best of all the treasures, and the greatest defence against the Rime- 
giants, and they judged that the dwarf had won the wager. Then Loki offers to 
redeem his head. The dwarf answered and said that there was no hope of that. ‘ Then 
catch me,’ quoth Loki; but when he would have caught him he was far, far away. 
For Loki had shoes, so that he could run through air or over the sea. Then the dwarf 
prayed Thor to catch him, and he did so. Then the dwarf wished to cut off Loki’s 
head, but Loki said that the head was his, but not the neck. ‘Then the dwarf took 
a thong and knife, and tried to pierce holes in Loki’s lips, wishing to stitch his lips 
together, but the knife would not cut. Then he said that his brother’s awl would 
be better ; but as soon as he had named it, there the awl was, and it bit on the lips. 
Then he stitched the lips together, but the thong broke out of the awl-holes. The 
thong with which the mouth of Loki was stitched together was called Garter. 


Rivers, (p. 77.) Mythologic are Il. 11 and 20; for the rest, cp. Thulor, ll. 333-356. 

Horses. ‘ lungr,’ Gaelic, prop. ship; mark especially Il. 9, 10, the steed Blood- 
hoof and Woden (Atridi, cp. Thulor 114). Below, p. 80, 1. 3, Frey is the master of 
this horse. The matter is interesting, from touching on the same subject as the 
famed old German Charm, the editors of which song, their heads being full of 
Northern mythology, have put into it much that never belonged to it. The dramatis 
persone, we take it, are but ¢wo, viz. Woden and his Steed; Balder is but an appel- 
lative, the prince, i.e. Woden himself; the first word ‘ phuol’ we take to be the 
horse. ‘Translate—‘ Woden and his horse went to the wood, when the prince’s 
(god’s, Woden’s) steed had its foot strained.’ And now the Fays come in and sing 
their Charms,—all which seems plain enough. One must certainly not argue from 
the lines that there was a separate German god Balder, for he is a Northern creation 
altogether. For horses see farther, Thulor 554-569, Kalfs-visor and Grimnis-mal. 

The Dwarves. Here two fragments have been pieced together; 1. 14 is a mere 
distortion of ll. 17, 18, and 1. 13 a corruption of l. 20. Between ll. 4 and 5 have 
slipped out— 

Nar ok Nainn, Nipingr, Dainn. 

And later, Il. 12 and 13—Billingr, Bruni, Bildr, ok Buri, 


*Durinn,’ |. 2, is decidedly Gaelic or Welsh, cp. Thulor, ll. 33-56. Many of these 
names may be from the Short Sibyl Song. 

The Fates. It is a sign of late composition that Urdr alliterates as a vowel. 

Walcyrias. Cp, Thulor, ll. 172-174. For nuns in the translation read maids. 

Kalf:visor, Interesting to see how many myths and Sagas the poet knew, some 
of which are now lost to us, viz, Westan 5, Wifil 5, Mantheow 6, Morgin (a lost 
cosmogonic hero) 6, Biorn 10, Biarr (Beowolf?) 10. Dagr we take to be him of 
the Helgi Lay; Dvalin is a dwarf; Harald, l. 12=Hildi-tooth? _ 


Allwise-mal, (p. 81.) 


It is wonderful that a poem like this, with its many strange poetic words, could 
have come down to us. Its fun has saved it, it being used, one fancies, for entertain- 
ment, as a pleasant feat of memory. ~As to the ‘frame,’ it is clear, beyond dispute, 
that Thor, the honest, guileless Lord of the Hammer, who never played a trick, can 








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(AL tiie UE, eA Ba ht 
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ibaa, 






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Se NOTES TO PAGES 81-87. 483 


have nothing whatever to do with it. The Edda legends always make him to be 
absent from home (Walhall in the meantime defenceless) upon such occasions, Woden 
is meant: ‘ek hefi vida vratad’ (1. 21) is just an appropriate term for him, cp. ‘ Far 
have I travelled,’ the burden of Wafthrudni Lay; ‘Sonr em ek Sidgrana’ (I. 22) 
must be a spurious line; what once stood there we cannot tell, Years since, Dict, 
57a, s.v. bekkr, we mended ‘breida’ into ‘breidi’ (imperative), an absolutely 
needed and self-evident emendation, imparting new life into the whole. The Bride 
is the Sun, ‘the fair-beaming lady’ (1. 81); hence, 1. 11, we now read, Vagna veds 
(for vers is meaningless); the Sun is Woden’s pledge [for Vagni, cp. Hofudl., last 
line], as in Wolospa. ' 

The synonyms of the Beings are thirteen :—Men, Gods, Giants are constant ; for 
wsir, ll. 37, 101, is an equivalent necessitated by the alliteration, as on earth there 
is no other suitable synonym beginning with a vowel [see Thulor 421 sqq.]. 
The Elves, eleven times, constantly, one may say. Next come, those in Hell, 
seven times [for halir, 1. 110, we now take to be a mere error for ‘heljo i’). 
Dwarves six times. More special are, Ginn-regin, twice (ll. 78, 118); Upp-regin, 
once (1, 40); Suptungs synir or Soma-Giants, once (1. 136); Asa synir, in its 
primitive sense (?) once (1, 64); and sir, Anses, twice (above). 

I]. 15, 16. Obscure and corrupt; less so, but unsafe, are ll. 19, 20: 1. 17, for ward 
read warden or guardian ; |, 22 spurious. 

1. 43. We cannot find the clue, some epithet to heaven, an h-word. For the 
heaven’s synonyms see Thulor, Il, 487-497 and 510-513: words like skat-yrnir, 
heid-ornir, one cannot help thinking cognate to uranos, though not as Joan-words, 

1. 54. Whirling wheel, but of the moon, in spite of our note and translation to 
Guest’s Wisdom, |. 253, and not of the potter’s wheel; women’s hearts are shifty as 
phases of the moon, 

1, 56. artala, cp. Vsp. 26. ; 

1, 88. vero (Uv), not from vesa, but akin to verr or verr, snug’, cosy. 

1. 93. sil-; as in Lat, sil-entium; sil-vetni, still water, etc. Calm is a better trans- 
lation than level. . 

1, 101. We have substituted furr, for the poet, wherever alliteration allows of it, 
puts the general household Germ.-Saxon word in the mouth of the gods, 

1, 117. niol, a Gaelic word, old Irish nel, Lat. nebula. 

1, 127. zti (gti in the vellum), an dm. Aey. (not even in Thulor 682-689), Gaelic 
word most undoubtedly ; Irish e¢h =corn, barley; whence mod. Scot. aéts, Engl. oats, 
are probably derived. Oats are nowhere else mentioned in old Icel. Sagas or poems 
as used for food, nor named at all, ‘hafrar’ being a modern loan-word from 
German, through Danish; barr, Scotch bear, cp. Thulor 682; hnipinn, see Hell’s 
Hall, vol. ii, p. 546. 

v. 34. Very suitable indeed to mention Giants here in connection with wine and 
beer, ‘clear lees’ and, as the Soma-Giants call it, ‘sumbl’ [what is the root of this 
word ?], 


King Heidrek’s Riddles, (p. 87.) 


From diverse times, one would say, some (as Nos, 12, 16, 28) familiar to all 
European people, some are clearly bookish; on all which we cannot enter here. Of 
the refrain phrases we notice, (1) Dellings door, the e@§tern Sunrise-gate of heaven, 
as it were ; here, of the Aall’s east door, the ancient hall running lengthways from 
east to west; we read elsewhere of the west door (Grimn. ], 35, Hamtheow 81, 

112 


484 NOTES TO PAGES 88-93. - [BK. 11 


vol. ii, p. 360, 1. 33): (2) ‘forvitni’ fodur, meaningless, we have altered into ‘ fég- 
nudi;’ in a vellum it would be written full once, then, as is vellums’ wont, by 
repeating the initial letters. 

1, 25. vid, self-evident emendation, according to the Saga, vid, a withy: akkeri 
med ‘gdédom streng ’—the Saga. 

1, 36. sara laukr, cp. imon-laukr, Helgi i, and Eywind. 

ll. 51, 52. Beyond recovery. 

1. 60. Read, of-valt; mark the w here makes alliteration in a word, the etymon 
of which is of-allt ; in modern pronunciation the v in Avallt is stressed. 

1, 72, Observe the alliterated varédir vera, a sign of a western poet. 

v. 20, ‘lida lénd yfir’ denotes that snow and rain is meant. 

1, 79. The alliteration is faulty; ‘ skiold’ cannot be right (vadir?), 

v. 24. A sort of pun (very old it seems) ; we are unable to quite restore it: is the 
reading right? foldar moldbui must mean a snake, a worm? cp. Herodot. i, ch. 78 
[nadr (serpent) and nai is the reading of B]. Indeed, in the Saga Text B, we read, 
par komtu at 4 einni, ok rak is-iaka eptir Anni, ok 14 par 4 daudr hestr, ok 4 hest- 
inum einn daudr ormr, ok bar par blindr blindan, er peir véru. prir saman. 

v. 25. Corrupt and obscure, cp. Atlam, 261 (as emendated): this game, a kind 
of predecessor to chess, probably something like our ‘fox and goose.’ pat er 
hnef-tafl, téflur drepaz vapna-lausar um hnefann, ok fylgja hénum enar raudo [the 
Saga]: and, pat er hiinn { hnefa-tafli, hann heitir sem bidrn, hann rennr’ begar er 
hénum er kastad.—[ Text B.] 

1. 105. We are unable to mend this; what duck is meant? In 1. 108 read 
dryn-rann, = house, hall, of the horn. 

1. 106. bu-timbr, here nest: straw-chopper=the neat’s teeth; dryn-rann, roaring 
hall = the horn. 

1, 112. dsgrui, akin to mod. Norwegian gruva=hearth, fire-place; alse in Swed. 
and Dan, dialects. 

v. 30. Corrupt in parts; it is the standing loom is meant: we are as. yet unable 
to recover the words. The loom used in the Editor’s youth was a sitting loom; he 
was too young to have seen the old loom in Iceland [even my father, skilled’ at 
weaving, knew only the sitting loom.—Edztor].—Hest pann kallar pu lin-vef, enn 
skeid meri hans, enn upp ok ofan skal hrista vefinn.—[ The Saga, Text B.] 

v. 31. pat er Itrekr ok Andadr, er peir sitja at tafli sinu [Saga, Text A]; names 
else unknown, except Andadr the juggler, Hornkl. Raven Song, |. 54. 

1, 123. sdlbidrg, the sunset, we take it; a word well known in Norse and Swedish 
dialects, properly sun-saving or sun-hilling, sun hidden behind the hills. 

1. 137. Paper MSS. add—ski ok skripi ein | enn eingi veit pau ord pin | vitan 
pu sialfr | {ll vaettr ok 6rm:—For Woden’s whispering into Balder’s ear, see Lessons of 
Wafthrudne, end. The Saga adds,—Woden turned into a hawk and flew off, enn 
konungr hié eptir hénum, ok af hénum véli-fidrit aptan, ok pvi er valr své véli-stuttr 
avalt sidan.—[Text A.] 


Lay of Swipday and Menglad, (p. 93.) 


The reader must bear in mind that our text is but a slovenly copy of one single 
vellum—and that very probably a blurred and faded one—by an utterly unskilled 
copyist (no John Erlendsson), a man wholly ignorant of the metre and of the rare 
poetical words; through this imperfect medium we have to try to see the faded 
vellum, in its spelling, and account for the scribe’s possible hallucinations, 





a 























$1] NOTES TO PAGES 94-100. 485 

Verses 5-16 are especially antique, a compeer piece to the Song of the High; maybe 
a fragment of a Spell-song, addressed by Wrind to her son Wali; indeed such a Lay 
seems once to have existed [I. 22]. 

1. 9. leik-bord, cp, a (manufactured) verse in Grett. S., ch. 74. 

1. 11. A crux; the clue not yet found; judging from 1, 13 it should be a place- 
name, 

1. 12, Menglad, necklace-bright =the Sun. 

1.14. A proverb, cp. Old Wols. Pl., 1. 201. 

1. 19. allr, gone, dead, see Dict., p. 16a, s.v. allr, A. II. 8; still in use in South 
Germany. Goethe is fond of it, see Grimm, Dict., vol. i, p. 211 a. 

1. 20, afi= Goth. aba, as already mentioned. 

1, 22. So emendated ; Wali, Wrind’s and Woden’s son, born in the West—Cormac 
(vol. ii, p. 33, 1. 10) knew the myth—who, one night old, left his mother to 
avenge his brother’s death, The poets of old have seized on this, as a frame to a 
Spell-song. Hence, too, it follows that ‘ Wrind’ is the true form. 

1, 27. Urdar lokor (or better vard-lokkor), cp. Vard-lokkor, Reader, p. 127: we 
would read, Varé-lokkor haldi per | 4 vegom Sllom., 

1, 30. fior-lok (emend.), cp. aldr-lok. 

1, 31. ‘horn oc rudr,’ Cd.; quite meaningless. 

v. 9. For ‘ galg-vegi’ read gagn-vegi? or galkn-vegi; or rather, a moot-stead 
assembly seems to be meant. Egil (in Sonat. 92, 93) had such a charm in his mind. 
It is the divine power of song to enchant and spell-bind, turning foe into friend ; 
cp. Hann (Woden) taladi sva sniallt ok slétt, at dllum, er 4 heyrdu, pétti pat eina 
satt er hann malti: in view whereof we have mended I. 35: heipt-megir is war- 
ranted by Havam. |, 57: cp. also Lay of Righ, 1. 179 [where read ‘ sakar legja?’]. 

v. Io. Cp. Havam. v. 12. 

v. 11. Cp. Lay of Righ, 1.177, and Havam. v. 17: 1. 44 we have also been able 
to put right. . 

v. 12. ‘havetrar’ is not a poetical word ; it is also too far from the text, hence 
we read, ‘hregg né kuldi,’ neither storm nor cold: lz at lisom; ‘le’ here mortifi- 
cation from frost-bite; for any il one might read frost-bite, cp. Less, Lodd. 1. 103. 

v. 13. For the emendation |. 53, see Introd, § 14, p.xc. Of 1. 52 the sense is 
now clear; we would translate, come nigh thee to palsy thee: “meingérda’ is no 
poet’s word, perhaps ‘munar . . .;’ carnal intercourse is no doubt meant (the effects 
whereof were supposed to be palsy, as in Eyrb, ch. 16), as indicated by the words 
kveld-rida, tuin-rida, troll-rija. See Grimm’s interesting note, Germ, Myth., and 
cp. the medieval incubus and succubus superstitions. 

1. 54. nadd-gofga, cp. Hyndla’s Lay, 1. 149, of Heimdal. 

1. 56. We want a ‘ kenning’ for the dreast; read, minnis byrgi, mind’s burrow. 
1, 66. Imitated by Spurious Epic Poets, vol. ii, p. 557. 

1, 71. Mended according to Guest’s Wisdom, 1. 196. 

1. 74. ‘semédar orda lauss,’ prosy and poor, but we know not how to restore it, 

1. 79. Cp. Christian’s Wisdom, 1. 40. 

1. 80. ‘aptr fan ;’ what word lurks there ? 

Il. 84, 85.=Old Wols. Play, Il. 65, 66. 

Hi. 96 sqq. Alluding to midwifery it seems, but the passage is mangled and obscure, 
1, 207. What lurks under ‘sumur hvar ?” 

1, 227. ‘horskir’ is not good; read, ‘heknir,’ greedy; cp, Old L. Gué., 1. gg. 

1, 236. Read, vind-kaldo vego, over wind-cold paths. 

1, 237. Better ‘kvidjar’ for kvedr, cp. O. W. Pl., 1. 40, note. A proverb, cp. 








486 NOTES TO PAGES 101-107. —_—‘[ax.1t, 


Hamtheow Lay, last line. Commentators here take it of words of wisdom, and 
‘kvedr’ as if from ‘ kveda;’ hence, strangely, this saw is put as a motto, in Runic 
characters, to the publications of Rafn’s Antiquarian Society at Copenhagen, 


Flyting of Loki, (p. 101.) 


Lines 57, 76, 77, 130, 133, 147, 157, 158, 164, 184, 189, 210, 211, 217, 218, 
about one-tenth, are maimed, and more or less unintelligible. 

Mark w, ll. 8, 37, 60, 73, T11. 

Proverbs, ll, 61, 102. 

1, 11. ioll or idll (see Dict. 326 b), perhaps angelica sylvestris, ‘i6\’ of Norwegian 
dialects; but what ‘afo’ means we cannot tell. 

1, 34. Read, blendom bl6di i spor, blended blood in the foot-print; see Excursus, 
p- 423. 

1. 41. Here in the primitive sense, like Old Wols. Pl. 208, ‘Anses’ here being 
distinguished from ‘the Holy Powers,’ 

ll. 60, 61. Slipped in from Old Wols. Pl, we think, but what they replaced we 
know not. 

ll. 62, 63. ésk-megir and barna-sifjar ; what is the exact law-sense of these words ? 

ll. 76, 77. Quite hopeless. 

1. 92. Scan, ‘ vastu fyr’ as slur; letter-stress on ‘atta’ and ‘ iord,’ 

v. 24. Woden’s sorceries on his travels in quest of wisdom. 

v. 29. Enn Frigg er kona hans, ok veit hon dll orlog manna, pétt hon segi eigi 
spar.—[Edda Gg. ] 

1. 130. sido, pret. pl. from verb sida, to charm, bewitch (?). 

v. 33. Mark the juxtaposition of ‘vardir’ and ‘ver,’ man and wife; but the 
metre is out of joint, What can ‘ hdss eda hvars’ mean ?—Text manifestly corrupt. 


1, 134. Read ‘argr,’ with letter-stress on it (Ass, argr, inn); ‘hitt er undr’ — 


(wundr ?) slurred. 

1, 137. Ungrammatical; mend and read, sendr at gislingo goéom. 

ll. 138, 139. Some old crude cosmogonic myth, else unknown, 

1, 153. tilt, @r. Aey.; here it seems neut. adj. of tilr (good), a word not found 
save here in the Old Scandinavian; yet once on a time it must have been there, for 
from it came the prep. til, tl. 

ll. 157-159. Metre and sense both quite amiss. In ‘bol es beggja pra’ some 
proverb lurks, Mark ragna-rokrs, which would mean ¢wilight of the Powers, has 
crept from this text into Edda, and from that into modern books, but it is wrong; 
the old poets always call it ragna rok, the doom of the gods, a word quite different 
from rokkr, dusk; see notes hereon, Dict. p. 507, ss. vv. rék, 2, and rokr, 2. 

Il. 164, 165. Under ‘ liggja’ we suspect ‘Loki.’ Loki was caught in a river: it 
is Loki’s own captivity is here alluded to. 

1. 170. Better, Muspellz megir. 

1. 172. Ingunar-Freyr, the elder form, cp. Tacitus’ 
into Yngvi-Freyr. 

1.174, Read ‘pina’ mein-krako, cp. Hbl. 1. 33; we have years since, in Dict. 
p. 738 (s.v. pinn B), explained this strange Scandinavian idiom, = pu-inn, sounded as 
pwinn, then dropping the w, pinn; built after the possessive pronoun, although no 
relation whatever of that word. 

1. 178. A necessary emendation; Byggvir, from bygg, barley. 

1.184. ‘pu kunnir aldregi,’ tame and flat; read, ‘ pu ert Beylo vert,’ or the like, 


‘Ingzuones ;’ later, contracted 





ae ee se eee ee ee ree 














Shi. iin necianas i ee 


é 
F 
4 









eee ee ne eee ele err eae denen se 
‘ e — ~~ lia | all . F ‘ —— ‘ = aa 


= 


§ 2.] NOTES TO PAGES 107-114. 487 
cp. 1. 225: deila med ménnom mat, the sense must be ¢o share out food,—that is all 
that thou knowest, thy place is in the pantry, a ‘ sutor ad crepidam.’ 

1, 189. Obscure. 

1. 198. Obscure in parts; in the first place we would read, ens hrim-kalda idtuns 
[Giant's], for stone is the giant’s ‘sword, and we are told that Loki when caught 
was bound upon three slate stones set edge-ways (see Edda) with the guts of his 
own son; hence |, 201 we read, gérnom binda burar. 

1. 206. The sense requires breast, so we read, fra minnis veom minom ok munar 
vongom, from my mind’s sanctuary (vé) and soul’s garden (vangr) ; cp. Excursus, 
vol, ii, p. 452. 

ll, 210, 211. Maimed, flat, and meaningless; however, in Edda (Sksk.) Loki is 
called ‘ vémm allra goda,’ from here? If so, the speech could not be in Loki’s own 
mouth, and lines must here be lost. 

1. 217. For ‘ grém’ we suggest ‘giorn,’ cp. ver-giorn, l. 105, Lay of Thrym. I. 54. 

1, 219. Cp. Hbl. 128, a parallel to the present one. 

1, 229, as well as 237, 245, we prefer ‘ Org’ (arg), the old genuine form; cp. 1. 99, 
Lay of Thrym. 1, 69. A word, quod nequam sonat, cause of much bloodshed; see 
Paul the Deacon, vi, ch. 24 :—‘ Tunc ei Ferdulfus indignans ita locutus est: ‘Quando 
tu aliquid fortiter facere poteras, qui Argait ab arga nomen deductum habes?” 
Cui ille, maxima stimulatus ira, ut erat vir fortis, ita respondit: ‘Sic vellit Deus, ut 
non antea ego et tu, dux Ferdulfe, exeamus de hac vita, quam cognoscant alii, quis 
ex nobis magis est arga”’ ... and... ‘Tune Argait, de quo premisimus, ita Fer- 
dulfo dixit: “ Memento, dux Ferdulf, quod me esse inertem et inutilem dixeris, et 
vulgari verbo arga vocaveris.” ” 

1, 234. Render, why dost thou snort with rage, Thor? 

1, 243. Here and in Hbl, 1, 81 Thor’s adventures in Giant Skrymi’s glove are 
alluded to. They are given at full length in Edda, and alluded to in Hoarbeard’s 
Lay, |. 80. 





Lay of Skirni, (p. 111.) 

Somewhat fragmentary, gaps ever and anon, yet the best parts seem to have been 
remembered, 

l. 4. afi, Goth. aba, as noted above. 

1. . Scan, Illra-worda-eromk | On : af Ykkrom syni. 

1, 11. ‘endlanga,’ as to sense it applies to daga; yet cp. pkv. 110, Wayl. Lay, 
1. 30. 

1, 17. ‘muni;’ one should prefer ‘mé8-trega pina,’ from 1. 14. 

1, 39. For ‘ pidd’ one would prefer ‘ porp,’ cp. Vpm. 194. 

1. 45. Mark Gymis (uv) here and Il. 48, 56, 85. 

v. 13. Proverbial: perhaps better suited to a didactic poem. 

1, 53. The double noun (hlym, dat.) emphasising, cp. Harb. ll. 1, 2. 

1, 63. Alfa and Asa sona, here in the primitive sense: of elves or has slipped out 
of the translation, 

ll. 65, 69. eikin-fiir, a strange word, of the fir, fencing, like an oaken pale, the 
giant-maiden’s hall, 

v. 18. In translation for none of read no son of. 

v. 19. Is the ‘eleven’ merely to suit the verse, or has Skirni eaten one apple? 

vv. 23-36. The flyting, proceeding towards a climax at an ever-increasing rate. 

ll. 87 and 95. midfan must refer to the lady, not the blade: read, O slender maid. 

1, 94. Metre wrong; ‘vreida vega,’ or the like, lurks in it, 

1, 10g. hari, an dw. Aey. here. 


488 NOTES TO PAGES 115-121. [BK. IL. 


ll, 113 and 150. Names of magic charm characters, working love or madness. 

1. 114. Better vexi, causative. 

1. 116. Quite corrupt. The following line is too short. 

1, 127. morn morni (morn morna?), emphasising, a mourning of mournings betide 
thee! 

1, 129. Onn, here=6nd, 

1, 130. Read, till holtz ek rann ok til ras vidar, letter-stress on 1, see note, 
vol, ii, p. 572, v. 9. 

v. 34. Three kinds of giants,—from some old carmen or oath. 

1. 145. for sons of toil read thralls: ‘a vidar ré6tom’ is not right. 

1. 146. drykkja, here gen. pl. governed by cedri? 

ll. 159, 160. nenna has here, as in old poets, the sense of to travel, proceed ; after 
proska a word has been dropped, for ‘ proskr,’ as adjective, is quite inadmissible (dele 
the word, Dict. 746b); hence we read and scan, ner pu at [not ‘d’] pingi: villt 
enom proska-mikla | nenna Niardar syni, when wilt thou go to a love tryst to 
meet Niord’s gallant son? 

ll. 163 and 171. We have changed ‘ nio’ into ‘ priar,’ for how else can one har- 
monise it with Il. 173, 174, which are true and genuine if anything is? ~ The error 
must have originated with the minstrel, for we find it also in the Edda paraphrase, 
For the three hymeneal nights (hy-nétt) see our guess, years since, Dict. 304 b. 


The Lay of Hoarbeard, (p. 118.) 

Myths not otherwise known are those of Fiolware, Hlébard, Swarang’s sons, the 
Hlessey ogresses, 

ll, 11, 12. Bare-legged! not even thy breeches on !—a western poet speaks here 
who had seen the breechless Irish and Scots. 

1, 17. Rothsay has a familiar look and sound, 

1. 33. tel-ek, for ‘harm lidtan’ can only be taken as two words; cp. se harm 
lidtan, fadir! Edda (Skm.), in the Hrungni story. 

1. 32. yeta kogur minn, Old High Germ, chochar, mod. Germ. kocher, A.S. cocur, 
Dutch koker, a word lost in the Scandinavian, where it is replaced by a compound 
word, 6r-malr, arrow-mail. Yet it must once have been found there too; and, in 
fact, as Bergmann has noticed, here, and in the compound kégur-sveinn, it is actually 
present. Note that Thunder’s arrows are bolts of fire. 

1, 34. kégor-sveinn, a boy who carries the hunter's quiver (k6gur), the ‘ little 
lad’ of Jonathan, 1 Sam. xx: kangin-yrdi, da. Aey. = k6por-yréi. 

1. 46. Better ‘sprakkar,’ adj. sprightly, lively. Voltigeantes, as Panurge puts it 
in a parallel dialogue. 

1. 55. Better Olvalda, cp. Edda, of Giant Thiazi, whose eyes were made a con- 
stellation of [Castor and Pollux?]. See the cut in the Translator’s ‘Old Stories,’ 
1882, p. 21. 

ll. 66, 67. Proverbs. 

1. 74. Vallandi, France, another evidence of a western poet ; Brittany or Normandy 
would be meant. 

1, 76. ‘iarlar, here the gentry; as in Robert of Bourne’s notable story. prelar 
‘including franklins and serfs. 

1. 84. Fialarr takes here the place of Skrymi, some giant’s name? 

1. 94. ‘ einhverja,’ of surety wrong; we want a vowel-word, meaning ‘girl’ or 
‘damsel ;’ read ‘ingjona,’ Old Irish inghean =daughter (a Gaelic word is just here 
in its place); see vol. ii, p. 347, 1. 15, and Bk. vi, No. 55a, 





Pe ee a a 


ee ee a ee 


ee 














Sea alt elie alk RE ie oe 
Ts - aa: 


aaa 





FOE A aie erent 


= */ 27 eva. | ee OF etree) or 
Wie el - Bib Br ok 


§§2,3.| | NOTES TO PAGES 121-131. 489 


1. 95. laun-bing, a word that occurs in Swerri and Orkney Sagas. 

1, 105. Berg-risa, giants’, an emendation both necessary and safe, cp. Grott. 44, 89. 

1]. 112. Mark the foreign word gunnfani, cp. Hlod and Angantheow, I. go. 

1. 117. hnoefilegr, from the verb hnifa, hndf, to lop off. 

1, 119. Alliteration faulty: the ‘ spirits’ in the family cairns are meant; and we 
want a word beginning with a vowel; ‘alfom” would suit the sense, but not the 
form,—‘ 4r-m6nnom’ is the word; we find it in Kristni S. ch. 3; ‘at ménnum’ and 
‘ar ménnum’ differ only in one single letter. Farther, this opens to us the true old 
sense of aldroenn (a rare word) ; in prose we find it once or twice as a substitute for 
‘aldraér,’ for instance, Bisk. SS. i, p. 201. But once, as its etymon indicates, it 
had a special sense, ancestral, cp. Old High Germ. eltiron, A.S. yldran, Germ. 


eltern, Icel. for-ellri. ‘Translate—JZ learnt it of the ancestral spirits that dwell in 


the family cairns, See Excursus, p. 417. 

1], 121. ‘dys’ is a cairn where a felon or witch was buried. 

1. 133. litom, somewhat obscure; cp. Dict. 390b, s.v. litr, 2, of the time of 
the day. 

1, 142. stokkr, here of a gill or swamp bridged over by a felled stock, 

1, 143. vegsins, a strange form for vegarins. Wer-land looks like Wera-land, the 
land of men. 

1, 148, pana, qs. pa-na, demonstr. enclitic -na(?), [or hl4na?] ; unless, indeed, the 
clause is corrupt, and beneath pana, ‘ panan,’ thence, is hidden. An Icelander would 
be apt to make nothing of that word. 

]. 151. gramir, in swearing, cp. Skirn. 118. 


Iwar and Woden, (p. 124.) 

1, 2, hel-gradr, di. Aey., here of insatiable ambition, presaging of death and 
downfall. 

1.4. Cp. Hbl. 1. 34. 

ll. 5 sqq. For the persons, see Sogobrot (Skiold. Saga). 

1, 10. For * Heenis’ we must read ‘ Hédr,’ as borne out by the characters of the 
persons. Hroerek, driven by jealousy, slew his brother Helgi, which tale fits Hod, 
not Heeni. 

1, 14. heimskastr of Heimdal, cp. Yngl. S. ch. 4, and what is there said of Hoeni— 
Heeni being but a doublet of Heimdal, as we take it. 

1, 16. vormr, for sake of alliteration (MS. ormr). 

1. 18. pruidna-burs, dr. Aey., what does it mean ? 


Mythic Fragments, (p. 125.) 
Heimdal’s Charm.—For the names of his nine mothers, see Lay of Hyndla, 
Niord and Skadi.—\, 7. makat (pret. into pres.), for this is not a narrative, but a 
bit of a drama: 1. 5, one should read ‘ pykkjomk.’ 
Lay on Balder—1. 19. Mark how Balder is called Karl’s son, the Son of Man 
(echo from Christianity ?). 
Thor and Giant Garfred,—Cp, Eilif’s poem, vol. ii, pp. 17-22, and ditty, p. 212. 


BOOK III. Tue Here: Lays.—Helgi and Sigrun (Helgi i], (p. 131.) 


The ‘kenning system,’ in the bud here, is neither original nor otherwise notable; 
all the synonyms in these Lays are noted down in Excuteus I, vol. ii. 

The Asides—Helgi i, ll, 20, 22, 66, 68, 128, 225, 227, 235, 238; Helgi ii, ll. 24, 
76, 87. 





490 NOTES TO PAGES 131-133. [BK. II. 


The mass of jumbled verses, double text, etc., of the middle portion is given in 
Appendix, pp. 376, 377; cp. also vol. ii, pp. 527, 528. 

1. 4. Bralundi, here and |, 10; but Bragalundi, Helgi iii. 33. 

ll. 5-18. The Midwife-Norns’ scene, in the depth of night, cp. Old Wols, Pl. 
VV. 29, 30. 

1, g. Srlég-patto, cp. orlég-simo, West. W. Lay, 1, 18. 

1. 10. burar Borghildar; ‘pa er borgir braut’ being quite meaningless. 

1. 15. nipt Nera, Neré’s sister? Neri, the knitter, spinster? to be distinguished 
from ‘nipt Nara’ = Hell, Hofudl. 36, and Niérva nipt= Night, Sonat. 95. 

ll. 17, 18 begin the tale of some black Norn or wicked fairy, who shaped the 
young hero’s tragical fate and early death, but the incidents have perished, and there 
is plainly a gap of several lines. In 1. 19 begins a new scene, the ravens talking at 
daybreak. The birth and the Norn scene take place in the depth of the night. 

ll. 19-24. The raven scene, in the early morn.—kveda at e-m is quite ungram- 
matical; ‘hrafn at hrafni’ can only mean one raven after another. The passage 
is corrupt, and we read, hrafn kvaddi hrafn, one raven greeted another; cp. pegn 
kvaddi pegn, Bk. vi, No. 5. There was a bevy of hungry ravens on the high trees 
near the hall. ; 

1, 20, ‘ek’ cannot carry letter-stress, a vowel-word has slipped out ; read, ek veit 
emni nokkur, I see signs of luck for us; ‘there are better times in store for us.’ 

ll. 25-36. The hero’s youth till he comes of age. 

1. 25 cannot be right, a word on d dropped—drétt pétti dyrr, or the like; read, 
the household held the prince dear. 

1, 28. Read, imon-lauk, sword, cp. Eywind (vol. ii, p. 36, 1. 25), who, we hold, 
drew the word from our song; the sword appears here to be a ‘tooth-fee,’ cp. 
Grimn. verse 7. 

ll. 33, 34. Cp. Old Wols. Pl. 1. 85, Iliad xviii. 56: almr ‘ yndis’ lidma is but a 
lame kenning ; we read, unnar lidma, cp. 1. 82, W. W. L. 1. 70: what lurks beneath 
‘ blddrekinn ?’ Is it not some word for snake or dragon? | 

ll. 37-56. Helgi comes of age, revenges his father—Full age is here put at 
‘fifteen,’ as in Kent and many English boroughs (as in Cod. B of Gunn. S. ch. 4), 
though elsewhere twelve seems to be the Northern people’s legal term ; Wols, Rimur 
—tolf vetra var tiggi merkr hann ték styra réndum: see also Hlod and Angan- 
theow’s Lay, 1. 61. 

1, 56. Geir-mimiss ? who is he? some vowel-word seems to have slipped out of 
the verse, for, as it stands, we must put the pause after ‘ett,’ and scan ‘ farit hafdi 
hann,’ slurred. : 

ll. 57-79. The first meeting with the Walcyries. 

ll. 59, 60. Bugge’s ingenious and safe suggestion ; the Sun Song, 1. 166, here gives 
the clue, yet there is still a blank to be filled in. ~ 

1, 63. ulfidi=ulf-hidi, wolf’s lair, the wood, But the word is unsafe; merely, we 
take it, corrupt from ulf-hédni, clad in a wolf’s coat, a set-off against the mail-coats 
of the Walcyries. 

1. 66. pa nétt fara; neither sense nor alliteration is right (pa is not the proper 
word here to stress); cp. also ‘arlega’ just above; read pidd-laéar piggja? cp. 
1, 70 below. 

1. 74. kattar son; but better, ‘krako-unga,’ crow-chick, Wols. Paraphrast, cp. 
Sverr. S. ch. 54 (Fb.)—*‘ Harald brédur minn lét Erlingr hengja sem einn krako-unga.’ 
In the days of the Helgi-poet the domestic cat would not have been known, see 
Dict. 368 b. 


I , \ A - - > 2 " se 
Ea ee ee en oe ee ee a ee Te 


— ee 


= = = 


Te 


se 














a eT a ee 


§ 1.] NOTES TO PAGES 133-135, 491 


ll, 80-98. Helgi gathering his levy to fight Sigrun’s father and rescue her. 

1, 87, Stafns-nesi; one cannot help thinking of Staffenage near Oban, Scotland, 

1. 88. af stundo, forthwith; certainly so. 

1. 89. Read, beit 4 brim skrido buin golli? 

1,92. ungr 6drom? read, enn einn konungi at 6drum sagdi? one after another 
told him. 

1, 94. lidendr, mariners; cp mar-lidendr, Eyrb, ch. 16; mar-lidar, Vpm. 192. 

Il. 99-129. They put to sea. 

l. 99. bregda stafn-tioldom af, the sign of putting to sea, 

1. 103. vef-nisting is a misnomer (a web-woof?), vef and nist meaning the same ; 
‘vef’ is a scribe’s or reciter’s error for ‘ vig.” We have here the very same word as 
Helgi ii. 33; the shield is meant, hoisted as a war-token to the yard, cp. ll. 125, 
126, 129, 130: her-skidldr, frid-skidldr (= white flag), distinguished by the colour. 
Mark, that the vig-nisting betokens a plaited wicker shield, not spoken of else- 
where in. Northern poems, though the Roman historian notes its use, and it was 
common enough among the Irish. Read, the wicker-shield. 

1. 110. Better, sem brim vid bidrg, as if the surf were breaking against rocks. 

1, 111. ha-segl, one word, for there was but one square-sail, The word ‘sail’ 
we take to be a loan-word, from Lat. sigulum. 'The Teutons in their early state, 
knowing but lakes and rivers, had no sails. An almost Darwinian evidence, con- 
firming this etymology, is afforded by the curious fact that the Norsemen loved 
sails of variegated colours (stafad segl), the survival of the striped cloth mantle 
which formed the earliest sail, With which fact in mind, read Tacit. Hist. v, ch, 23 
—‘ et simul captz lintres sagulis versi-coloribus haud indecore pro velis iuvabantur.’ 

1], 112. ‘hufom hrénn’ we believe absolutely safe; the sense requires this, and 
nothing else, the waves in rapid succession dashing against hulls of ships. 

1. 114. We have already put right Dict. 587 a (s. v. stag). 

1, 117. Ran,—etymology to be sought far beyond the Scandinavian languages. 
The early Teutons were inland people; the main an unknown mystery to them, 
so that neither god nor goddess of the sea could possibly form a part of their 
ideas. Here it is noticeable that the ancients speak of Ran’s net; hence she 
was, like Homer’s Scylla and Charybdis, rather a monster form, polype or spider ; 
indeed, Lat. drdanea, Gr. dpdxvn, dropping the initial vowel. As our friend Mr. 
Morfill informs us, Slavon. rak=crab confirms this etymology. Ages later on, 
when Northerners had peopled Scandinavia and grown into a people of sailors— 
the first the world had yet known—the etymology being clean forgotten, our Ran 
was changed into a giantess or goddess of the deep, her hall, like that of Walhall or 
Hell, ready to receive all drowned—one instance, of many, how myths grow, are 
metamorphosed, refined, and recast. 

ll. 120-180. The flyting scene between the two hosts (Godmund, son of Hod- 
brord, spokesman of the enemy, and Sinfitel, of Helgi and the Wolsungs), There is 
some difficulty in allotting the speech to each; we have done the best we could. 
For the duplicate text, see pp. 376, 377. 

1, 121. peir ‘sialfir’ (flat, some proper name of clan or some word for ‘ warrior’ 
lurks underneath)=the enemy. We now read, enn bpeir ‘synir Granmars,’ in 
archetype abridged ‘ss, Gr.,’ which the scribe read ‘ sialfir.’ 

1, 127. vig-rodi, cp. viga-brandr. The poet, we take it, means the purple aurora 
borealis, as seen in the lower latitudes of south Britain an@ France, as here in Oxford, 
Nov. 18, 1882, unlike the white, darting floods of Northern lights the Editor used to 
see as a child, under lat. c. 65°. 20’, and whereof he retains a vivid recollection, 


492 NOTES TO PAGES 135-140. [Bx. mt. 


1, 129. raudom skildi, a war token, as ‘ frid-skidldr ’ would be a white shield. 

1. 134. Wolfings and Wolsungs are here synonymous; ‘komnir austan’ is used 
almost as come a-roving. Pirates all come from the east in these poems, 

1, 142. an, than, necessitated by the sense. 

ll. 150-153 refer to the loup-garou stories, Wols. S. ch. 8, see Append. p. 398. 

1, 161. sveip-vis, cp. Atlam. 265. 

1, 168. Bugge’s emendation; ‘heima sté3’ (homestead) cannot well apply to wolves. 

1. 175. What is ‘simul?’ Dict. 528 b is barely a shift. 

1, 179. ‘enn i annat sinn’ should have been obelised; it is too flat and weld to 
be right. The proper phrase would seem to relate to adventures of the herd-boy 
Sinfitela and Imd’s daughter. 

ll, 189-217. The enemies seeing the fleet prepare for battle, 

1, I92. ‘mistar marr’ is certainly wrong, but what word or image lurks under it? 
Read, skalf (skein?) mén 4 mari hvars meyjar foro, cp. Rimeg. and Helgi, v. 17; 
and Vpm. 1. 44. 

1. 196. Alliteration amiss ; read, ‘uggdi hann,’ but the text is unsafe. 

1. 202. folk, probably here meaning detachment of two scores, or forty each 
[fifteen crews ?], see note to Sighvat vii. 40 and 48 (vol. ii, p. 584). 

1, 209. renni-rékn is here a compound noun, as shown by Bragi (vol. ii), l. 425 
hence for bitlod read bitlid. 

ll. 218-240. The batile at Freka-stan, Hodbrord slain: Sigrun and Walcyries 
appear again, 

1. 219. Mark the yellow bronze blades, fit weapons for the wicker-shielded heroes. 
The phrase is probably a standing one, for we know that the Wickings used iron 
weapons. 

1. 224. hialm-vittr ; ‘ vittr’ here a noun, wight, fay, fairy, cp. ll. 227, 240, W.W.L. 
71, Wayl. L. 2. 

1, 231. AZgiss must be wrong, but who is meant? 

1. 234. Here a line has slipped out, ‘Hégna déttor ok Hringstaéda’ (s. ok 1.) ; but 
Heill skaltu sqq. is but a duplicate, and only one version should be received into the 
text. 

ll. 238, 239. gra stdd gridar, the wolves; but what lurks under the meaningless 
‘opt nair hreifi?’ 

ll. 240-251 present some difficulties. It is not certain whether it be in the same 
battle or a second (we rather think so), where Sigrun’s father and her whole kin save 
Day, who is spared on swearing to be true to the conqueror, are slain by Helgi, see 
the prose, p.377. Helgi brings the news thereof to Sigrun. There has been a 
special song in dialogue on this pathetic story, whereof we have but one stanza left 
(p. 151). 

1. 240. gefit, read getid? or has ‘vel’ slipped out? 

1, 251. Here is a large gap in our lay, see the prose, p. 377; Day, Sigrun’s relict- 
brother, invokes Woden, and with a charmed spear slays Helgi. Note, in the prose 
‘Dag’ (dat.); just so the Editor recollects from his childhood a youngster named 
Dag (Dagr 4 Manheimum), and the oft-used command, Segd-onum-Dag a’-sekja 
hestana, Tell Day to fetch the ponies! [but ‘ degi’ when appellative.] 

ll. 252-292. Day breaks the news to Sigrun. The tragic scene between brother 
and sister. 

il. 261 sqq. are plainly from a carmen; hence ll. 261, 263, 265 are irregular, here 
adapted by the poet, see Excursus II, vol. ii, pp. 437, 438. For the oath, see 
Excursus, vol. i, p. 422. 


a i al Nt ical Nh 


4 
‘ 
4 

















a a 


A te Oe DI te ae Sem ene 


$1] NOTES TO PAGES 140-146. 493 


1, 271. Cp. Wak. 48, Oddr. 40, Lokas. 82. 

1, 281, nema and the ensuing subj. cannot be right ; we expect, never more shall 
—ne man of lidi k. liéma bregda, renna und visa v. h, . . knegat-ek? we have 
translated according to this suggestion. 

ll. 288 sqq. Drayton has given a vigorous rendering of the same image in Can- 
ticles ii. g— . 


‘ My love is like a roe that frisketh in the wood, 
Or like the strong and stately hart in prime and lusty blood.’ 


Il. 293-296 are in the prose given as bits of a scene in Walhall, where the foes 
meet. There is evidently a great gap, which the minstrel himself knew not how 
to fill, The lines given look like a bit of a fresh flyting scene between Hunding and 
Helgi when alive and before fighting. 

ll, 296-352. Sigrun meets the ghost in the cairn and is entombed with him,— 
the climax of the lay. 

ll, 296-301. The transpositions here made are to our mind absolutely necessary. 
There can be but one meeting between Sigrun and her dead lover in the cairn, and 
there is no return to life for her after once resting in the arms of the dead ghost ; 
hence Il. 296-301 represent Sigrun’s waiting [Helgi had promised to visit her after 
death]. The night is setting in, and she is despairing of his coming. The handmaid, on 
the outlook, sees the ghost [Il. 302-305]; the ghost calls out, telling Sigrun to come, 
for his leave is but scant [Il. 310-318] ; the handmaid dissuades her [Il. 319-322]. 
The meeting in the cairn [ll. 324 to the end]. In R the order is—302-314, 323- 
353» 315-318, 297-301, 319-322. Our text is plainly defective, with broad gaps 
intervening, The prose bit at the end is poor and prosy, making it plain that the 
reciter had quite lost the cue to the story. 

Il, 315, 316. For ‘ rodnar brautir’ read ‘réda brautir,’ the roads of the iad the 
air; and for ‘flug-stig’ read ‘fogl-stig, birds’ path; mod, Icel. ‘ flug-stigr’ is pro- 
bably but a corruption from that word. 

1. 322. We subjoin the compounds on ‘ megir,’ sons of—denoting foe, dolg-megir 
I.c.; fifl-megir, Vsp: 153; heipt-megir, Havam. 57, Swipd. and M. 35: of gods, 
As-megir, Doom 27; Hroptz-megir, Lokas. 182: of household, drétt-megir, Atlaky. 
5; lidd-megir, Hak. 17; sess-megir, Havam. 74; her-megir, Helgi iii. 20; vil-megir, 
Skirn. 144, Biark. 2: of family, dsk-megir, Lokas, 63 ; hré3-mégr, Bk. vi, No. 37. 

1. 348. For lifnom read lifdom, cp, ll. 327, 350, Guest’s Wisdom, 1. 139. 


Helgi and Swava, or Helgi ii, (p. 144.) 

A mere fragment; the great gaps but in part filled in by the prose, vol. ii, 526, 527. 

1, Ig. Semorn, river Severn? 

1, 23. rég-apaldr, cp. W. W. L. 85. 

!, 34-37. Already put right, Dict. 309 a (s.v. hégerdé) ; parts of the sword are 
plainly meant, by which the charmed weapon may be known, cp. Thulor 273 (onn), 
276 (hugr6), vol. ii, p. 79, 1. 6; valbosto, note on Old W. Pl. 214. 

1. 44. Text not safe; the meaning and the equivalent in prose would be=‘ hann 
uggir ekki at ser,’ 

1. 45. aldauda arfr, a law term, Early Dan. dane fe; King R. thinks that ye be 
all dead ; already righted, Dict. 11 b, 

1, 58. Common-place, and plainly corrupt, but what i# underneath it? scan, pé 
ma at Gddo | corazk : ef clikt .. .? 

1, 64. Read ‘ flagd,’ see the prose, 


494 NOTES TO PAGES 147-155. [BK. m1. 


1. 79. Guess, cp. 1. 66; the text in R is an echo from Helgi i. 
1, 80. baztr und sdlo, cp. l. 97, Helgi i. 255. Swava and Hedin seem to have 
had a daughter Hildigund, see Hyndla’s Lay, vol. ii, p. 517, foot-note. 


Helgi and Cara, or Helgi iii, (p. 148.) 

From the mass of the Helgi jumble in R we have indeed picked out an indubitable 
fragment of the lost Cara Lay; this is plain from the parallelism of names and inci- 
dents between our Lay (prose included) and the Helgi-and-Cara paraphrase, as pre- 
served in Hromund Gripsson’s Saga, of which see Introd. § 11. The wonder of the 
whole is, that the last minstrels of our Helgi group have been quite unaware of it; 
indeed they have translated, as it were, whatever names they could into Helgi and 
Sigrun. We have replaced the old names as far as possible. 

1, 3. ulf ungan, emend. (ulf gran, R), cp. Old Wols. Pl. 311, Long Br. L. 46. 

1. 6. Read, at kvernom ? 

1. 16. Helgi, what name is here hidden? 

1. 31. ‘nest nyss,’ cp. i nez (nzz), Edda (Arna-Magn.) i. 510, v.1. 5. 

1. 32. Mark ‘ fyrir vestan ver’ and ‘ Vikingar’ [l. 15], betokening Northmen in 
the British Isles. 

1. 35. Bugge’s ingenious emendation; cp. Hallfred i. 30: pat er ‘sarkat’ sem 
rodit er, Edda ii. 493. 

1. 39. Sevi, Helgi’s father? cp. 42 [and 47]. 

1. 48. val-rinom, riddles? vig-spidll, cp. Grott. 70. 

1. 53. Thus according to the prose, Enn hon (hét) Kara Halfdanar dottir; sva 
sem kvedit er i Karo-liddom, [vol. ii, p. 528.] 


Wolsunga-kvida, etc. (p. 150.) 
1. 2. sekja heim hond, Sighvat x. 33; else the phrase is unknown to us. 
1. 16. Text unsafe. 
Helgi and Sigrun, (p.151.)—l. 2. ‘skidldungar’ cannot be right; skuldar? 


vinna skuldir sképom, ’T%s the Norns that rule the fate of man: cp. also Grip. 209, 


Atlam. 161. 


Helgi and Rimegerd, (p. 151.)—1. 28. { pvers, cp. Dan, i tvers, paa tvers. 

ll. 36, 37. reini, qs. wreini, Dict. 491 b. 

1. 58. ‘med firom ;” what is there underneath ? 

1. 59. Alliteration faulty (for ‘mer’ cannot carry letter-stress) ; ‘margollin’ too 
is an impossible word; ‘ marr’ yields the clue, viz. she was mounted. Read, mer 
potti miklo bera? (cp. Dict. bera C, II. 5), her beauty excelled by far that. 


1. 75. Letter-stress not placed aright on ‘littu;’ rather transpose and read, enn 


pik Helgi lostna | hefir hel-stéfom. 
1. 77. Read, & land af legi, cp, ll. 38, 60, the fleet is safely ashore, safely moored. 


Western Wolsung Lay, (p. 155.) 
Proverbs.—1. 14, cp. Eyrb. ch. 47: 1. 54, the wolf in sheep’s clothing, 
Interpolations from Old Wolsung Play, turned by an adapter from ae to 
epic metre, but which can and should be restored as follows :— 
ll. 8, 10, ef pu getrad vid siklingi sono. 
pa mun peirra sonr vigs of vreka. 
ll. 35, 36. Sid skinandi skalat systor mana 
i goegn vega gumi. 











> FAVS” 4 Cer ee ares >) JC eas Sa tii is 


at EE Re RAN 


ACTIN, PR oe 


Mea MN de ote hice, SSeS A 


ONE. he PLE A 


vn 


.. 


‘ 











$1.] NOTES TO PAGES 155-165. 495 
ll. 87, 88. Fullr es hann galdra ok gaman-rina, 
liéda ok likn-stafa, 

1, 18. brymr um Gll lénd, unsafe ; what is ‘ brymr ?’ 

1, 28. vid bana sialfan, text corrupt ; the translation does not make sense, Whether 
a synonym for ‘Sigfred’ or for ‘the ships’ underlies the word, we cannot say. 

1, 37. sia komr is plainly false. aa 

1. 47. vid sik, read, um svik, and render the phrase, plotting treason, 

1, 53. Clearly false; read, hegndi hénom svik, paid him for his treason. 

1. 67. ha, better havo, cp. Doom 12, 

1. 81. folvar naudir; hofgar naudir is used of a fetter in Wayland’s Lay 46: trans- 
late yellow shackles (of the mail-coat?) in the next verse under hrafns hrelundir, 
maybe ‘hofgar...?’ heavy bonds: the words as they stand are quite obscure, 

1. 86, megin-tiri, yields no fit meaning, as ‘glory’ will not suit the passage. The 
parallel iardar-magni (Old G. Lay 122) suggests that ‘tir’ is here the earth, Gaelic 
tir, terra, and we should render ‘strength of earth.’ 


Hialmar’s Death Song, (p. 160.) 


1. 15 does not scan; the alliteration amiss (nema argr sé?) ; a scribe’s error, ‘ar’ 
and ‘dei,’ 

1, 40. Read, austr vid sker Séta; Sdéta-sker, pat er i Svia-skerjom [S, Ol. S. p.17, 
edit. 1853], render, off Sote’s reef. 

1.44. Agnafit, see S. Ol, S. lc. 

The following bit of song from Hervar Saga, too halt, tame, and spiritless to be 
attached to the text of such a song as the Waking, we add here; it is a sort of 
introduction to the Waking :— 


Hervar— aud mundo peir eiga gnégan, 
Aka ek médor magsemd? hrésa pann skal ek ddlazk nema ek 4dr foromk. 
pott hon Frodmars fengi hylli: Skal skidtliga um sk6r bua 
fodur péttomk ek freknan eiga, blzjo lini 4ér braut farim ; 
nu es sagdr fyr mer svina hirdir. mikit byr i pvi es 4 morgin skal 15 
Eari— skera bedi mer skyrto ok olpo, 
Logit es mer at per médor lyti2, 5 Hervar to her mother— 
vas frekinn med fyrdom fadir pinn talidr ; Bu pG mik at dllo sem pu bazt kunnir, 
stendr Angantyss ausinn moldo sann-reynd kona, sem pu son mundir, 
salr i Samsey sunnan, verdri. satt eitt mun mer i svefn bera, 
Hervar— fe ek ekki her yndi it nesta. 20 
Nu fysir mik, féstri, at vitja Hervar S. Cod. B. 
fram-genginna frenda minna, 10 


The Waking of Angantheow, (p. 163.) 


Lines 1, 2, 13-16, 25-28 look like interpolated versification from the prose; they 
are very weak when side by side with lines such as 17-20. 
1, 36. reidi, may possibly denote the ship and her tackle, the Wicking’s outfit ; 
so gear is perhaps a better rendering than harness. 
‘1, 38. moldar auki, cp. Sun Song, |. 60, Run. Song, |. 15, derived from here. 
1, 43. Not quite grammatical, morna fo mourn, cp. Skirn. 128, Oddr. 115 ; it is 





1 Bugge; varri vegsemd, Cd, ? Bugge; logit er mart at per lyti, Cd. 





496 NOTES TO PAGES 165-170. [BK. m1. 


not morkna, for though rg be sounded rn, rkn is, even at the present day, 
sounded full, e. g. storkna, morkna. Better read haugi (dat.) 


l, 52. grofnom refers to the ‘ mala-spidt,’ cp. Krakom. 5, Skirn. 87, Long Br. — 


Lay 14. Gota-malmr is the Northern steel, just as Wala-malm is the steel of the 
West, probably drawn through France from Spain. 

1, 53. Read, fyrir Heljar durom, at the gates of Death; for a bisyllable is wanted, 
and ‘ hauga’ already stands two lines up. ' 

1, 58. Here something is missing, ‘”T'was the foemen who did it, and they took 
the sword, so ’tis not here.’ 


ll. 61-64, Text unsafe and ungrammatical ; the flow and metre not right either, 


though the sense is pretty clear. 

ll. 65 sqq. Very powerful and harmonious. 

1, 71. ‘hugar’ is here superfluous to ‘ mun-tun,’ we expect the heart; hence we 
read and restore, Skelfraé meyjo hnegg i mun-tuni, the heart quakes not within thy 
daughter's breast (hnegg, see vol. ii, p. 440, 1. 14, Thulor, 1. 632). 

ll. 73, 74 are not quite right, though the sense is plain; vigja here ¢o spell-bind, 
cp. konungr vigdi pa utan steins med maéla-saxi [Hervar. S.] 

1. 79. sveipinn, cp. W. W. L. 68 (the same line repeated). 

ll, 92, 93—as well as the mention of Wickings, ll. 10, go, Helgi i. 105, 127, iii. 
15; cp. also Helgi ii. 47—all betokens a time soon after Fairhair’s conquest, and 
dates the poet. 

1. 97. For this use of mer as address, cp. Helgi iii. 35, 36, Vols. kv. I 5. 

1, 10g. ‘ meini verri’ is plainly wrong; we mend and read, s& per mannz miétodr 
at meini verdit! may this doomer of men (man-killer) harm thee not! 


Lay of Wayland, (p. 169.) 

The prose, see vol. ii, p. 526. 

l. 2. ‘al-vittr;’ vittr here noun, a wight, fay, fairy, as so often in Helgi Lays 
(note to Helgi i. 224). 

1, 3. sevar-strond, & vaz-strondo, the prose; read Sevar-stod. 

ll. 5-9. Text maimed ; the prose, drawing from the poem, gives all these names 
and whom each chose for her husband, see vol. ii, p. 526. We were unable to find 
the word ‘love’ for Slagfid and Swanwhite: ‘alvittr’ seems to be a mere appella- 
tive, not a proper name. Under‘ ardré’ lies some word for love or embracement 
(avrmom ?). . 

1. 14. drlég drygija, ‘ til viga,’ so the prose compiler takes it; but we need not 
accept it, for they were Swan Maidens, not Walcyries. 

1. 15. vedr-eygr, of a huntsman’s eye; ‘ vegr-eygr’ yields no sense— 

‘ Murphy hath a weather eye, he can tell whene’er he pleases 
When it rains and when it’s dry, when it snows and when it freezes.’ 

1, 18. Skreid. Paul the Deacon describes the snow-skates of the Fins—Scrito-bini 
[the Skating Fins, i.e. the Laps] ... . hi a saliendo [skrida] juxta linguam barbaram 
ethimologiam ducunt; saltibus enim utentes arte quadam ligno incurvo ad arcus 
similitudinem feras adsequuntur (Lib. i. ch. 9). In Tacitus, Germ. ch. 46, one is 
tempted to see scrita beneath the meaningless scuéa. 

1, 21. ‘gim,’ a Latin loan-word, through A.S.; in Thulor 522=fire; we may 
either take it as rendered, or perhaps better read ‘in the fire.’ 

l, 22. ‘lind bauga’ cannot be right; ‘he strung all his rings on a basten cord’ 
must be the meaning, cp. l. 31: in ‘vel’ we suspect ‘ vél.’ 

1. 26. Here is plainly a gap. 








ie pe PE SF Ae i i i — 


iM eae DAs Tiare Pe 


at ta )¢ 


z 


a Ee Ena 


tp ties IV /RR be tie, witty Mpa abt Pe Ae be 


phat 


08 al 





§ 2.] NOTES TO PAGES 170-177. 497 


ll. 37, 38. Hopelessly mangled; what is lost beneath ‘gekk brunni?’ ‘ purr’ is 
but a repetition from the following line. 

1, 42. For ‘hefdi’ we have restored ‘ Hladguér’ (abridged in the archetype and 
misread by the scribe). 

1, 50. Corrupt, refers to the rings;. the latter half too is docked, a word missing. . 

1, 53. orof, ‘vara’ of the Cod, should have been ‘ dra,’ a word resembling orof. 

1, 54. Gnita-heidi, where the Hoard of Nibelungs was gotten; leido is an impos- 
sible form. There is something wrong in this phrase. 

ll. 56 ff. Text studded with asterisks here; it is a mere string of fragments. 

1. 59. Read ‘ bornar’ for ‘ borin var,’ cp. the prose. 

1, 64 cannot be right; one detects the proverb, Opt es i holti heyrandi ner, 
and would read ‘ woods have ears.’ 

1, 66. Better, tenn hans man teygjask, see Dict. 635 b (tja, B. 2), to which add— 
Hon mornadi 6ll ok pornadi, ok tcedi alldri sidan tanna,—Biarn. S. p. 69 (of a lady 
after her lover’s death). The rictus of grief is denoted, 

1. 69. ‘sidan,’ we miss the ‘smithy,’ and probably should read, ok setid hénom 
smidjo (better than, setid hann i smidjo), and set down his smithy in S. 

1. 80. par er vatn er heitir Ulfsiar [the prose], from the poem, 

1. 96. ‘ fen fioturs’ has baffled us like all preceding commentators; a pit is meant 
(fen); ok skytr undir smid-belgi sina i gréf eina diipa—pidr. S. ch. 73; cp. the 
story in Herodot. i. ch, 68. 

1. 99. iarkna-steinar, prob. an A.S. loan-word; Bede knows ‘eorcna-’ even in 
proper names, 

1, 100, Under ‘ kunnigri,’ we hold, lurks the queen’s name, Kynweig ? (Cynew..) 

]. 102. ‘kinga’ is the standing word for breast-brooch, cp. Lay of Righ; so we 
had better read bridst kingo here and 1, 149. 

1. 111. Tame and flat; it ought to run, for he had drugged the draught. 

1, 115. Cp. Old Germ. ‘inwiddi,’ whence.comes ividja, a witch. Cp. Brunanburh 
Lay, 1. 46, where Constantine the future monk is called ‘ eald inwidda.’ 

ll, 126, 127. Still unable to restore the disjointed. and confused text. 

1. 139. The king’s answer is lost, swearing the oath. 

1, 140. ‘peirrar er pu gordir,’ plainly wrong; we surmise, gekk pu til smidjo i 
Sevarst60—the evil news follow one by one. 

1, 149. For ‘kringlor’ read ‘ kingor;’ see above. 

1, 154. What can be concealed under ‘ verr nita?’ 

1, 170. Sgur-stund, an else unknown word; a wee hour or an evil hour? 


Lay of Thrym, (p. 176.) 

The peerless princess of all Northern Ballads, ancient or modern, In the main 
well preserved, 

ll. 1, 2. vakn-adi, sakn-adi, to be scanned as double-measured ; as fnas-adi, il, 50, 
86, cp. Old Br. Lay 49, 96, Lay of Righ 183, and oftener, indications of the tri- 
syllabic preterites being sounded as compounds; of course they may be scanned 
single-measured, cp. 1. 20, Atlam, 73, Old G, L. 17, 19, Lay of Righ 79, etc. Scan 
also the participles, sitj-andi, liggj-andi (Il. 39, 40), and in comparatives, breid-ara 
(1. 103) as twi-measured, 

1, 9. Mark the local genitive, as in Lay of Righ, cp. ll. 35, 46. 

1, 14. Transpose, at or silfri veri, - 

1. 37. Cp. Helgi ii. 17. 

1, 38. Cp. Skirn. v. 40: a proverbial phrase follows. 

Kk 





498 NOTES TO PAGES 178-182. [BK. MI. 


1.54. We read, ‘ varda,’ gen. pl. of vord, wife: word and wer, here as elsewhere 
in these songs, go together. 

1. 55. Letter-stress on first ‘ ek.’ 

ll, 56-58 recur, Doom 1-3. 

li, 61-67. Mark the bridal array. Scan hag-liga, double-measured here, as 
mostly elsewhere the adverbs on -liga; ep. Sol. 102, 132, 149, 161, Chr. W. 44, 58, 
Long L. Br. 100, etc. ; 

1, 72. We miss the word ‘ vesall’ to fill the sense and so as to account for the 
genitive, begi pu p.: vesall peirra orda. 

1. 82. Letter-stress on ‘ ok,’ I too. 

1.°85. ‘skyndir,’ or some similar word, must here mean ‘they were harnessed to 
the cart poles. : r 

1, 86. Cp. Haustlong, verse 15. 

1. 89. Cp. Alvis-mal 1, 2. 

1, 90. Better, Nu foera mer, now that they come carrying home to me. 

1. 96. ‘komid snimma’ is hardly right; under ‘ komié’ we think lurks ‘ konom;’ 
read, var at kveldi bekkr konom skipadr? that evening a bench was set for the 
women ; cp. pa var skipad konom i annat sinn, Niala, ch. 34. 

1. 97. Strange that the stress is here laid on ‘ok fyr,’ which should scan as slur; 
nor is ‘fram’ the right word for serving ale; hence we read, ok fyr iotna 6l : innar 
borid; we have an analogy in Skida R. |. 215. 

ll, 102-104. We have inserted ‘in’ before the comparatives, see Dict. 127-128 
a—b (en, 1. 2. B). 

ll, 105 and 113. ‘svérom’ has plainly slipped out after ‘fyrir’—read, sat in 
alsnotra : am bétt fyr svérom (see Dict. sitja, I. 2). 

ll. 107 and 115. In both instances the letter-stress should be on ‘vetr’ (mough#); 
hence we surmise ‘ eyvit,’ which suits both cases—svaf [At] eyvit Freyja 4tta néttom. 

1, 112, Or, bykkjomk eldar or augom brenna. 

1. 118. By ‘bride-fee’ the dos payable by the bride’s family to the husband-to- 
be is meant. In Icelandic law ‘ heiman-fylgja.’ 

1.125. ‘ Vigja varar hendi;’ this holy rite occurs only here: alter the translation, 
which is too loose, into Hallow us together by the hand of wedlock. 

1. 127. Plainly so; hardan applies to the hammer. 

We print the ballad below, p. 503, it is obviously not drawn from any traditional 
tale, but merely a version of our Lay made by one who had read it in a sister MS. 
toourR. The absolute coincidence of order and phrase clearly proves this (verse 20, 
bride’s knee, cp. Hkv. 124, would alone be conclusive). 


Balder’s Doom, (p. 181.) 

This weird, passionate, even sublime little piece is in the main well preserved, 
though ever and anon there come mangled lines which defy all our attempts at 
restoration. 

1. 8. helli, Bugge; from Vsp. 1. 126 (in the burden). 

ll. 15, 16. val-galdr, perhaps necromantic charms: nas ord, necromancy. 

1, 17. These pathetic lines recall the words of the prophet’s ghost—‘ Why hast 
thou disquieted me to bring me up?’ 

1, 19. snivin, Gr. Aey., the sole remnant of a lost strong verb. 

ll. 23, 24. corrupt; we have been able to set it partly right; parallel passages, 
as means for restoring it, are Grimn,_Il. 31, 32, Eirm. 4, cp. pkv. 89: for ‘ fagrlig’ 
we would read ‘ fapr-sett,’ 


es ee 


§ 2.] NOTES TO PAGES 182-186. 499 


ll, 25, 26. ‘stendr’ cannot be right: what lurks under ‘liggr skioldr yfir?’ [ero 
skap-ker leydrod?]. The sense must be, ‘ The mead is brewed, the cups are bur- 
‘nished, the benches set, the hall decked. : 

1, 27. of-veni, dm. Aey., hopeless despair (in which case read, ‘ 6r-veni’), or over- 
joy? Great merriment is said to presage great calamities. From verse I we learn 
that Anses felt bodeful of some evil. 

1. 30, unz al-kunna, not quite grammatical; in ‘alkunna,’ verb=alt kunnag, or, 
as is more likely, an epithet to the Sibyl, O thou that knowest all things. 

ll. 41-44. Doublet; lines given also in Vsp., to which they seem to be alien. 

Hl. 48, 49. Here should follow some wanton query, whereby the Sibyl sees that 
she had to deal with the wrong man. As it stands, the verse, taken from some riddle 
poem such as Heidrek’s, is a mere conundrum, of which the answer is ‘ the waves.’ 

1. 50. ‘sem ek hugda,’ alliteration false, sense flat; we would read, ‘ertattu Veg- 
tamr, ne sonr Valtams,’ cp, 1. 52 below. 

1, 35. ‘meirr aptr 4 vit’ has not the right flow (manni .. . min at vitja?). Or is 
the sense, Once more at the Crack of Doom thou shalt come to me—Job’s comfort ? 

1, 57. i ragnarok, cp, i alda rdk, Vpm. 154. 





The Mill Song, (p. 184.) 


| A facsimile of Il, 19 to the end is given in Edda (Edit. Arna-Magn.), vol. iii, Tab. i. 
1 The transpositions are necessitated by the plot of the story. In one place, for 
|, instance, in our text of r the mill is shivered, yet after a while the maids begin 
whirling the stones again. This had to be put right. 
1. 6. gridtz grid, the granite mill? cp. 42; a word has, we fancy, slipped out 
after grid, 
1. 9. pulu pogn horfinnar, what lurks underneath these words ? 
1. 10, The maids want to rest awhile, so stop under colour of lightening the 
| quern, which is done by driving in a plug or wedge: but Frodi bids them ‘ grind on.’ 
Again and again on various pretexts they beg for rest, but he always refuses. Il, 26, 
27 should follow here. 
1, 12. This accompanying of the whirling of the mill by song is a living remem- 
| brance of his childhood to the Editor (where he was brought up there was a hand- 
mill to which the women as they ground would sing in a loud voice) ; he has learnt 
many a ditty to the whirling of the quern. Most readers will recall Odyss, xx. 
105 sqq., cp. also Lokas. 179. 
1. 13. man, collectively = household, esp. the servants, 
i 1, 16. fiar, here bisyllabic. 
1. 21. ‘ pvi,’ we read ne hoggvi pegn, and render accordingly. 
1, 24. Tainted and defective text. The prose (Edda) has—‘ Hann gaf peim eigi 
lengri hvild, eda svefn, enn gaukrinn pegdi eda hlidd matti kveda.’ 
ll, 26, 27, These lines should be moved three lines higher up. See note on |. 10 
above. 
1. 27. Here and 1, 20, sem at munom Iéki, emend.; cp. Dict. s.v. munr, Il. 1 
2 (p. 438 b). © 
3 1. 30. ‘hdndla,’ nearest in sense and from the ‘ hélda.’ 
1, 32. Alliteration amiss; Vaki pti i héll Frodi? _ 
1, 41. bridir, mended in agreement to ll. 44, 89. 
1, 45. Text mangled ; if thou, O king, knewest our kimdred ! 
ll. 46-53. They recall their former lives as Giant maids. 
1. 53. Mended in harmony with 1, 88; under toco lurks ‘ tvau.’ 


kka2 





RiPt Say ANAS 3 dE Sd CU 2) en me on ae ee 
— PF TS 


+e 


Sere. oie tet mee PS ek eh Ole 
Beason 13 r 4 





500 NOTES TO PAGES 186-191. [BK. MII. 


ll. 54-64. They are Walcyries, waging war among men, 

1, 56. For ‘biorno’ read ‘ brynjor.’ 

1. 60, Knui, some king of lost tradition ; cp. Cniua, Jordanes, ch. 18, 

1, 62. ‘adkavppvm,’ Cd. (af képpom ?) 

1, 66, miscunlausar, Cd.; read either, miscunlauss, referring to the king; or -lausa, 
referring to the house; the first by preference. This scene calls to mind Isaiah 
xlvii. 2—‘ Take the mill-stones and grind meal, remove thy veil, strip off the train, 
uncover the leg.’ 

1, 68. ‘draga,’ of the mill, like Samson among the Philistines; see Sun Song, 
1. 101: dolgs-sidtul, the mill of peace, the feud-settleress, A lacuna follows. The 
sense of the lost passage is, Let us now make the Mill grind War. 

1, 70 we have mended thus: ‘vaka’ we take gen, of vaki, a watchman. Trans- 
late, the watchman’s war-spells or tokens. 

l, 74. regin-gridt, the holy stones, i.e. harrows or altars. Henceforward the text 
is riddled with lacunz. Some such word as ‘ whelmed’ should lie under val-mar? 

1, 77. Correct translation, My father’s maid, i. e. I myself grind amain. 

1, 82, vig ‘v’,’ Cd.; for the history cp. Hrolf Kraki’s Saga and Beowulf. 

1. 85. The quern is shivered, and the Giant maids break free. 1, 86 corrupt. 


Lay of Biarki, (p. 188.) 

On the morn of Sticklestead, we read in S, Olaf’s Saga:—Konungr (S. Olaf) 
svarar: Tel pu oss kvxdi nokkot, pormdér settiz upp ok kvaé hatt midk sv4 at 
heyrdi um allan herinn. Hann kvad Biarka-mal in Forno; pat er betta er upphaf 

.» pa vaknadi lidit. Enn er lokit var kvezdino pé pokkodo menn hénum kvzdit, 
ok fanz ménnom mikit um ok pétti vel til fundit, ok kéllojo kvzdit Huskarla- 
hvét.—That Saxo had heard this name given to the song appears from his words, 
having finished the poem—‘ Hance maxime exhortationum seriem idcirco metrica 
ratione compegerim quod earundem sententiarum intellectus Danici cuiusdam car- 
minis compendio digestus a compluribus antiquitatis peritis memoriter usurpatur,’ 
The Lay opens with the lord of a house awakening at daybreak and arousing all his 
serfs (vil-megir) from sleep to work (reminding one of Woden in the first lines of the 
Lay of Eric)—hence the name. The first lines sound as if adopted from another song, 
In 1. 3 the war-play begins. The song from Saxo is given in Append. pp. 381-386. 
We have noted this poem’s relation to the Old English fragment Fin’s Lay. 

1. 1, The first cock-crow, as so often, marks the hour for rising. 

1. 4. sinnar, A.S. gesidas. Rolf’s champions had formerly been the men of King 
Eadgils of Upsala, but left him in anger and took up with the Danish King. 

1, 5. ekki, not eigi, as it carries the letter-stress, who flee from naught. 

ll. 7, 8 bespeak rather a late date, a licentious Wicking life. 

ll, 9-20. Some ten “pees ita represented, cp. Excursus to vol. ii, pp. 484, 485.. 

1. 20. Read, Vaki..., the rest unsafe, Awake, O king! 

ll. 21, 22. We recognise the Saga paraphrase—‘skylda ek kreysta hann sem 
annan versta ok minzta mysling.’ 

1, 23. This stands in Saxo, ll. 239, 240. The poem was originally very rich in 
kennings ; ergo of comparatively late composition, 


Hildebrand Lay, (p. 190.) 


Saxo’s paraphrase is given in Appendix, pp. 387, 388. 
1. 5. Read, Tyrfingar gorvir ? 
1. 10. Better, tigar ens atta ; a word slipped, after taldir (tveir, or the like). 


§ 2.] NOTES ON BALLAD POETRY. BOI 


1, 12, ‘at harfdi,’ certainly wrong. 

1, 17. Corrupt ; we must read, mitt skaltu verja vadom liki, cp. Atlam. 1. 375. 

Il. 20 and 22 maimed, 

1, 34. hann vard mer émakr, false in metre and meaningless ; the son Hadubrand’s 
name lurks under it, ‘ fadir Hadubrandz.’ 

1. 35. ‘medan’ is wrong, perhaps ‘4 middm.’ 


AppENDIxX TO THRymsKviDA Notes, p. 498. ‘THorp or HarsGaarp. 
Grundtvig, No. 1 (Swaning’s MSS., sixteenth century). 


1. Det vor Thord af-Haffsgaard rider over de gronne enge: 
taapte hand sin hammer af guld oc borte vor hand saa lenge. 
2; Det vor Thord af Hafsgaard taler til broder sin : 
_ du skal fare til Norrefield oc liuse efter hammer min. 
3. Det vor liden Locke setter sig i fieder hamme : 
saa flég hand til Norrefield alt over det salte vand. 
4- Mit udi den gaard der axler hand sit skind: 
saa gik hand i stoven alt for den Tossegreve ind. 
» Du ver vel kommen lidell Locke, du ver vel kommen her: 
hvor stander landen i Haffsgaard oc hvor stander landen der? 
. Vel (!) stander landen i Haffsgaard oc vel stander landen der: 
men Thord haver sin hammer mist, fordi er ieg kommen her, 
. Icke fanger Thord sin hammer igien, dig siger ieg disse ord: 
for femten favn oc fire oc ti der ligger hand graven i iord. 
. Icke fanger Thord sin hammer igien, det siger ieg talen saa: 
med minde i giver mig Fredensborgh med alt det gods i aa. 
. Det vor liden Locke setter sig i fedder-ham: 
saa flég hand til bage igien alt over det salte vand. 
10. Mit udi den gaard der axler hand sit skind: 
7 saa ganger hand i stuven alt for sin broder ind. 





owTr KN HH 





\o 


11. Icke fanger du din hammer igien, dig siger ieg talen saa: 
| med mindre vi giver hannem Fredensborgh med alt det gods vi aa. 
12. Der til svared den stalte iomfru paa benken som hun sad: 

giver mig helder en christen mand end delig en trold saa led. 


13. Da vil vi tage vor gamle fader, gandske vel vil vi borste hans haar (!) 
fore vi hannem ti] Norrefeld for en saa stalt iomfru. 
14. Forde de den unge brud de férde hende i brollups gaard : 
det vill ieg for sandingen sige der vor ikke guld for lieggerne spaart. 
15. Saa toge di den unge brud satte hende i brudebenk : 
for da gik den Tossegreve hand lyster for hender at skienk. 
16, En oxekrop saa aade hun op, vel treti svine flécke: 
; siuv hundred bréd hindes rente vor, saa lyste bruden at dricke. 
17. En oxekrop saa aade hun op, vel treti svine flécke: 
tolf tonder 6ll saa drack hun ud, for hun kunde torsten slécke. 
18, Tosse-greven hand gick at stuve gulven, hand monne sig saa ilde kiere : 
Hven saa er den unge brud, hun vil saa meget ede. 
1g. Svarede liden Locke, smiler undar skarlagen skind : 
I siuv dage fick hun icke mad, saa haver hun stundit hiem til din. 
20. Otte vor de kiemper der hammeren bar ind paa tre: 
det vil ieg for sandingen sige de lagde hannem over brudens knz, 
21. Det vor da den unge brud tog hammeren i sin haand: 
det vil ieg for sandingen sige, hun slénget hannem som en vand. 
22. Nu slog hun Tossegreve i hiel den lede trold gc lang: 
saa slog hun i hiel de andre smaa trolde at bréflupen monne hun gang. 
23. Det vor liden Locke monne sig saa vel om tenke, 
nu vil vi fare hiem til vor egne land skone vor fader en enke, 





ws 


1 ey re eee ee ee ae eee 
T 








Ob 8 be Ae eS BAG rp 08 NP 





502 





NOTES ON BALLAD POETRY, [BK. mr. 


APPENDIX TO Notes on Heter Lays, p. 493. AacE oc Etse. 


nH on — Ww 


Grundtvig, No. go (sixteenth century), 


. Der sidder tre moer i buret de to slynger guld: 


den tredje hun greder sin festemand under sorten muld. 


. Det var rige Her Aage rider hand sig under 6: 


feste hand jomfru Else-lille hun var saa ven en m6. 


. Feste hand jomfru Else-lille saa ven en m6: 


alt om deris bryllops-aften maate hand for hende do. 


. Saa saare gred iomfru Else-lille hendis hender hun vred: 


det horde Ridder Her Aage saa langt af led. 


. Saa saare gred iomfru Else-lille, sine hender hun sloe: 


det hérde Ridder Her Aage under sorten iord, 


. Op staar Ridder Her Aage tager kisten paa bag: 


saa lacker hand til sin festemos bur med saa megen umag, 


. Hand klapper paa déren med kiste, for hand havde ikke skind : 


du stat op stalten Else-lille! du luk din festemand ind. 


. Lenge laa stalten Else-lille ok tenkte ved sig: 


monne det vere Ridder Her Aage der kommer til mig? 


. Det melte liden Else-lille med taare paa kind: 


kand I Jesu nafn nefne saa kommer I ind. 


. Du stat op stalten Else-lille, luk op din dor: 


jeg kand saa vel Jesu nafn nefne som jeg kunde for, 


. Op staar stalten Else-lille med taare paa kind: 


sa lucker hun den déde mand i buret ind. 


. Saa tog hun den gulkam hun kiemte hans haar: 


for hver et haar hun redde da felder hun taar. 
Hor I Ridder Her Aage, aller-kieriste min: ; 
hvordan er der under den sorte iord i graven din? 


. Saadant er der i den sorte iord i graven hos mig: 


sem i det frydelig Himmerig, thi gled du dig, 


. Hor I Ridder Her Aage aller-kjeriste min, 


maa ieg dig félge i sorten iord i graven din? 


. Saadant.er der i sorten iord i graven hos mig: 


sem i det sorteste Helvede, gidr kors for dig. 


. For hver en gang du greder for mig, din hu gidris mod: 


da staar min kiste for inden fuld med levret blod. 


. For oven ved mit hoved staar greset gront: 


for neden ved mine fodder med slanger om hengt. 


. For hver en gang du kveder, din hu er glad: 


da er min grav for inden omhengt med rosens blad. 


. Nu galer hanen den hvide, til iorden maa jeg: 


til iorden stunder alle de lige, nu maa jeg med. 


. Nu galer hanen den réde, til iorden maa jeg: 


til iorden maa alle de déde, nu maa jeg med. 


. Nu galer hanen den sorte, til iorden maa jeg: 


nu luckes op alle de porte, nu maa jeg folge med. 


. Op stod Ridder Her Aage, tog kisten paa bag: 


saa lacker hand til kierke-gaard med saa megen unag. 


. Det giorde stalten Else-lille, for hendis hu var mod; 


saa fulde hun sin festemand igiennem mérken skov. 


. Der hun kommer igiennem skoven paa kierke-gaard : 


da felmer Ridder Her Aage sit favre gule haar. 


. Der hun kom af kierke-gaard i kierken ind : 


da felmer Ridder Her Aage sin rosens kind, 


. Da felmer Ridder Aage baade hand och fod: 


da felmer hand sin rosens kind och blev til iord. 


. HoOr du stalten Else-lille aller-kieriste min: 


du gred nu aldrig mere for festemand din, 


a 





—— 


7 aa ite! 








 sciesteliie ticks silica stared inate 


nena 


§2.] . NOTES ON BALLAD POETRY. 503 


29. Du stat op stalten Else-lille, du gak nu hiem: 
du gred nu aldrig mere din feste mand igien. 
30. Du see dig op til himmelen til stiernerne smaa ; 
saa faar du at vide huor natten hun gaar. 
31. Saa hun op til himmelen til stierner smaa: 
i iorden slap den déde mand, hun hannem aldrig mere saa. 
32. Saa snarlig slap den déde mand i iorden hen: 
saa sorgelig gik stalt Else-lille til bage igien. 
33. Saa saare gred stalt Else-lille, Gud hun bad: 
at hun icke maatte leve i aar och dag. 
34. Dat var stalten Else-lille blev siug hun,laa : 
det var inden maanedz dag hun lagdes paa baar. 


A Note on Ballad-Poetry. 


We have given these two ballads not only because they are in intimate connection 
with our subject, but also because they give a clear glimpse into the way in which 
early translators and adapters went to work when they wished to hand down the 
old stories to a new generation. We are too much in the habit of taking our 
own modern book-ways as foundations for our notions about the past, but these 
ideas must be put aside entirely if we are to form a true conception of the way 
that our foregangers wrought. Their business was not to make a literal version 
of their originals with strict and scientific fidelity of form and incident, but rather 
to re-create their original so that it should appear real, vivid, and natural to the 
men of their own day to whom they wished to present it. And after all there is 
much to be said for their method. For such successes as Mr, Lane’s delightful, though 
too brief translation of the Arabian Nights, or Captain Burton’s Camoens, there are 
hundreds of dead, lifeless, uninteresting versions of the master pieces of the past, by 
men who in their struggle after the letter have forsaken the spirit, and have at best 
produced stuffed skins about as like to the breathing creations from which they 
are derived as the stony-hided and name-inscribed pachyderms, so familiar to our 
youth in the upper room of the British Museum, are to the living animals whose 
metamorphosed integuments they bear. Keats’ finest sonnet would never have 
been written ‘after reading Lord Derby’s Homer.’ It is not to be denied that 
both species of translation have their uses; a literal translation is often invaluable 
to the beginner, but only as a stepping-stone to understanding the original: directly 
he can manage to read his text, it is rightly and properly flung aside, Whereas 
a real rendering must be a work of art in itself, readable and learnable, such a 
one as Mr. Fitzgerald’s Omar Khayyam, or North’s Plutarch, or Shelley’s Hymn of 
Hermes, or Milton’s Ode, or Egilson’s prose rendering of the Odyssey. 

With respect to Thord of Havsgaard, there can be no question but that it is 
directly derived from Thrymskvida, the coincidences in order of events, phraseology, 
incident, and colouring are far too great to allow of any other selection. Some 
MS., containing the Old Lay, the translator must have seen, and very rightly 
seized upon it as an excellent subject for a ballad. Whether a sister vellum to R 
reached Denmark at the end of the Middle Ages, or whether some Danish trader 
or traveller heard the Lay or story in Iceland and thence adapted it, we cannot tell ; 
anyhow there is no distance between the Old Lay and the Danish ballad, but a 
close and complete kinship. 

In the cases of Young Swendal and the Swipday @nd Menglad Lay, or, as in 
that of Aage and Else and the Helgi Lay, the ballad-maker has merely taken the 
incident and wrought them upon his new canvas in his own colours, but even 








504 NOTES ON BALLAD POETRY. [BK. Im. 


here there is no valid reason whatever for supposing that the Swipday and 
Menglad Lay, or the Helgi Lay had been handed down by tradition to the 
fifteenth century; on the contrary, every scrap of evidence which we can get at 
points entirely the other way. R, or a sister MS., is ultimately as much the source 
of these ballads as they are of Thord of Havsgaard. 

There is another most interesting question which, though its complete treatment 
does not fall within the scope of these volumes, is worth touching on here, to 
wit, the connection between the Scottish and North English ballads and those 
of Denmark. The difficult problem of the transmission of ballads and ballad 
plots from one country to another has never been attacked. It is well known 
that there is an extraordinarily close connection between the Danish ballads and 
our own, Dr. Jamieson and Sir Walter Scott long ago observed this. Such 
pairs as the following are unmistakeable, 


Lord Thomas and Fair Annet =Skién Anna. 

Willie’s Lady =Sir Stig and Torelild. 
Katherine Janfarie = Child Dyring. 

Child of Elle 

Erlinton =Ribolt and Guldborg. 
Douglas Tragedy 


Sweet William and May Margaret 
End of Clerk Saunders 


Leisome Brand [see Motherwell] 


= Aage and Else. 


=Sir Wal and Lisa Lyle. 
= Fair Midel and Kristen Lyle. 


And when one comes to examine closely the language of the Danish ballads, 
one is struck by the identity of formula and. phrase: setting aside such epic 
commonplaces as are common to many lands, red gold, golden hair, white hand, 
etc., there are a dozen of absolutely identical idioms, words, and sentences. There 
are not a few instances also in which an idiom or a word, still familiar to Ramsay, 
Fergusson, and Burns, strikes us as wholly strange to Modern Danish, and in 
many cases, when there are two or three versions of a Danish ballad, it is the 
oldest which is ‘ most Scottish,’ the later ones substituting more ‘ Danish-looking’ 
phrases in place of these non-Danish expressions, There are even cases, in which 
the Scottish rhyme now, if restored, would give a completer rhyme than the 
adapter’s Danish one. These coincidences will be allowed on all hands, but to 
what conclusions do they point ? 

We cannot suppose a common origin, for none such parent literature is known 
to exist. Must not one country have borrowed its first ballads from the other? 
If so, one is driven to look upon England and Scotland rather as the lenders 
than the borrowers—it is known that it was from Scotland and North England 
that many French Romances travelled to Norway—it is known that the connection 
between Scotland and Denmark was close throughout the Middle Ages down to 
the days when James went on his chivalrous errand across the North Sea to 
bring home the ‘king’s dochter o’ Denmark’—it is known that every step of 
‘the four-lined ballad from the earlier eight-lined French metre, from which it 
sprung, can be traced in the case of our Scottish and North English poems, while 
such evidence is lacking in the case of the Danish ballad—it is known that the 
Dance, the parent of our ballad as it was once of the Greek comedy, was introduced 
into the British islands early in the Middle Ages, and that, as far as we have 
any evidence, it was not adopted till later in the Scandinavian lands, Is it not 








ak: 


§ 2.] NOTES ON BALLAD POETRY. 505 


then within fair reasoning to conclude, that it was from Scotland and North England 
that the ballad came to Denmark, where the transplanted seedling struck deep 
root and bloomed and flourished, and bore a fair and full crop of delightful fruit? 
One need not necessarily suppose that any great number of the existing Danish 
ballads are versions of Scottish ballads. It would be quite sufficient for some poetic 
Danish merchant or skipper to have got hold of a dozen Northern ballads at Leith, 
Hull, or Berwick, and adapted them in the broad popular style of translation we 
have spoken of, for ‘dances’ in his own land. The impulse once given there 
would soon be movement enough. Just as in Iceland the Rimur, once started, 
attracts to itself subjects from every quarter, from books, from local legend, from 
old traditions, and the like, Yet in this case,no one doubts but that the original 
impulse came from without. So our own north country ballads find material 
everywhere, in French romances, and the English translations thereof, in Latin 
legends, in Italian novels, in local memories of forest outlawry, border feuds, court tra- 
gedies, and historical events. A final argument in favour of the superior indigeneity, 
so to speak, of the Scottish and North English ballad, and one which to our mind is 
by no means the weakest, may be drawn from esthetic considerations. No country 
has produced ballads which in simple tragic strength, deep pure pathos, and rich 
humour equal our own. Danish, Swedish, Feroic ballads have beauties real and 
great, but there is not that supreme excellence of form and force about them 
which raises ours to the level of the Eddic Lays. And to those who, like ourselves, 
consider the Eddic Lays as the productions of men who lived in a society and in 
an age in which the Teutonic mind, stirred to its depths, was being fermented by 
Celtic leaven, the analogy between these circumstances and those under which at 
a later day the north country ballads are indubitably created is very striking and 
impressive, ‘There are other considerations, such as the longevity and spontaneity 
of the ballad in Great Britain, the complete and remarkable way in which it has 
been adopted by generation after generation down to our own day as the popular 
expression of the deepest poetic feeling, which cannot fail to weigh with those who 
have studied these phenomena. But enough has been said to show that the question 
is one deserving of earnest study, and to prove that it is a problem to the settlement 
of which the arguments we have urged may at least be of some help as an 
indication of unexpected results which have forced themselves one by one upon our 
consideration. 

It would not be right to omit a word of thanks for the colossal labours of 
Dr. Svend Grundtvig, to whose patient care it is owing that the beautiful Danish 
ballads are at present the only national ballads which can be studied in a complete 
and orderly form. A generation before our own writers (with the exception of 
such honourable names as Ritson, Motherwell, Kinloch, Buchan, and Scott) were 
alive to the supreme importance of one of the deepest mainsprings of our national 
life, he was already well advanced in his patriotic task, and it is largely owing to 
him that the long-neglected work, in which he was for many years the lone 
pioneer, is now being worthily done by American and English students. 


The Northern Ballad of Sweet William and May Margaret is the counterpart to 
the Danish Aage og Else, as will be seen from the following lines, which Scott gives 
as the second part of the Clerk Saunders ballad :— 


The clinking bell gaed through the towng 
To carry the dead corse to the clay, 

And Sweet William stood at May Margaret’s window 
An hour before the day. 





506 NOTES ON BALLAD POETRY. [BK. mT. 


‘ And are ye sleeping, Margaret, he says, 
Or are ye waking presentlie? 
Give me my faith and troth again, 
True love, I gied to thee.’ 
* Your faith and troth ye sall never get, 
Nor our true love sal] never twin, 
Until ye come within my bower 
And kiss me cheik and chin,’ 


‘O the cocks are crowing a merry midnight, 
The wild-fowls are boding day, 

Give me my faith and troth again 
And let me fare me on the way.’ 


A dialogue follows, much of which has been lost, but which in the original ballad 
must have been the central part of the poem, of the same kind as the old heathen 
necromantic questioning of which there are several examples among the Eddic 
Lays. Margaret at last gives back the troth and the ghost turns away, but— 


It’s hosen and shoon and gown alone 

She climb’d the wall and follow’d him, 
Until she cam to the green forest, 

And there she lost the sight o’ him— 


to the last two lines of which stanza there are sundry variations, But the final 
verses are true enough to the old story :— 


‘Is there ony room at your head, William? 

Is there ony room at your feet? 

Or ony room at your side, William ? 
Where fain, fain I wad sleep?” 

‘ There’s nae room at my head, Margaret, 
There’s nae room at my feet, 

My bed it is fu’ lowly now, 
Amang the worms I sleep. 

The cauld mould is my covering now 
But and my winding sheet, 

The dew it fa’s nae sooner down, 
Than my resting-place is weet. 

And fair Marg’ret, and rare Marg’ret, 
And Marg’ret o’ veritie, 

Gin e’er ye love anither man, 
Ne’er love him as ye did me!’ 

Then up and crew the milk-white cock, 
And up and crew the gray, 

Her lover he vanish’d intil the air, 
And she. gaed weeping away. 


With the final scene of Helgi and Sigrun compare the ballad of Earl Brand (the 
last of the English variants on this theme). The ‘king’s daughter o’ fair England’ 
begs the hero to carry her off; as they ride away they are met by ‘auld carle Hood’ 
(a Grimnir-like figure), whom Brand, out of pity for his age, will not put to death, 
in spite of the wise princess's advice. ‘The lovers are betrayed by Hood, and pur- 
sued by the king and his fifteen men. Brand slays his foes, but is wounded to the 
death, and falls dying at his mother’s gate, whither he has borne the lady safely. 


* 


§ 2.] NOTES ON BALLAD POETRY. 507 


*O my son’s slain, he is falling in swoon, 

And it’s a’ for the sake of an English loon!’ 

*O say not so, my dearest mother, 

But marry her to my youngest brother. 

To a maiden true he ’ll gie his hand, 

To the king’s [ae] daughter o’ fair England, 

To a prize that was won by a slain brother’s hand.’—R, Bell, 1857. 


In the ballad of Earl Richard an ordeal, reminding one of Gudrun, is given; but 
here the heroine is guilty like Herkia, and like her fails to prove her innocence and 
drees her weird in the bale-fire, 


‘Put na the wite on me,’ she said, 
‘It was my May Catherine,’ 

Then they hae cut baith fern and thorn, 
To burn that maiden in ; 

It wadna tak upon her hair, 
Nor yet upon her chin, 

Nor yet upon her yellow hair 
To cleanse the deadly sin. 

* * * * * * 

Out hae they taken her May Catherine 
And putten her mistress in. 

The flame tuik fast upon her cheik, 
Tuik fast upon her chin, 

Tuik fast upon her fair body, 
She burnt like hollin green. 





. Besides the inevitable coincidences of style, epic phrases, and the like, there are 

coincidences of subject-matter and story, which it is not needful to do more than 
point out here. For example, birds speak in both Lays and Ballads, while the other 
F beasts have mostly lost their primazval powers in this direction ; the hawk, the dove, 
and the popinjay are notable speakers in the Scottish ballads; and in one version of 
the Murdered Lover a ‘bonny bird’ spake ‘ from high upon a tree,’ like those who 
foretold Helgi’s prowess, furthered the henchman’s wooing, or announced the fate of 
Sigfred. Hounds and horses are sympathetic and wise, but seldom do more than 
dumbly signify their will and wisdom. The religion of the Scottish ballads, save for 
the few poems that deal with the popular Catholic mythology, is absolutely as 
heathen as that of the Helgi Lays; the sacredness of revenge, remorse, and love, the 
horror of treason, cruelty, lust, and fraud are well given, but of Christianised 
: feelings there are no traces. The very scheme, on which ballads and lays are alike 
: | built, the hapless innocent death of a hero or heroine, is as heathen as the plot of 
| any Athenian tragedy can be 1.—[The Translator. ]? 





— EP 


The Sibyl’s Prophecy: Wolospa, (p.192.) 
[The Notes to this lay are appended to the reconstructed text, vol. ii, p. 641.] 





1 The Feroese ballads, which seem to be mainly founded upon the stories or the 
rimur of a few Icelandic books which reached them, show how easily a few com- 


34 . posers in a new style may win a hearing and gain popular favour for their work. 

1 2 One does not like to quit the subject without noticing the admirable use made 
of the Helgi and Sigrun ‘ motiv’ in the well-known poéfhs The Ghost’s Petition and 
The Poor Ghost. 


©, Lv erpee ab PM. ob l a sed Ms. 
en eee —— 





508 NOTES TO PAGES 204-206, [BK. mr. 


The Sun Song: Sélarliod, (p, 204.) 


The relation of our extant copies to the lost archetypus would stand thus :— 


A 

vellum, lost, age unknown 
| 
a 

chart. of c. 1640, since lost 


our present copies. 


It follows that, though we may know something of a, we have little means of 
fixing the reading of A. The vellum appears to have been blurred and in parts at 
least hard to read; hence whole patches of our text are meaningless, whilst others 
read fairly well. To this copyist also applies what was said about the Lay of Swipday 
and Menglad. 

Proverbs and sentences—ll, 8, 15, 16, 20, 60, 66, 144, 180. 

I. 2. yndis heimi, cp. munar heimi, Helgi ii. 90; dvalar-heim, 1. 11 below; alda- 
heim, 36; dyn-heim, 26; zgis-heim, Chr. W. 122. 

1, 4. verda at na, i.e. ¢o die, cp. Helgi i. 249. 

1, 15. Cp. Prov. Song 89, Atlam. 236. 

1, 24. hrolla (hroll?), text not safe. 

1, 27. ‘annan’ cannot be right, or some #-word has been dropped: here pidta 
of the door, less aptly, but ‘ hrikta,’ Atlam. 129. 

1. 31. Read mattig when single, -~g when compound (mttig, but almattog). 

1, 35. That is—It was my last prayer, my last worship to the sun, the last day 
of my life. With this compare the story of Thorketel, Landn, i. ch. 9, given in the 
Reader, p. 8, which calls back the past days of my childhood and early youth. Every 
morning, immediately after coming out of bed, I had to go out of doors, and there 
bareheaded to say a prayer, at the same time making the sign of the Cross (signa 
sig); then come back and say ‘Good morning.’ This was called ‘ fetching the good 
morning.’ From my seventh to my thirteenth year (except the three summer months, 
when all was out of door life, there being no night in those high latitudes) hardly 
a day passed, no matter what weather, without due observance of this rite. But the 
curious thing is that the words of verse I was wont to say— 


6 0 bb mm Aon A morni hverjum pa upp stend eg, 
fyrst eg stig nidur feti 4 idré, fri eg per hiartans pakkar-giérd, 


from the Passion Hymns, composed 1650—-1660—were clearly suggested to the poet 
by the same custom. But what prayer or verse used children in Hallgrim’s days to 
say ?—[Editor. ] 

1. 39. gylfar-, akin to gylfra, a witch? 

ll. 43, 44. Cp. Josh. vii. 5, Ps. xxii, 14. 

1, 48. Text unsafe. 

1, 52. For kalladr read kalér (cold) ; yet even so the line is not right. 

1, 53. Here the soul, in the shape of a bird, must be meant, leaving the body at 
the point of death; ‘perna’ is nearest in form to stiarna: “pba vas ek hreddr’ is not 
right, nor can ‘vas’ carry the letter-stress; the whole line should be obelised. 

1.55. ‘hon’ cannot carry the letter-stress; the particle ‘at’ requires a place; 
we therefore read, hatt at himni fld, she winged her way heavenward. 


STS OE ee cae 











ee le 


§ 4.] NOTES TO PAGES 206-210. 509 


v. 16 is unsafe altogether; virdi, viti, virki are as many errors. 

ll. 65, 66. Cp. Rev. xiv.13; after 1. 66 some lines seem to be missing, line 67 
being of another train of idea ; so, too, after 1. 70 some lines again are missing. 

1. 75. Cp. Scotch gow-sun= mock sun; skino slurred, 

1, 76. The gates or window of the sky are meant, cp. 2 Kings vii. 2. 

1, 78. sigr-heima, what means that ? 

1. 79. cedra cannot be right. 

1. 82. kv6l-heima (kval-heima, or kvala-heima) ? 

1. 85. vanar-dreka, modelled after vanar-gandr, one of the names of the wolf 
Fenri (from a lost line of Vsp. ?) 

1, 86. Better gloeddar gétor; verses 22-24 are modelled on Vsp., where the 
Fiends are marching up to battle. 

1, 90. We have not as yet the key to this line. 

1, 94. siau saman, representing the seven days of the week ? 

vv. 25, 26. Here he enters the gates of Hell. The first sound that meets him is 
the grating of a mill. In Icelandic houses the ‘quern,’ hand-mill, on which the 
household meal is ground, is oftenest placed inside near the door. Verse 25 is, we 
hold, descriptive of Hell’s abode (not a special punishment) ; the meal that the inmates 
of Hell eat is dust. 1, 98 we would read, pd heyrdak gridtz gny, or grotta gny: is 
‘sinom’=sinnom, A.S. gesidas? or sticks the error in ‘monnom’=mundom? in 
which case we require an epithet to the ‘hands:’ for draga, of the mill, cp. Grott. 
78, as if the workers were harnessed to the mill like Samson ; otherwise the mill is 
whirled with the hands, as in the Mill Song. 

With v. 27 sqq. begins the special punishments. 

1, 105. Read moeddan, weary? 

1, 110. Altered so as to suit the metre. 

1, 112. Cp. Grimn. 44. 

1. 117. ‘marga ofegna’ should be obelised; their siz is here given, 

1. 119, Letter-stress wrong, ‘ pat’ cannot carry letter-stress. 

1, 134. vedask or yeddosk, a plain and manifest emendation. 

1, 137. Cp. Old W. Pl, 12, 15 (see notes to that passage). 

ll. 139, 140. Metre lame, the words disjointed by the copyist; we rearrange 


and read— 
Heljar hrafnar peim or hofdi slito 


sidnir sarliga, 


substituting ‘sarliga’ for hardliga. The poet often uses adverbs on -liga as end mea- 
sure in the short dialogue (Wu) line, cp, Il. 28, 102, 116, 132, 149, Chr. W. 44, 58. 
1.145. Agreeably with v. 21. 
ll, 152, 153. One might read— 


Laso helgar boekr ok himna-skript 
Englar peim yfir. 


Skript is else in poems only used of pictures, mostly of embroidered images, not of 
writien characters. 
1, 167, For ‘eiga’ read liggja (the copyist read eiga for ligia), Dict. 388 b, 
s.v. liggja V. 
ll, 172, 173. Read—phik bid-ek skilja, es oss skapat hefir, 
alla eyméom fra. a 


ll, 180, 181, These lines are famed, but whence are they drawn ? 


510 NOTES TO PAGES 211-216. [BK. Iv. 


The Christian’s Wisdom, (p. 211.) 


The ¢itle is our making. MSS. the same as preceding poem. 

For an Old English (A.S.) notice of Sins, see Cotton, Nero II, where the list 
runs thus—(gastromargia) ingluvies, fornicando, (filargia) avaricia, sive amor pecuniz ; 
ira; tristitia, sive anxietas, sive tedium vite; accidia; (cynodoxia) iactantia, sive 
vana gloria; superbia. 

v. I. Following the lead of Bugge we place these lines at the head. In MS. they 
are thrust in between App. v. 3 and Sun Song, v. 46. 

1. 3. Cp. Helgi i. 152. 

1. 8. vega, for the metre’s sake. 

1, 12. gangandi, superabundant. 

1. 15. hann, i.e. the benighted guest; 1. 17, of the host. 

1. 20. We propose, pvi hinn sagdisk valadr vesa, for he (the stranger) said he 
was poor. 

ll. 31, 32. Text unsafe, metre and flow not right; ‘hon’ cannot carry letter- 
stress; an 4-word perhaps dropped, hon skal (slurred) haliga lifa ? 

1. 33. Read, audi né heill, wealth nor luck. 

1. 34. Read, pétt hénom gangi greitt, 

1, 36. sittom, one would prefer sdkom or sk6pom—the course of fate. 

1. 54. Cp. Old W. Pl. 306, 

1. 57. i flestom st6dom should be obelised. 

1, 63. A word i is missing, for ‘ pvi at peir’ must be icanned as slur, and so is here 
but ome measure; we might read, pvi at peir menn hverfa es munom fylgja, the 
men who follow the desires of their heart. 

ll. 67-72 are all mangled, a mere jumble of words. Note that the retribution 
first follows inl. 75 (nu pau. ..); hence in the preceding lines their sims are given 
running up to a climax. In 1 67 we fancy ‘érnom’ beneath sarom, how they 
feasted sumptuously at their fireside; yet it is quite obscure: 1. 69. Read, 4 afl sitt 
(or aud sinn) pau trido: Il. 71, 72 quite awry in metre and wording; the sense 
underlying gleams through, i.e. Their ways run counter to the will or command 
of God Almighty. 

1. 75. Here follows the apodosis. 

1. 79. golli pé heiti is required by the following words, see |. 86. 

1. 82. Quantity wrong: read, pé es hann lagdi 4 Vigulfs vald=selja sialfdezmi, cp. 
O. H., Hkr. p. 330—ték hann pann kost at leggja allt 4 vald konungs, bedi sik ok 
riki sitt. 

1. 83, Enn hénom at télom vard, an aside. For the ‘h’m’ of the vellum the 
copyist read ‘hin,’ 

1. go. Ryedale sounds like a Northman’s version of a Gaelic place-name. 

1. 102. Disir Dréttins mala (Scriptures) =Holy Virgins, Women Saints? 

1. 104. haga, ep. vol. ii, p. 334, 1. 56. 

Il, 111, 112. Corrupt and meaningless. 

1. 115. Read, allz andvani. 

1, 116. Saying. Is still in use, Reader 260, No. 53. 

v. 30. Quite amiss, though the sense just looms behind the mess of letters : dém- 
valdz, cp. démaldi, Yt. 26. In 1, 119 we espy ‘ ping-logi’ beneath pangat : we read— 

pinglogi h... par ek heitinn vask; 
i.e. J was told to begone, having failed to come in due time; cp. eda heitid mik 
hedan, Lokas, 28, 





; 7 
: 
4 
§ 
a 
: 
. 
/ 
: 





TS Pee? ee Se See 


a eo 


EI ange BO ay ee 7 


- ed 
ew 








ee EEE NEESER 
te " haw 





ii NOTES TO PAGES 216-220. 511 


1, 121. sitkir, for metre’s sake. The meaning, ‘The wages of sin is death,’ 

1, 123. Cp. Rom, xiii. 4, ‘ But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid.’ 

1. 127. sv4 mon gefask yields no sense; we propose, svik muno gefask, falsehood 
will get its due when they shall walk in the paths of fire. 

vv. 34-36. From the Havamal collection ; suits better in here as a fragment of a 
lost Fable. Appendix, ll. 1-8, quite a riddle, the text altogether unsafe. 

ll. 9-12. Epilogue. The hart’s horn filled with mysteries, see Proverb Song, |. 32. 

1. 14. Niord’s nine daughters? We are told of Heimdal’s nine mothers, of 
Okeanos’ nine daughters. Does Niord figure here as a god of the sea? 


BOOK IV. Lay of Hymi, (p. 220.) 


All the Lays of this book (except Hymi’s Lay, which we have put here for the 
metre’s sake, and because of its other poetical characteristics) make up the earliest 
authentic historical documents of Northern History, hence they should be sub- 
mitted to a keen and sympathetic, though not destructive criticism, every word and 
sentence being weighed and looked into. 

The Lay of Hymi is one of the best known mythic lays of. our collection; 
perhaps the raciest of them all. Incidents of it have served as subjects to the 
Saga-makers; we can point out striking scenes manifestly drawn from it, in 
Fereyinga and Grettis Saga. 

1. The two orphan boys, Sigmund and his cousin, are wandering in the snow 
upon the Dofrafells, weary and wayless :—‘‘ One evening they found a chim or 
gully on the mountain and followed along it, and at last they perceived the 
smell of smoke, and soon came upon a homestead, and went up to it, and came 
into a room where two women were sitting; the one of them was stricken in 
years, but the other was a little girl, and both were fair to look on. They wel- 
comed the boys, and took off their clothes and put dry clothes upon them, and 
made haste to give them food to eat, and took care of them, and then put them 
to bed, telling them that they did not wish them to be in the goodman’s sight 
when he came home, for they said that he was a rough-tempered man. 

‘Sigmund woke at the coming of a man into the room. He was a big man in 
a reindeer pelt-coat with a reindeer on his back, and he cast up his nostrils and 
asked who had come there. The goodwife said that there had come two boys, 
poor little wretches, cold and so sore an-hungered that they were well-nigh 
starved to death. He answers, ‘It is just the quickest way for us to be found out, 
for thee to take folks into our house, and so I have often told thee.’ ‘I could 
not bear,’ said the goodwife, ‘to let two such pretty boys die here close to our 
house.’ Then the goodman let the matter pass, and they fell to their meat and 
then went to bed, There were two beds in the room, the goodman and his wife 
lay in one and the goodfolk’s daughter in the other, and a bed was made up 
for the boys in the room. Early in the morning the goodman was afoot, and he 
spoke to the boys, ‘I am willing to let you stop here to-day, as the women wish 
it, if it please you so to do.” They’ said that they would be right glad to do 
so.” —Fereyinga, ch. 9. 

2. In Gretti, the well-known scene in ch. 50 (Edit. 1853) of the Fetching of the 
Ox. If we look at it, it appears beyond doubt that we have here an episode of our 
Lay, adapted to and localised in Reekhills, in the west of Iceland. Gretti here 
plays the parts of Thor; Thormod and Thorgar of Giant Hymi; only in the Land- 
ing Scene the parts are reversed, that Gretti carries the bull home (the hardest task 





B12 ' NOTES TO PAGES 220-221. [BK. IV, 


to the Saga-maker’s mind), whilst the Foster-brothers draw the ship ashore, The 
Gretti-story is modelled on Il. 64-79, 95-105 of our Lay; Fereyinga on Il. 27-45. 
There are thus three component parts of our Grettis Saga: (1) Mythical, Gretti- 
Beowulf, Gretti-Thor, Gretti-Tram, etc.; (2) Historical, the smallest of the three; 
(3) Romantic-padding by a late hand, from French medizval tales and the like. 

3. Lastly, in Edda, Gg. (though the author mainly draws on other poems), we 
recognise the Rowing Scene in prose paraphrase. 

This is not without use for our text, for in all these instances we learn that the 
Lay the Saga-makers had in mind, was in parts fuller than the Lay as we have it 
in R and A, lines having dropped out; as one would infer even from the stunted, 
abrupt character of verses ever and anon throughout the song. The minstrel, 
from whom the text of R was taken down, no longer knew the Lay in full, though 
in the main he remembered the brightest parts. We miss the name of the Bull, 
himin-hridér [the reading of 1 e 8 to Thulor 447], the Heavenly Bull. | 

Cp. also Jack the Giant Killer hidden in the oven by the giant’s wife when he 
comes to steal the giant’s treasure, his golden hen, harp, etc. Indeed Jack is really 
Thor; like him he kills a many-headed giant by craft, and we can from the modern 
English chap-books even recover lost legends of Thor’s exploits in Giant-land, e. g. 
where Jack gets the stupid giant to disembowel himself, or hangs three-headed ogres. 

With chapter 14 of Grettis Saga cp. also the chap-book Story of Tom Tram, part 
ii, ch. 7, and Campbell’s Mac-a-Rusgaich, vol. ii. See Notes to Ditties, 

For the many racy characteristic kennings of this song, see the Excursus. 

1, 1. veigar is the nearest word (g=p), and it fits in with the sense: sumbl-samr 
we take to be adjective, gathered at a feast. 

1, 3. ok & hlaut s& cannot be right, for ‘ok &’ must be scanned as a slur, and 
so only two docked measures (two monosyllables) remain, which after the line pause 
is inadmissible; hence a word must have dropped out; we propose, ok hlaut-spano, 
or kicero hlaut-spano, cp. Vsp. (vol. ii, p. 68) 1. 189. 

1. 4. cerkost, better cerkosto, cp. Atlam. 219 (fem.), means abundance, and never 
want, scarcity; hence Dict. 767 a, s.v. dele II. 

ll. 5 sqq. are somewhat over-chary of words, owing maybe to lines being missing ; 
1. 6. miskor-blindi or mistor-? from mista or miska, akin to UIf. maihstus. A genitive 
of weak feminines in -wr is found in the old Gutalagh (Isle of Gotland), and remains 
in the speech of that interesting island to the present day: it is also found in about 
four or five instances in Swedish Runic stones from other countries, thus kirkia, 
kona, gen. sing. kirkiur, konur; cp. Gothic -onz, whence presumably -oz, -or. In 
Icelandic the only traces are a few compounds, such as miscor, and eisor-fala (from 
eisa, embers), Thulor 107, Mokkor-kalfi.—[ The late Carl Siive, a native of Gotland.] 

1, 7. i pra, see Dict. 743 b, s.v. 2. 

1. 9. ord-beginn ‘halr,’ it is strange to call Thor this, since ‘ hann’ in the following 
line must refer to the giant. The fact is, we have not the full text left. 

1. 10, Awry; the letter-stress cannot rest on ‘hann,’ 

1, 13. ne (not né) pat, better ne pann, viz, hver. 

1. 15. Tew is here represented as the Giant’s son,—quite peculiar to our Lay, 

1. 24. Egil, Hymi’s retainer, as it seems, lives in a cottage near the Giant’s hall. 
At his byre they leave the goats and walk up to the-hall, Egil plays the part of 
the goodman and goodwife in the story in Edda (Gg.): 1. 25. hann, viz. Egil. 

ll, 27 sqq. Here begins the parallel passage to Fereyinga. The two women at 
home ; one an old beldame, the giant’s gammer; the other, the giant’s wife, Tew’s 
mother, young, bright—a strange and beautiful contrast, The giant is away hunting, 


Sie‘) id 
Pea eee | eres rhs 


eh pe te et al us 


Se Sr 


a 








{aoe ST 


Ms 


i 
Ee ned 


Pe we 


re 





Ve Oe 3 ee ae, Soe 
> a 


tl 
i aaa 








§1.] NOTES TO PAGES 221-223. 513 


comes home frowning, scents the new-comers—two boys stowed away behind or 
beneath the cauldron. Fancy the grim humour of the Thunderer in such plight! 
The Saga is the same tale mellowed and humanised. We can, indeed, correct our 
poem from it, reading 1, 32 hug-litla tvé or the like, ye wee, cow’ring, tim’rous 
things! attnidr idtna (1. 31) is not right; the giant’s wife recognises her son Tew, . 
‘my dear boy,’ or the like. 

1, 31. For metre’s sake transpose and read, ykkr viljak. 

1, 33. For ‘fri’ read fridill, over, husband, though she is, as’ it were, a capture- 
wife, and probably of the race of the Anses, for Tew is no giant’s son. 

1, 34. In the Saga the boys are put to bed, at peir yrdi eigi fyrir bonda er hann 
kemr, ‘kvad hann vera stygg-lyndan.’—[Saga. ] 

ll, 35 sqq. We miss in the Lay the game he carried home; after 1, 38 one 
looks for a line describing the giant frowning, and his wife appeasing him. 

1, 42. ‘ hrédr’ or ‘hroedr’ can hardly be right, some giant name disguised. 

1. 44. We must needs mend, se pu hvera setta, behold the cauldrons in a row 
under the gable end! or, se pu und hverom sitja, behold them sitting under the 
cauldron! sva forda ser, hiding themselves, The giant looks towards them, and the 
stone pillar is rent before his glance; but the cauldron breaks the force of his fiery 
eyes, and the boys come forth unscathed. 1. 47. for ‘4dr’ read ¢allr.’ 

ll, 54 sqq. Their meal and going to bed, cp. here the Lay of Thrym. 

ll. 64 sqq. The fetching of the bait; here we miss the name of the Bull—Ymir bad 
hann sialfan fa ser beitor; p& sneri pdérr Abraut pangat er hann s4 cexna flokk 
nokkvorn, er Ymir Atti; hann ték inn mesta oxann, er Himin-hriddr hét, ok sleit af 
hofudit [Edda], clearly a paraphrase from our song, but fuller, 

ll. 74 sqq. Here begins the Fishing Scene, which comes in Gretti Saga. After 
1. 73 there seems to be a blank; the lines 74, 75 (verk pikkja pin) would refer to 
Thor’s breaking the gear of the giant’s craft. See the Saga—Reri pormddr i halsi, 
enn porgeirr i fyrir-rimi, enn Grettir { skut . .. Grettir dré p& fast rarnar medan 
porgeirr boetti at hanom; enn er porgeirr gaf upp at roa, hdfdu sv luizt ararnar at 
Grettir hristi ber i sundr 4 bordinu. pormddr kuad betra at roa minna ok bridta ekki. 

ll. 76-77. Paraphrased in Edda (Gg.)—pérr kvazt vilja roa miklo lengra; ok 
téku peir enn snerti-rédr; sagdi Ymir pd at beir véro komnir sva langt ut at hett 
var at sitja fyrir Midgardz-ormi ; enn Hérr kvazk mundo roa enn um hrid (Il. 76-79); 
ok sv& goerdi hann; enn Ymir var pa all-ukatr (Il. 95, 96): Il. 78, 79 are evidently 
mangled; metre and flow destroyed. The meaning is, that they would come upon 
the Serpent Jormungand (hidden under ‘ sa iotun sina?’) if they went farther. 

Il. 80-94. Gretti Saga has no use for the Serpent Scene. 1, 80, read meirr 
(farthermore), cp. Lay of Righ 5 and oftener: 1. go. hnit-brédir =frater germanus? 
1, 92. somewhat obscure; we restore the verb to the singular, for hrein-galkn must 
mean a beast, cp, Finn-galkn ; what can ‘hélkn’ be here? |. 94. s& fiskr, some name 
for the Serpent, perhaps ‘ sidan” should also be obelised. 

ll, 95-98. From the Edda paraphrase one would think these lines ought to 
stand after 1. 79; but they are wanting in flow, and not quite safe. 

Il, 98 seqq. Here Gretti Saga resumes the story. The parallels are curious and 
unmistakable—Grettir spyr, hvArt peir vildi heldr fara heim med oxann eda setja 
upp skipit (Il. 98-100), For mundo, see Dict., s.v. muno B. III. 

ll. 101-103. ‘ ok settu peir upp med dllum sianum er { yar ok idklinum’ [Saga]. 

1. 104. hann, better ‘hinn,’ for Giant Hymi is meant. Note that ‘ brim-svin’ 
means the whales, prop. sea-hogs, porpoises; hence in Excursus, vol. ii, p. 458, 
move that word down and add under Porrotsss— brim-svin, Hym. 104.’ It is the 

L 1 


514 NOTES TO PAGES 223-235. [BK. IV. 


giant that carries the catch home, whilst Thor houses the boat. In Gretti, as 
marked above, the tasks are reversed. 

1. 105. This line does not fit in here; it rather seems to belong to the following 
scene, the hurling or breaking of the cup and the cauldron (hver). 

ll, 106-109. kroptorligan is a strangely formed Gr. Aey. The sense seems to be 
this—Says the Giant, ‘To row and break oars and craft is a small matter; but only 
try to break my cup!’ 

ll, 114-117. Tew’s mother, the giant’s wife, here, Delilah-like, betrays the giant’s 
secret—only if dashed against his pate can the cup be cracked: Astrad, cp. |. 16: 
hard-ari, two-measured; see notes to Lay of Thrym. 

ll, 124, 125. Not quite clear. One is tempted to read, Kiallandi kvaé, meaning 
the old beldam, the giant’s mother, who has never said a word all the time, though 
- duly introduced (ll. 27, 28). 

ll, 126 sqq. The Cauldron Scene: |, 133. the famous line to which Thorodd the 
gtammarian alludes in his phrase, heyrdi til héddo es érr bar hverinn, It struck 
Mr. Carlyle—‘ Thor, after many adventures, clapping the pot on his head, like a 
huge hat, and walking off with it—quite lost in it, the ears of the pot reaching 
down to his heels—a kind of vacant hugeness, large awkward gianthood, charac- 
terises that Norse system; enormous force, and yet altogether untutored, stalking 
helpless with large uncertain strides’ [Lecture on Heroes]. The image figures to 
us the black thundercloud-capped sky—an Ivernian, pre-Aryan, pre-Teutonic simile, 
one should say. We still in Iceland liken a black cloud-capped sky to a ‘ pot turned 
upside down,’ 

ll. 134-140. The Pursuit : 1. 134. we have added the suffixed negative: 1. 140. 
Cd. A. here reads hraun-Vali, the Gauls of the wilds=the giants, which fits in with 
1, 67 above, and is, we take it, the right reading, for hraun-hvalr is at best a hybrid 
simile. 

ll. 141-144. The scene differently given in Edda (Gg.) After 140 some lines seem 
lost, telling how they returned to Egil, and, harnessing the goats, found the one lame: 
1, 143. ‘skirr skokuls’ is hardly right ; in Thulor, 1. 464, we find ske-motr, a name 
of the he-goat; what if ske-motoll be the word, drawn from our poem ? 

1. 147. ‘hann’ cannot carry the letter-stress, We read hann-laun, i. e. hand-laun, 
‘handfee,’ surety, fine (A.S. hond-ledn), and thus we recover an old law term, 

1. 151. veorr skyli; certainly so. The poet is fond of calling Thor so, cp. Il, 43, 
64, 83. 

1, 152. A calendary name, the late autumn; cp. Gr. pO.vdmwpor. 


Hyndla’s Lay: Hyndlo-liod, (p. 226.) 
See Reconstructed Text, vol. ii, p. 515, and notes to the same at the end of vol. ii. 


The Lay of Righ, (p. 235.) 

This poem, quite alone in its class, gives the historian really valuable material for 
the most important part of his task—a true judgment of the state of society during 
a very notable epoch, Professor Rogers has shown in his learned and instructive 
History of Prices the profit to which such indications may be turned; the author of 
our poem has done in his own way for the early years of the Northern settlement in 
the West what Chaucer and Langland and Eglinton did later for the fourteenth 
‘century, a much less important era. 

The poem, though derived from but one late MS., is better preserved on the whole 
than the bulk of the poems in R, and where it is out of joint or broken, it often gives 








§ 2.] 


one notable emendation. 


summed up thus :— 


THRALL. 

Form— 

swarthy skin, 

bent back, 

thick, crooked fingers, 

[black haired], 

long heeled, 

thin shanked, 

snub nose. 


Baby, dusky. 


DrREss— 
Man, grey coat. 





Woman, tatters, 
swaddling-clothes of sack- 
cloth, 


—_ 
a 


Conp1TIOoN— 

unmarried, pigging’in the 
7 u 

thrall. | 


Se nS 
eed = 





Foop— 

bran-bread loaves, thick, 
i heavy, 
[buttermilk, porridge ?] 
no table, no cloth. 


OccupaTION AT HOME— 

chattering and whisper- 
ing, 

[women at household 
drudgery. ] 


WoRK ABROAD— 

. productive, menial— 

| bast-binding, load-mak- 
| ing, faggot - bearing, 
j fence-building, peat- 

: digging, swine-tend- 

| ing, goat - herding, 

| dunging land. 








; . -— oe Pe ee ae Re De 
. pay soe: PO te roe ral e™ en 
ae a en 
ee eat S.A ; ; 


NOTES TO PAGES 234-235. 


YEOMAN, 


ruddy skin. 


[brown haired]. 


red and ruddy, rolling 
eyes. 


Man, trim beard and 
hair, 
fastened shirt. 

[wadmal coat. ] 
Woman, hooked cap, 
smock and kerchief, 
pin- brooches on the 

shoulders, 
goat-skin coat, keys in 

belt, 
bridal veil of linen, 
swaddling-clothes _ of 
linen, child washed. 
married, wife — driven 
home, 
free. 


[barley loaf] on a 
trencher, 

veal, 

broth in a bowl [ale], 

table, no cloth. 


man carpentering, or at 
loom, 

woman spinning, 

wadmal making. 


productive and mate- 
rial— 

ox-breaking, plow-build- 
ing, house-timbering, y 
barn- making, cart- 
building, cart-driving. 





Ll2 


515 


a clue to the right reading. The Thulor, as noticed, pp. 234-235, has yielded 


The table of the three degrees—Thrall, Yeoman, and Gentleman—may be 


GENTLEMAN. 


white skinned, 

yellow haired, 

bright eyed. 

Lady, slender fingered, 


hair yellow, rosy cheeks, 
flashing eyes like a 
. young serpent’s. 


Man, [ missing, red cloth 
coat, fine hose?] 


Woman, a high steeple- 
cap, 

blue sark, long sashes, 

a round brooch on her 
breast, 

bridal veil of fine linen, 

swaddling-clothes of silk, 
child washed, 


married, wife driven 
home in state, 
noble. 


loaves of wheat, thin, 
brittle, 

ham and roast game in 
silver-mounted dishes, 

wine in a can, with 
beaker silver-mounted, 

a cloth of bleached linen, 
[sideboard and] table. 


man trimming arrows, 
twisting bow-string, 

woman embroidering, 
trimming, smoothing 
her dress. 


unproductive and spiri- 
tual— 

shield - making, bow- 
bending, arrow-shaft- 
ing, fencing, swim- 
ming, riding, dice- 
playing, table-playing, 


0 OO ea ee 
Gite ae 


516 NOTES TO PAGES 234-235. [BK. Iv. 


THRALL, YEOMAN. GENTLEMAN. 
warring, ruling, keep- 
ing soldiers, bird-club- 
bing—using charms of 
good medicine, show- 
ing knowledge of his- 
tory, of the speech of 
birds, of stanching 
wounds, and allaying 
sorrows. 








There is something sympathetic about the notice of the thrall, half-scornful 
though it be. But compare it with Carlyle’s noble paragraph :— 

‘Venerable to me is the hard hand, crooked, coarse; wherein notwithstanding 
lies a cunning virtue, indefeasibly royal as of the sceptre of this Planet. Venerable, 
too, is the rugged face, all weather-tanned, besoiled, with its rude intelligence, for it 
is the face of a Man living man-like. Oh, but the more venerable for thy rudeness, 
and even because we must pity as well as love thee. Hardly entreated Brother, for 
us was thy back so bent, for us were thy straight limbs and fingers so deformed, 
Thou wert our Conscript on whom the lot fell, and fighting our battles wert so 
marred,”—Sartor, bk. iii, ch. 4. 

The dignity of rough work as here set forth is, as Mr. Ruskin shows, a wholly 
modern idea, having its root in early Christianity. There is a little-known passage 
from Hegesippos, which is worth citing in this place; when speaking of the early 
Persecution, he says— 

** There were yet alive of the kindred of the Lord the two grandsons of Judah, 
who was his brother according to the flesh. And these men were informed against as 
being of the kindred of David, and the Evocatus brought them [from Batanza in 
the far East] before Domitian Caesar [4.D. 95], for he was afraid of the coming of 
the Christ even as Herod had been. And he enquired of them, whether they were 
of the kindred of David. And they said that they were. Then he enquired of 
them what possession they had, and of what wealth they were the masters. And 
they both said that they were worth no more than 9,000 pence, half of which be- 
longed to each of them. And this sum they declared that they had not in money, 
but in the worth of their land, which was only 39 plethra [acres], from which they 
drew money for the taxes, and maintained themselves labouring with their own 
hands. Moreover they held up their hands before him, the hardness of their bodies 
testifying to their toil, and the thick skin upon their very hands, the stamp of their 
unceasing labour, confirming the same. And when they were asked concerning the 
Christ and his Kingdom, of what kind it was, and where and when it should appear, 
they declared that it was not of this world, nor upon earth, but that it was heavenly 
and angelic, and that it would come at the end of the age, when He should come in 
His glory to judge the quick and the dead, and render to every man his deserts. And 
Domitian, finding no guilt in them, but despising them as men of no account, sent 
them away free, and put a stop by decree to the Persecution of the Church. And 
they, being released, were honoured of the Churches [as bishops or overseers], both 
as being Witnesses to the same, and as being of the kindred of the Lord. And when 
the peace was made in the days of Trajan they were yet alive.”—Eusebius, Church 
Hist., Bk. iii. 

In the poem it is interesting to notice how the spiritual life ts confined to the 
gentlefolks, the royal race have the birthright of science; in olden days men were 
‘born healers,’ seventh sons of seventh sons, Esculapids, and the like. The gift of 





> 


q £4 2 . 
, sp Os Bi 
_-. ee So. fale —p 


eae a 





a 














§ 2.] NOTES TO PAGES 234-235. 517 


Edward the Confessor was perhaps but the Christian reflection of a heathen notion, 
that the king in his priestly character had a virtue in him. 

A very interesting and true account of the actual thrall’s life in Norway in 1025 
is given in the Life of St. Olaf; and it is highly to the credit of the lord,—that 
Erling whose dirge was sung by Sighwat, see vol. ii, p. 137 :— 

“Erling always kept thirty thralls in his household besides other servants. He 
used to set every thrall his day’s work; and after that was done he gave them time 
and leave to do what work they would for themselves in the twilight and in the 
evening. He gave them tilled land to sow corn for themselves, and to carry the 
crop to their own profit [cp, the allotment ground, which too many landlords 
have deprived the English poor of in the past]. He set upon every one of 
them his price and ransom, And many were able to buy their freedom the first or 
second year, but all, who thrived at all, could free themselves in three years’ time. 
With the money he got in this way, Erling bought other servants; and he gave his 
freedmen a means of livelihood, some at the herring fishing and some in other 
ways of gaining a livelihood. Some cleared the forest and made themselves farms 
there; and all of them he put into some good way of living.” Erling was both wiser 
and more humane than Cato: such households as his made Norway richer than 
before. In ch. 104 Erling’s thralls are noticed as corn-sellers. - 

In the Lives of Kings there are two passages preserved which seem to come from 
the lost part of this song, and so help us to some idea of the verses which have 
perished, The first of these is an interpolation in Ari’s preface to his Lives of 
Kings, The Funeral of King Dan: ‘And when Dan the Magnificent, King of 
the Danes, had a howe made for himself, and bade them bear him to it when he 
was dead, with his king’s raiment and his harness of war, and his steed with his 
saddle and gear, and much treasure to boot,—then many of the men of his race did 
so afterward, and so the age of barrow-burial arose in Denmark'.’ The second is 
the gloss in the Ynglinga Saga; ‘Dyggwi’s~mother was Drott, the daughter of 
Danp, the son of Righ, the first who was called king in the Danish Tongue ; the men 
of his race ever afterwards held the name of king as the name of highest rank... 
Queen Drott was the sister of King Dan the Magnificent, after whom Denmark is 
named.’ The poem may well have been by a man of Danish descent. 

Farther, we have Arngrim’s record, mentioned p. 234 :— 

‘Rigus nomen fuit viro cuidam inter magnates sui temporis non infimo. Is 
Danpri cujusdam domini in Danpsted filiam duxit uxorem, cui Dana nomen erat; qui 
deinde regis titulo in sua illa provincia acquisito, filium ex uxore Dana, Dan sive 
Danum, heredem reliquit, cujus Dani, paternam ditionem jam adepti, subditi omnes 
Dani dicebantur.’—Arngrim, Supplementa, MS. 

The parallelisms are of greatest help in fixing the text, noting the gaps and other 
blemishes of the text. 

1. 1. This genitive is a favourite with the poet, ll. 5, 20, etc., even with setjask, 
1, 12; in prose ganga leidar sinnar, cp. German geh deines pfades! seiner wege 
gegangen (Goethe). 

1. 2. According to the prose introduction (vol. ii, p. 532) Heimdall’s name must 
have stood here; we can supply the epithet hvitan (Lay of Thrym, |. 60) followed 
by some other h-word, 





1 *Enn sidan er Danr inn Mikillati Dana konungr lét ser haug goera, ok baud sik 
pangat bera daudan med konungs skridi ok her-bunadi, ok hest hans med sdéul- 
reidi, ok mikit f6 annat, enn hans ztt-menn goerdo margir sva sidan, ok héfsk far 
haugs-6ld par i Danmork.’—[Lives of Kings, Preface.] 


518 NOTES TO PAGES 235-238. [BK. Iv. 


1. 3. In ‘Askunnigan’ we recognise As-kungan, one of the race of Anses, god- 
born, celestial, cp. Old W. Pl. 111, and Vsp. 54, where we surmise the same. 

1, 4. Stiganda, the Strider, Walker (occurs as nickname in Eyrb. ch. 61). Thus 
Heeni, a double of Heimdall, is called the ‘Swift Anse,’ the ‘ ooze-foot,’ the ‘ long- 
legged one;’ Heimdall, the sire of men walking the earth. See Introduction, p. cii, 
for fuller discussion, 

1. 8. Between lines 8 and 9 some lines, answering to 54-61, have dropped out, 
recounting Ai’s and Edda’s dress and the menial work they had in hand. 

1. 14. What here follows we have transposed to the section of Amma and Afi; 
we miss the relish of the Thrall Household, probably butter-milk and porridge in 
a wooden bowl]; no table presumably. 

1, 23. Possibly nothing is here missing; but, in analogy with 1. 78, we ought to 
read horfi sveipdo, they swaddled him in sackcloth, thorr’ here denoting some 
coarse cloth, 

1, 24. We would, following the parallelisms of 1. 80, move this line down four 
lines— 

Hann nam at vaxa ok vel dafna, 
nam hann meirr at pat, etc, 


1. 28. We read ‘lotinn,’ for ‘lotr’ is no word (lutr one may say, Sol, 13); but 
Icelanders say lotinn of bent back. 

ll, 32 sqq. Note how they couple ‘under the bush:’ nidr-biugt nef, cp. Bk. vi, 
No. 59: pirt, repeated 1. 38, strangely formed feminine; else py-r, gen. pyj-ar. 

1. 36. We read hitina ; huss is inadmissible, (1) in sense—‘ son of the house’ is a 
Hebrew, not a Norse term; and even if it were it would but ill fit the thrall; (2) in 
metre, for two docked measures after the line pause are abnormal, cp. note to 
Hym. 3. 

1. 40. We find elsewhere, dréttr, Skida R. 120; kefsir, Thulor, 222; pirr, 221; 
Ysja, nickname in Sturl. i. 287; totrug-hypja, Helgi i. 180; ‘ prela-heiti standa i 
Rigs pulo,’ vol. ii, p. 545. 

1, 52. Note the gradation, hus 6, holl 52, salr 98, house, home, hall, as it were. 

1. 57. skokkr vas 4 golfi is strange here, we expect a piece of dress; ‘4 golfi’ 
may be but a repetition from 3; read skokkr (some waistcoat-like jacket) vas 4 
bringo, answering to the goodwife’s smokkr. 

1, 61. dvergar is clearly wrong; dverg, a pillar, never could mean a pin or brooch 
on the shoulder; we read ‘dalkr vas 4 Oxlom,’ or better ‘dalgr,’ the older form, 
Gaelic dealg; the archetypus presumably had dalgr, which the scribe read du’gr, 
the likeness would be deceptive, ‘dvergr’ being well known, while dalgr would be 
unfamiliar; for dalk is a Gaelic loan-word, meaning here the common pin to the 
plaid ; Mother, 1. 107, wears a golden brooch (kinga), a coin with a hook and pin. 
fastened to it. For types of fibula, see O. Montelius’ well illustrated and careful 
study. 

ll. 66 sqq. Here we miss the loaf, probably a bannock of barley ; the table (bidd) 
would be a wooden one without cloth; the ‘skutlar’ wooden plates or trenchers; 
sod=broth. ‘These lines, as noted pp. 234, 235, have been moved down from. 
Edda to Gammer. 

1, 83. Cart, a foreign word: plég, here a waggon. 

1. 84. hangin-lukla, cp. Lay of Thrym 64; mark the goat-skin jacket. 

1,87. Sounds too gentlefolk-like; we would move it down, substituting it for 
1, 161. 









| 
. 
. 
; 
: 
; 
: 
: 


i ae ee ae ees 








§ 2.] NOTES TO PAGES 238-242. 519 


1. 92. Breid-skeggr, cp. vol. ii, p. 280, 1. 53. 

Il. 93-95, as noted p, 235, the yeoman’s daughters’ names are those of gentle 
ladies, while the earl’s daughters are missing, hence we have moved them to their 
proper place, supplying the gap from Thulor 179, 180, following the text 
of Cd, r. 

1. 99. hringr, used as a knocker, cp, Less. Loddf. v. 20. 

l, 104. Here lines are missing, viz. Father’s dress. 

1. 105. hugdi at Grmom cannot be right; ‘hannérd,’ woman’s handiwork, em- 
broidery, is the word underlying (h...at grm ...=hanngrd), see Dict. 239 a, and 
hannr, hannarst, Bk. vi, No. 77. 

1. 107. keistr is no word; we read ‘keikr,’ strutting, of the steeple-chase head- 
gear as seen in Middle English and French pictures: kinga (see Dict. s, v.), a brooch 
of silver or gold, 

1, 114. merktan, see mark IV, (Dict. 413). 

ll. 118-120 partly put right ; yet the trenchers, not the table, were silver-mounted. 
One would read— 3 

Fram bar hon skutla, fulla... 
silfri varda, setti & bidd, 
fleski forn, fogla steikda, etc.: 


skutill, canna, and kalkr are all foreign loan-words. 

Il. 132, 133 call to mind Paul the Deacon’s picture of young Grimwald—Erat 
enim ipse puerulus eleganti forma, micantibus oculis, lacteo crine perfusus.—Bk., iv, 
ch. 37. 

Il. 137, 138. frakka, Thulor 287, cp. framea (franca) of Tacitus. 

1. 138. htinom verpa, cp. Hornklofi 28, Riddl. v. 25. 

1. 140. Gangandi we take as a nickname, cp. Stigandi 4. 

1. 144. The repetition is unusual, except with the Tapestry poet ; possibly another 
word is to be substituted, . 

1. 150. va til landa, to win lands by one’s sword, as in the Wicking-tide ; vol. ii, 
Pp. 75, V. 8, echoes the same idea, 

1, 153. mésma, an else unknown word. 
ll. 156 sqq. Have been put right by Bugge, only we read er/a (Countess). 
1. 161. We would here read— 
Bigggo hidn, bauga deildo, 
breiddo bleejor, ok bu geerdo, 
ettir idko, ok aldrs nuto. 


A gentle life is depicted in these lines. 

ll. 169, 170. See above and Thulor 177, 178. 

1. 172. benda ‘ hlifar ;’? benda is elsewhere used of the bow; perhaps read tyvid 
bendo, Thulor 295. 

1,175. evin- is an unusual form, al-rinar, allar ok... (love runes?), Spell 
Song 29. 

1.179. We read, sir at svefja; the archetype would, judging from the shape of 
the letters hereby indicated, seem to have been a vellum of the twelfth or early 
thirteenth century; cp, Havam. 11, 17, Helgi i. 314. 

1, 183. cedlask, here as a law term, to enter into one’s heritage. 

1, 187. This bird-club still survives in our English ‘ squirrel-bolt.’ It is originally, 
as in the Egyptian monuments, a ‘boomerang,’ though it now retains no mark of 
its origin. 


520 NOTES TO PAGES 242-244. — [BK. Iv. 


1. 194. We would propose to read— 
zegi kanna, unnir ritfa, 
to explore the sea and cleave the waves. 
For the rest of the poem see above. If our hypothesis as to the interpolation be 


true, this song ended like Beowulf’s with a mighty funeral, thus giving the pageantry 
of birth, marriage, and death. 


Fnglingatal: Generation of the Ynglings, (p. 244.) 

The materials for the text of this poem, the means of restoration, etc., are (1) the 
citations in Ynglinga Saga, (2) the paraphrase contained in Ynglinga Saga, (3) the 
two Lists we have given in vol. ii, pp. 521-523. The Saga and Lists were drawn 
from the poem when full and pure, whilst the citations appear to have been inserted 
by a later hand, and from a curtailed and in many ways impure text, The pedigree 
is exactly the same as in Wolospa (see vol. ii, p. 642)— 


x 
I 


r “ 
A. The full poem, lost a. Curtailed text 





The Saga Paraphrase and Lists. The Citations in Ynglinga Saga. 


The ensuing Notes will we trust afford abundant proofs of this, 

The plan of the poem.—It falls into strophes, one to each king or link in the 
generation: each strophe again falls into Jine-pairs or brace of lines, strung together 
(Hebrew-like) by a copula, ‘ ok’ (about forty times), ‘pa es’ (some thirteen times), 
or other particles. In a poem worked out with such art, we may take it for granted 
that originally all these stanzas had exactly the same number of pairs; though in the 
present state they are unequal, the highest being of five pairs. Taking five as the 
normal number, we get the following statistics— 

Two strophes (1, xxv1) have two line-pairs—three lost, 

Fifteen strophes (u—vil, 1X, X, XII, XVIII, XIX, XxI—xxIv) three pairs—two lost. 

Nine strophes (v1, xl, XIV-XVI, XVII, XxX, xxv, xxv1) four pairs—one lost. 

One strophe (x111) five pairs—none lost ? 

Hence, of the still existing twenty-seven strophes, numbering ninety line-pairs, 
forty-five, or exactly one third, are lost, In stanzas where but one single fact was 
on tecord, the poet, to fill up the space, resorted to variation of image, by different 
words, where he shows himself a great master. In other cases we have to be on 
our guard. The names and surnames of the kings, the place of the burial, the-mode 
of death, as given in the Saga and in the Lists, must a// once have stood in the 
Lay, either in the lost pairs or pair, or in now-existing but corrupt lines. Many of 
the lost pairs may have contained the number of the successive kings in the poem. 

Altogether lost are—(1) the Introduction, whereof no traces are now on record ; 
(2) certain links—(a) at the beginning only one, we take it, has been lost, viz. that to 
Yngwi-Frey ; for from Haleygatal, 1. 44, as well as from the words in the Preface to 
Kings’ Lives, we conclude that Yngwi-Frey stood at the head as Arch-Sire of all the 
race, We have added below the new number in brackets, Yngwi-Frey included. 
(6) After strophe xxvi [xxvi1] three would be lost, which calculation as to chrono- 
logy—Godfred, xxv [xxvt], died 810, Harold Fairhair, born c. 870 [see Excursus II 
to vol. ii]—gives a fair and probable result ; only Halfdane the Black cannot be 
Godfred’s son, but must be great-grandson. Fairhair himself is owtside the thirty, 
who are all ancestors of his. We take xx1 [xx1] and the following to be historical 
names, though we need not suppose that they follow strictly in descending line, 











a a a eee 


Og he Genera 





eee wee eke hice 


{ 
|s 


Ae , 
re a eT 








le i eee OO EE EE OOvovoOcOVT_TermlTlT 
OE Oe ee eee Prove A 





er aes Ss es ms ee eee ae 


= 


§ 2.] 


The metre, not fully treated in Excursus, we find, upon fresh inspection, to have this 
peculiar characteristic—in the first line of each pair, being the odd ones after a short 
slur (copula, particle"), follow two docked measures of two monosyllables, a rest of 
syllable pause to each, The second line of each pair again is regular, like in the 
Helgi or Ballad line, as is also the second half after the line-pause. Thus throughout 
the poem there is alternate sequence of docked and undocked lines, creating an agree- 
ably regulated variation in rhythm and flow. The formula for each couplet is thus— 

First line— Ok dag* | skiarr* : durniss | nidja. 
Second line— sal | vordodr : Svegdi | velti. 

The rule of the odd lines is brought before the eye by the following list of 
statistics of docked lines throughout the poem—ll, 1, 3, 5, 13, 17,19, 21, 25, 27, 31, 
37> 39; 43> 5%, 55, 57, 93, 67, 69, 71, 73, 77, 79, 81, 85, 87, 89, 91, 93, 95, 99, 
103, 109, III, 113, 115, 121, 123, 125, 127, 129, 131, 139, 145, 147, 149, 153, 
157, 159, 161, 163, 165, 167, 169, 171, 173, 175, 179 [l. 148 sounds trisyllabic]. 
Faulty in metre, and often too in sense, are ll. 7, 11, 15, 23, 29, 33, 41, 45, 47) 495 
59, 61, 65, 75, 83, 97, IO, 105, 117, 119, 133, 135,137, 143,151,155. In 
most of which cases the error lies in a stressed monosyllable having been dropped, 
so that only the slur and one measure is left. In many other cases too the sense is 
faulty, proving that the text is corrupt. 

The docked measures consist of a compound word such as dag-skiarr above; 
hence follows an interesting fact—perhaps the reason why the poet chose this metre— 
that the true bisyllabic compound kings’ names come in the first half-line, and 
scan — * | —*two measured, as—A-leifr, 171 ; God-roedr, 161; Vis-burs, 17; 
Hag-baréz, 73; Ey-steinn, 109, 149; Half-dan, 157 ; Rogn-valdr, 179; Al-rekr, 55; 
Ingi-alld, 130; Tor-undr, 69; On-undr, 123; Ott-arr, 93; Dém-arr, 31. So too the 
places, Ey-landz, 99; Aust-marr, 121; Sker-eid, 147; Aust-mork, 89. Inflexions 
scanned as compounds,—sikl-ing, 3; goed-ing, 51; dogl-ingr, 63; budl-ung, 158, 
167; flem-ing, 87; sveid-ods, 79; from-odr, 127. Where the kings’ names are 
trisyllabic, as ll. 12, 26, or single-stressed (—V), as ll. 1, 2, 6, 35, 49, 64, 75, etc. 
they are thrown back to the second line or to after the line-pause of the first. 

Much attention is paid to the harmony of the wording throughout. 

For the many kennings, characteristic and original, see Excursus I to vol. ii. 

Of the poet’s peculiar wording, racy, chary, brief, we shall notice but a few 
favourite specimens. First of all, ‘ hroer,’ meaning funeral, mode of death, ll. 29, 35, 
49, 128 [138?]; ord, yrdr (dauda-ord, feigdar-ord), weird, fate, doom, ll. 2, 41, 
45, 133, 143; skyldi, preceded by an infinitive, of decrees, decreed by fate, was 
doomed, fated, ll. 4, 13, 28, 42, 47, 53, 72, 77, 102, 104, 107, 128, 136, 173. 

{1] The missing strophe on Yngi-Frey, the arch-patriarch, in which, besides the 
relation of his death and burial, one would expect an account of the Upsala 
treasury. 

1 [11]. Fiolni was, like Clarence, drowned in a wine-butt at a banquet at King 
Frodi’s of Hlethra. Three line-pairs are here missing. 

u [1tj. Swegdi, travelling, like Woden or Odysseus, in quest of Godham, 
pursues a dwarf into a rock, where he disappeared, an ancient legend: Il. 7. read 
steininn : Scekk-Mimi, here figured as a dwarf, see Grimn. App. 47. 


NOTES TO PAGES 242-244. Rat 





+ Mostly a copula, ok (a great favourite), ba es, nu, etc. Restore the full pa es 
(not es only) in Il. 13, 64, 99: ‘ok’ better than enn, 1k87, 91. Sometimes, mostly 
heading a strophe, a full word,—vard, 1, 69, £23, 161; réd, 171; unz, 173; fell, 54, 
93; veit-ek, 109; pat fré, 143; nu liggr, 175. 


522 NOTES TO PAGES 244-246. [BK. IV. 


mi [iv]. Wanlandi=Lackland. The Saga mentions Huld, the Nightmare-witch, 
egged on by Drifa, the king’s young wife, and the charm wrought upon the king— 
a favourite legend, fit subject for a Greek Tragedy: ‘lids Grimhildr’ cannot be 
right ; it has not the right flow; under ‘hildr’ we discover the Huld of the Saga, 
whilst in ‘liés grim’ there is some epithet hidden. We read— 


pa es troll-kynd um troda skyldi 
1.. grimm Hulé lidna baga, 
whom the fiend-born cruel witch Huld trampled on. 

Iv [v]. Wis-burr we take to be=Wés-burr, the Temple keeper. Here another 
Necklace Tragedy comes in. The Saga tells us that the king’s two sons were 
named Gisl and Ondorr, the latter of whom is still easily recognisable under endr 
in the clumsy meaningless setrveriendr. We read and restore— 

pa es mein-pidf markar gtto 

Gisl ok Ondorr 4 sinn gédan fodor, 
what time Gisl and Ondur hounded the fire on their father dear; ‘g68an fodur,’ a 
favourite clause of the Swedish Runic Stones, N. and N. put this stone after N., 
‘their father dear,’—an old household term, which Thiodwolf knows and uses. 

v [vi]. Domaldi (the Fudge), a Famine Tragedy. The Swedes sacrifice their 
king to appease the gods. The text is mangled. The Saga says, peir skyldo 
hénom blota til ars ser ok ridéda stalla med b16di hans. Moreover, we trace firn’ 
under ‘ fyrr,’ and soeni (Thulor 321), sacrificial blood, under ‘sinom.’ Read— 

Hitt vas stér firn es stalla rudo 
sverdberendr sceni dréttins. 

vi [vu]. Démarr (Fudge) dies in peace, buried on the river Fyri: 1. 29. some 
error in pess: 1. 33. read, nu ek vist veit. 

vir [vin]. Dyggwi (the Doughty), ‘whom we call Tryggwi’ (the Trusty), adds 
the List : Glitni (the glittering), probably Hell’s abode, see vol. ii, p. 546; blikjanda 
bgl is Hell’s door, unless Gillingr, 1.c. (her key), is the word (gillings gna?) : iodis, 
qs. i66-dis, vol. ii, p. 544, 1. 1: 1. 37. better Nara, cp. Hofudl. 36. 

vi [1x]. Day, the Wise (Spaki), and his prophet-sparrow ; the nickname sticks in 
1,44: he was smitten with a hay-fork at Skiotand-vad, which place-name must have 
stood in one of the lost line-pairs: 1. 47 does not construe: yrdi=weird, fate, doom. 

1x [x]. Agwi, a Husband-murder Tragedy; Skialf the queen’s name, an accursed 
Gold Necklace. Saga and List surname the king as ‘ Skialf’s husband: Il, 49, 50 
will not construe; under ‘her’ we detect hroer, the poet’s oft-repeated word. We 


read— 
pat tel-ek .. . undr es Agna hreer 


Skialfar-vers at skgpom forot, 

’tis monstrous to tell how the funeral of Agni, Skialf’s husband, went against the 
course of nature. We have here once more the Necklace, famed in ancient legends, 
Greek as well as Teutonic, Cp. Hild and the Hiadning Story (Bragi, Bk. viii, § 1); 
once more in Beowulf, ll. 1198-1202, attached to the Ermenric Story; also Loki 
and Heimdall’s fight over Brosing-Necklace in the House Lay. Logi the queen’s 
brother is mentioned: also Taur, near Upsala on the Bothnic Gulf: so we fill in 
and read, s& vid Taur austr,—4 austan-verdom Taurinom.—({Saga.] _ 

x [x1]. Alrek (Alaric) and Eric, a Brother-murder Legend; they slay one another 
with their bits of the bridles, cp. Abel’s slaughter. In the state of innocence there 
were no murderous weapons, and the first murder was committed with a bone, a 
twig, or a stone, 











rly, 


4 


Hae ai mel 9g Sen 





§ 2.] 


x1 [x1]. Alf and Yngvi, two brothers. Here again a mutual Brother-murder, 
brought on by jealousy (as in the Danish legends in Skioldunga of Iwere Wide- 
fathom) ; both brothers loved the same Queen Bera, who, Hilda-like, sows discord 
between them. The Saga surnames Alf the Elfski: 1. 61 is somehow wrong, esp. 
‘hinn:’ vé-tialld means a movable tabernacle, as depicted in the story of Gunnar, 
Flateyb. i. 337: vé-stallz (the altar): 1, 65. read bert verk: 1, 66, better vé-scef- 
endr, the temple sacrificers. 

xu [xm]. Jorwind, a Hanging Tragedy. The List says—‘ Jormun-frodi, whom 
we call Iorund ;’ ‘hinn es endr um dé,’ being banal and flat, we suppose— 

Vard Onundr inn Igrmun-frddi : 
bana Godlaugs, from slaying King Godlaug, whom Eywind later turns into an 
ancestor of Hacon. 

xm [xiv]. Aun or Ani; the song gives both forms— On, whom we call Ani’ 
[the List]. The decrepid old king who sacrifices his nine sons, gaining from the gods 
ten years’ allowance by each offering—an ancient myth, a Kronos devouring his 
own sons; emblem of Old Father Time: 1. 82 we read, with the Saga, sem lé-barn 


(cp. Fas. ii, 150)— 
logdiss odd sem lé-barn drakk, 
he sucked the horn (‘ bottle’ of old-world nurseries) like a baby in swaddling-clothes. 
xiv [xv]. Egil, surnamed Tunna-dolg (Tunne’s foe), gored by a bewitched bull. 
xv [xvi]. Othere or Eadhere, we miss the surname Wandilcraca (Wandil’s crow), 
which the Saga and List give him; perhaps it is concealed inl, 100, Read— 


Vandils-krako veginn hofdo. 


Want (Glove) and Fasti, King Frodi’s earls in Eyland (Denmark). 

xvi [xvn]. Adils, Eadgils of Beowulf, surnamed Ala-dolgr (foe of Anila). For 
xv-xvi see Beowulf—Onela, Eadgils, Ohtere, Ongantheow, Ohtere’s father, etc. 
Famed is King Eadgils’ fight on the ice of Lake Wenir. At a sacrifice he fell off his 
horse (a charmed steed) in the Disa-temple-and brained himself; Adils konungr vas 
at Disa-bloti ok reid hesti um disar-salinn [ch. 33]. The Saga paraphrast gives us 
the name of the bewitched steed, Slengvi, and the place of death in the Temple of 
the female Genii (disa-salr), All this was contained in the poem: the ‘ witch-steed’ 
we detect in 1, 102, reading vitta-vigg; vitta vettr is a repetition from 1. 22: we 
substitute Slongvis for drasils, ‘disa sal’ for the commonplace dad-sell, and read— 

vitta-vigg um vida skyldi: 
ok s... af Slongviss bégom, etc. : 
ok i disa-sal deyja skyldi, etc. 


Eadgils’ steed Sléngvi, see the list, p. 80, 1. 11; in Thulor we miss it, yet as Skin- 
faxi is repeated in ll, 557 and 569, we would substitute Slongvi in the first place. 

xvui [xvi]. Eystan, ll. 109, 110 will not construe. Here the Saga yields the 
clue, ‘The Swedes betrayed him’ (Sviar sviko hann). In ‘lifi’ we detect levi, in 
‘lokinn’ leikinn, and read— 


NOTES TO PAGES 246-248. 523 


Veit-ek Eystein endr um folginn 

leikinn levi 4 Lofundi, 
Eystan, slain by treason, is buried’ in Lofund (in Lake Melar), As in Welsh 
[Professor Rhfs], Icel. né-r, though a loan-word from Latin, is used of any box, 
trough for butter, or the like, but never of a ship—Barniéd heilsadi konunni, og bad 
hana gefa ser ogn af floti i ndéann sinn (for butter), Isl. piods, i, 122: bitsdtt, cp. 
Song of Saws 38. 

xvi [xix]. Vngwere, slain, as the Saga informs us, in Osel, at a place called Stone 


524 NOTES TO PAGES 248-249. [BK. Iv. 


(lagar-hiarta of 1. 119): Aust-marr=Gulf of Finland? 1. 117 is faulty in metre, 
‘stoekk upp,’ what is hidden under it? 1, r1g. lids-hémom, or as the List surnames 
him, ‘inn Hari.’ . 

xix [xx]. Eanwind, Onund, We miss the surname Braut-Onundr (Road-Eanwind), 
given him by the Saga and List, from clearing wealds and breaking roads through 
forests, It must have been in one of the two lost line-pairs. The king was buried 
under an earth-slip ; hence in the last line we read— 


haugi hroers of horfinn vas, 


i.e. he was buried under an earth-slip by way of funeral cairn. 

xx [xx1]. Ingialld, around whom, like Eadgils [xv1], there clusters a train of 
legends (Yngl. S. chs. 38-45). His nickname ‘Illradi’ (the Tyrant), given in the 
Saga and List, is missing in the Lay; it may have stuck in the one lost line-pair ; 
yet we rather think it to be concealed under the almost impossible ‘ifiérvan.’ The 
Saga informs us how this king, Sardanapalus-like, of free will burnt himself, his wives, 
and treasure—all which we may rest assured was contained in Theodwulf’s line; and 
we are able to restore it with full safety. In ‘sialfr’ the metre calls for a lost 
syllable ; sialf-radi is the word: in ‘fyrstr’ we furthermore detect fur (fire), for 
Ingialld was not the first who perished in fire by violence; and lastly, in ‘ froekno’ 
i fiknom, for we do not want an epithet to Ingialld’s life, but to the fire. We read— 


Ok Ingialld Illraéan trad, etc. 
es hann sialf-ra6i sino figrvi 
i fiknom ftir fara skylldi, 


it was among the Swedes deemed an unexpected death that he, by his free will, 
yielded up his life in a greedy fire. Note, yrdi being feminine, one must read sialld- 
getazt. Reningi, in Lake Mcelar. God-konungr is a kind of fossil from bygone 
days of hoary antiquity of Gothic hegemony, Ermanric’s and Theodric’s palmy 
days, and meant King of the Goths, God-pidd (=Gutpiuda) being the empire of 
the Goths. Alcuin knows Ingeld’s fame and speaks of him as a typical hero, c. 800, 

xxi [xx]. Anlaf the Woodcutter, Vidar-telgja; the Saga and List give the name 
Tré-telgja. The first lines are visibly corrupt. The Saga tells that Anlaf perished by 
fire on the border of Lake Wener. Hence we read and restore— 

Ok vid vag Veniss Vidar-telgjo, 

‘ Wood-carver, Wood-feller,’ a suggestive name in those old days when primzval forests 
covered all the land; the kings of the Settler-clans clearing the forest axe in hand, 
like American backwoodmen of the present day. By the way, it is here we for 
the first time in history meet with the since famous and time-honoured name Olaf, or 
Anlaif, which name in the ninth century was transplanted to British soil, where it 
has shot fresh branches in the Havelocks and Aulays (Mac-Aulays) of our day, not 
to forget the Three Tailors of Tooley (St. Olave’s) Street. 

We now come to an important passage, to wit— 

Il. 141, 142. The Saga (ch. 45) tells us—Eptir Ingialld hvarf Upsala-veldi or ett 
Ynglinga, pat er Jang-fedgom matti telja. And the poem— 

Sa att konr fra Uppsolom 
Loféa kyns fyrir longo hvarf. 


These lines will not construe, being clearly corrupt; but we note that prose and 
verse have here in common the three words, ‘ Uppsala,’ ‘lang,’ and ‘hvarf.’ This 
cannot be mere chance; one is forced to the inference that prose and verse are no 
strangers, or that the Saga is here but a paraphrase of the lines of the Lay, then in 





| 
4 

+ 
+ 
* 


wy ee — 


ae ae 











§ 2.] NOTES TO PAGES 249-250. . 625 


a pure state, fraught with fulness of sense. Hence in ‘Loféa’ we want a name, 
representative of the ‘xtt Ynglinga’ of the Saga. Luzifa or Shockhead, Fairhair’s 
name, is as it were self-chosen; it has the same main letters as the corrupt Loféa, 
and as to the sense, what else could it be? Hence we propose to read and restore— 


Sva dtt-runnr fra Uppsglom 
Lufo kyns langfedgom hvarf, 


thus the generation of Shockhead’s lineal ancestors ceased to rule at Upsala, i.e. lost 
Upsala, left there. We have here an unexpected, but positive, confirmation of Yng- 
lingatal being composed in honour of Fairhair himself. Of course the statement in 
the Saga bears on its face the proof that it was drawn from a Lay. The para- 
phrast simply substituted ‘ ett Ynglinga’ for ‘ Liifo kyns.’ 
xx [xxi]. Halfdane, the first on record of that name, since, together with 
»the Olaves and Harolds, so famed in the bede-roll of Scandinavian royalty. The 
Saga and List give the nickname ‘Hvitbein,’ Whitebone, Whiteleg, lost in the 
now remaining fragment of the stanza, though once contained in the two dropped 
line-pairs: ll. 144, 145 are corrupt; under ‘hverr’ one at once detects the poet’s 
favourite oft-repeated hroer— 


pat fra... hroer at Halfdanar 
sok-midlendr sakna skyldo: 
ok Hvit-bein..., 


as for Halfdane’s funeral, we learn how the doomsmen had to mourn for him, and 
Whitebone (end lost): by hall-varps hlifi-nauma He// must be meant, the queen of the 
mountain caverns; the verse, vol. ii, p. 337, ll. 23, 24, calling Hell the ‘cavern-locked 
beldame,’ may once have stood in these very lines in our Lay: for nauma (a fay, 
. giantess?) see Thulor 628: potn, present Thoten, a county on Lake Midsen: 
= Skiringssal, near the present Laurvik, a famed central Scandinavian emporium, 
known from Alfred’s Orosius: Skzr-eid,.some isthmus now unknown; for the . 
simile, cp. Bk. vi, No, 17. 

xxi [xxiv]. Eystan, swept overboard by the sia ‘iofri Gautskom’ (1. 153) 
is dubious, for Eystan was no king of the Gauts; we suggest gétvar (a cairn) — 


a ae ee 











MLL Naate SSO Ope LIL alee da MD 


ty ee 


hid iofors gotvom..., 


where, close by the king’s cairn, the cool stream of the river Wadla mouths into 
the sea. 

xxiv [xxv]. Halfdane II, surnamed in the Saga and List ‘inn Mildi ok inn 
Matar-illi,’ mean and munificent in the same person, starving his men, though paying 
them well; the alliteration marks this surname out as drawn from one of our two 
missing line-pairs, Borro, Holtar, in county Westfold, on the west side of Chris- 
tiania Frith, 

xxv [xxv]. Godrod. The late historian Munch conclusively made out this 
king’s identity with Godfred, Charlemagne’s famed antagonist,—a result contested 
in vain by over-zealous Danish nationalists, Westfold is the cradle of great Wicking 
= kings, Fairhair’s race: Stiflo-sund, a port on Westfold; laun-sigr (1. 165) is not 
a right word; following the lead of the Saga we read— 


ee CL eer eh) eas are 


ty Cae he tL 
~ - 


; Ok laun-svik inn lém-gedi, 

rf i.e. treason. 

H xxvi [xxv]. Anlaf, worshipped after death, see thg account in Excursus, p. 415 ; 
and surnamed Geirstada-alfr, which name we suppose lurks under the commonplace 
gunn-diarfr, 1.175, god-alfr (or the like) 4 Geirstodom, now he, the holy genius, lies 


eh Nbyo de 22 ee 5.4 AIBA 
seen ae aad eat a an ee ol 


526 NOTES TO PAGE 251. [ BK. Iv. 


buried in Garstead. As for counties (Il. 171, 172), they are all in South Norway, 
west of Christiania Frith. Widi (now disused), Westmarar (formed like Westmoreland), 
Upsi (not named elsewhere) ; Groend, by a light, but safe emendation, we take to 
be an old name for the later Grenland or Grena-land, the land of the Grens, or 
Grenir (Granii of Jordanes, ch. 3). The adjective Grenskr (Haraldr Grenski), 
‘which could not possibly be formed from Greenland, presupposes this older form. 
We now come to the last stanza. In the Lives of Kings we are told how 
Harold lay under a vow not to cut or comb his hair until he had conquered Norway; 
hence his name Shockhead (Lufa). Having accomplished his task, Earl Ragnwald 
of Meere, after the observance of certain ceremonies, cut the king’s hair, upon that 
occasion giving him a new surname, Fairhair. It runs thus in the Saga (Ari)— 
‘ pa tok Haraldr konungr laugar; hann lét pa ok greida har sitt; ok pé skar Roga- 


valdr iarl har hans—enn 4dr hafdi verit éskorit ok ékembt tio vetr; var hann 46r_ 


kallaér Lifa—Enn sidan gaf Rognvaldr iarl hanom kenningar-nafn ok kalladi hann 
Harald inn Harfagra; ok ségédo allir er s4, at pat var it mesta sann-nefni, pviat 
hann haféi har bedi mikit ok fagrt.’ 

Compare with this the (maimed) lines— 


pat veit-ek bazt und bl4am himni 
kenni-nafn svi at konungr eigi: 
es Régnvaldr reidar stidri 
Heidum-hdr heitinn er. 

Here one is struck with the identity, in wording and phrasing, between prose and 
verse— Kenni-nafn’ and ‘kenningar-nafn,’ ‘R6égnvaldr’ (in both), ‘ Heidum-harr’ 
(see p. 243) and ‘ Harfagri,’ ‘nafn’ and ‘heitinn:’ substantially there is moreover 
identity between ‘bat var sann-nefni’ (a érue name indeed) and ‘pat veit-ek bazt’ 
of the poem, These parallelisms speak to this stanza, while full and unblemished, 
being the very authority from which the historian paraphrased. We now come to 
‘reidar stidri’—a simile that could but be used of Thunder—what possibly can be 
the palimpsest word underlying it? The Kings’ Lives here also, we think, give the 
clue, for we are told that Earl Rognwald was surnamed the ‘ R4d-svinni’ (Sage) or 
‘Riki’ (Mighty)—‘ Hann var kallaér Rognvaldr iarl inn riki eda inn Radsvinni, ok 
segja menn at hv4rt-tveggja veri sann-nefni’ [Hkr. Har. S. Harf. ch. 10, Orkn. S, 
ch, 3, Rolls ed.] Here again the same identity of phrasing; mark the clause 
about ‘sann-nefni,’ as if drawn from the same song; the alliteration, too, fits in with 
the line in Ynglingatal; there is the syllabic identity between ‘145’ and ‘reid ;’ the 
initial s in second component of both words. In short, we now propose to read— 

Es Rognvalldr inn Réé-svinni 

Heidum-harr pik heita réd. 
To which Cod. Fris. adds—ok mild-gedr markar dréttinn, as if the beginning of a 
fresh line-pair, varying the same image in other words, as is Thiodwulf’s wont. We 
would here read— 

ok mild-gedr Moera dréttinn . 

‘It has long been our conviction that the Preface to the Lives of Kings is inter- 
polated [N. M. Petersen of Copenhagen thought so], and especially that the clause 
on King Fairhair and his poets once ran thus— 

‘ piddolfr or Hvini vas skald Haraldz ins Harfagra; hann orti um konung kvebdi 
"pat es kallat es Ynglinga-tal. 1 pvi kvedi eru nefndir prir tigir lang-fedga hans, ok 
sagt fra dauda hvers peirra ok leg-stad . . . Eyvindr Skalda-spillir taldi ok langfedga 


Hakonar iarls ins Rikja i kvedi pvi es Haleygja-tal heitir, es ort vas um Hakon. 





ibid ti 





— a 











Mpa? ATED Are 


§ 2.] NOTES TO PAGES 251-252. 527 


‘Sagt es ok par fra dauda hvers peirra ok haug-stad. Eptir piddolfs sgn es fyrst 


ritin evi Ynglinga, ok par vid aukit eptir sgn frééra manna. Enn es Haraldr inn 
Harfagri vas konungr { Noregi p& bygdisk Island. Med Haraldi konungi véro 
skald,’ etc. 

So much said, we humbly submit that Rognwald, surnamed ‘Higher than the . 
Heaths,’ King of Westfold, Fairhair’s uncle, should at once make his exit from 
history and vanish into the empty air of which he is composed, being but a double 
shadow,—by name of Earl Rognwald of More, by surname of King Fairhair himself, 


in which capacity he has played a long Comedy of Errors upon critics and 
historians, 


| Haleygjatal, (p. 252.) : 

A copy traced from the preceding Lay. Theodwulf had at least a wealth of 
myths, recalling those that cluster round Greek Thebes, each a subject as it were to 
a tragedy. His was a true surname indeed, to call him of all poets, Frodi—the 
Mythologist, the Story-man. Only a meagre selection of all this wealth of myth is 


given in Ynglingatal. Of Eywind’s poem we know less; it was of a surety far 


inferior to its original; some of the legends, as we see, were even purely manu- 
factured doublets from the original; yet there were others genuine no doubt, a 
gleaming of Thiodwulf’s rich legend-harvest. 

Our materials to restore the scattered fragments are—(1) Paraphrases in Ynglinga 
Saga from a couple of stanzas; (2) the List given in vol. ii, p. 522, both drawn 
from the poem whilst still complete and sound, which, alas, it is no longer. 

Eywind has not imitated his model in point of line-pairs, rather following the Old 
English (A,S.) precedents in starting a fresh clause at the line-pause. His number 
of line-pairs, judging from 1v, vii (double) complete, seems to have been four = 
eight lines, as in the court poetry of that day. 

ll, 1-4. Introductory. 

Woden. ll. 5,6. Mutilated text, yet can be safely restored. Scanning ‘hinn es’ 
slurred, only one measure is left; besides ‘ Surt’ is no Soma giant; we want a bisyllabic 
Soma giant in s; Suptung meets all requirements. The citation was professedly 
quoted in Edda (Skskm.) on account of its containing a name of Woden, such we 
find hidden under the meaningless farmognodr, viz. farma-god, given in Edda (Gg.) 
from this very song no doubt. We read and restore— 

Hinn es Suptungs or Seekkdglom 
farma-god flitigandi-bar, 
‘mead’ being understood from a lost line, Farther, Il. 2 3, 24 are to be moved up to 
Woden, for in heid-sei we espy heid-sceni, the clear Soma (séi=sei), cp. Thulor 
321; hapt-scenis heid, Kormak, 1, 16. Moreover, under ‘4 fiornis fiollom’ there 
seems to be Hnitz fidllom=Hnit-biorg, the Soma caverns of Edda. The whole 
clause records Woden’s flying off with the mead. Read— 
.-.hinn es heidsceni 
& f... Hnit-figllom drygdi. 
For ‘ drygdi’ one would suppose some such word as ‘ drank’ (drykkjo). 

I. Seming. Ynglinga Saga, drawing from our poem while complete and pure, 
says—‘ Atto bau (Woden and Skadi) marga sono, einn peirra hét Semingr.’ We 
miss the name in the strophe, yet detect it under sev@f-beins (1. 12); the first two 
letters are the same. As for ll. 7, 8, judging from the analogy of these poems, we 
find that skiall-bleetr hides the subject, skatt-foeri the place, Asa-nidr the object. 





528 NOTES TO PAGES 253-254. [BK. Iv. 


Hallfred calls Woden hrafn-bloetr, raven charmer; here we suggest skoll-bloetr, wolf 
charmer, cp. Thulor 479, Skatvalar is a place, a county where the earls lived [see 
Munch, Norg. Beskr.] And so we read— 

pann skoll-bletr at Skatvglom gat 

Asa-nid vid Iarnvidjo, etc. 

Seming einn ok sono marga, etc. 
The wolf-charmer begat this scion of Anses at Scatwol by the giantess, what time, 
etc.... Saeming the firstborn, and many sons besides, the Snowshoe-goddess bore 
to Woden: Skatna vinr = Woden, else of Thor, see Hym. 43 (read Skalda vinr?). 

Godgest, No. 1x of the List, is modelled on Theodwulf xu. par var undir alinn 
annarr hestr er Hrafn hét; hann (acc,) sendi hann (nom. Eadgils) til Hdlogalandz 
Godgesti konungi; peim reid Godgestr konungr, ok fékk eigi stédvat, 4dr hann 
fell af baki, ok fekk bana. pat var 4 Omd 4 Halogalandi—Yngl. S. ch. 33. The 
strophe is lost. 

Hamgest (Hengist?), brother of Huld, List No. x, seems modelled on Theodwulf m, 

Herst, No. xty of the List: of this strophe we have a paraphrase given in Agrip 
to this effect—*“ And he reckoned his family back to a king whose name was Hersi; 
he was king in Neamdale, his wife’s name was Wigtha, after whom the river Wigtha 
in Neamdale, is named; and Hersi lost her, and wished to make away with himself 
after her, if there were any example to be found of any king having done so before. 
Now there was an example found of an earl having done so, but none of a king 
having done so. Then he went to a certain howe, and rolled himself down it, 
saying that he had rolled himself out of his king’s title ; and then he hanged himself 
in an earl’s title, And his offspring would never afterwards take upon them the title 
of king. And the proofs of this may be heard in Haleygja-tal [the Halogamen’s- 
tree], which Eywind, who is called the Poet-spoiler, made.” 

Fragments V and VI cannot be identified with the List. In V one seems to have 
a legend of emigration caused by Famine, such as is found in Paul the Deacon, 
Saxo, and Dudo; ut-rést, see Dict. 672 a, seems to imply as much. 

Fragment VIII. Hacon I, son of Greotgarth (1. 32), surnamed ‘ Urna iarl,’ No. 
xxv of the List: vapn-berr, read ‘vapn-bitinn:’ Fialir, the county in Norway, 
where Stafanes is: Hallgarér=Gridtgardr, No. xxiv of the List: for Ldédrs read 
Lédurs, cp. Vsp. 33. 

Sigrod, ll. 35-38, No. xxv1 of the List. Somewhat crabbed to construe: iard- 
radendr =the kings, sons of Gundhild: es svénom—vals looks like a reconstruction 
without any historical kernel in it. Lines 39-42 are especially hard to restore. Yrna 
we have guessed; Hacon, Sigrod’s father, is called Yrna iarl =the Earl of Yrja, see 
vol. ii, p. 251, 1.11, Yrjar would have been the ancient seat of the earls ere Fair- 
hair’s day, when they moved to Hladir. 1. 40 is manifestly corrupt and overwritten: 
in ‘ofzlinn’ we expect a place name. We are not toid in the Sagas where Sigfred 
met his death ; but it has been guessed long ere this (by Schénning, see Munch) that 
it was at ‘ Aurar,’ the greatest farm in Skatvol (see above) ; see Munch, Norg. Beskr., 
Pp. 75- We read— 





‘alnar orms’ & Aurom vard. 


Fragment 1X. Hacon II, No. xxvu of the List, to whom the poem is addressed, 
seems to refer to the battle with the Jomswickings: 1. 44. the sense requires Yngvi- 
Freyss zttar=the Wickings, the foemen of the race of Yngvi-Frey, that is Earl 
Hacon: fagna-fundr, cp. Sonat. 7; in-prose fagnadar-fundr, For the banal mean- 
ingless ‘eydendr’ and ‘ Sveré-alfr? we read Ey-Donom and Sigvaldi, the chief of the 


M4 
ES el ee ee - 








oT ee 


a5 NOTES TO PAGES 254-256. 529 


Wickings, Both fit in with the alliteration; and if no names were given, how 
could it be known that it referred to the lomwickings ? 

Fragment X. Still on Earl Hacon Il; Egda-byss, palpably false, Agde being the 
southernmost point of Norway, whereas the east border-land is Eida, see vol, ii, 
p. 155, 1.65. Hence we read— 

peim-es allt austr til Eida-buss, 


The word ‘ Eida-biui’ is formed like Finna-bu (= Finmarken) in the north’. 
Fragment XI, A word dropped. Read, enn ver yrkja gatom: sem steina-bru, 
lasting like a stone bridge, a term which may here ‘Be: used in the sense of the 
Swedish Runic stones, of a road across a swamp. In Iceland we say, hann er elldr’en 
steina-bru, older than the very rocks. 
The poem, we now see, has been sadly mangled, 


Hornklofi’s Raven Song, (p. 255.) 


In his use of the Cedmonian line, Hornklofi contrasts with his contemporary Thiod- 
wolf of Ynglinga-tal, the word-thriftiest of all extant poets, whom one would liken 
to old Harpagon, stingy of words, bounteous of legend, 

» The poem falls into sections. Poet’s Address (\l. 1-8) :— 

1, 2, Unsafe; one prefers Harfagra, in which case the letter-stress would be h. 

ll. 5, 6, from vitr to fran-leita is a maze of words, every word unsafe; the 
Maid may be figured as a Finnish woman, skilled in birds’ language; a Walcyrie 
in the sense of the Helgi Lays she could not well have been, for then she would 
have known all by her own semi-spiritual nature. 

1, 7. We strike out the copula; gloeegg-hvarma must be the raven’s epithet: 
Vinbiorg, some place, cp. O. G. L. 114. 

Introductory speech between Maid and Raven (Il. 9-24) :— 

1, 12. Pret. infin. with acc. (else only used in mundo, skyldo) occurs first in 
poets of middle of the eleventh century, and never obtained, Thiodolf (vol. ii) p. 200, 
1, 18; Krakom, 21; hence the reading of B may be preferable, ner hykk i ndtt 
bioggot. 

1, 13. hyrna, the raven’s horned beak; the ‘bird’s horns’ is found in Riddles, 
from the Exeter-Book down to the seventeenth-century English chap-books, 

1, 16, Here a couple of lines must be missing, for 1.17 heads a fresh reply of 
the raven’s, Says the Maid, ‘What, Harold? pray tell me of him!’—Answer, 
‘Why, dost not know him ?’ 

1.17. Kvinnom, no doubt the present Quind-herred, Hardanger (Rosendal), 
which place, though never named in the Kings’ Lives—they always speak of 
Alrekstad near Bergen,—must have been a favourite residence of the kings, being 
a central place in the Wicking-tide. The etymology given in Half’s Saga is but 
fable and fancy. 


1, 23. For ‘eld-velli’ read ‘ dldr-velli,’ the ale-cauldron, cp. lég-vellir, Hym. ; vellir 
is a boiler. 

ll. 25 sqq. Hence in turn follow the sections depicting the king’s court and life: 
(1) the Housecarles, Il. 25-34; (2) Poets, Il. 35-43; (3) elect Champions, Il. 44-52; 
(4) Jugglers, Il. 53-61; (5) Battle in Hafrsfirth, ll. 62-83; (6) Wives and Family 





! As it has slipped out in the Dictionary, we subjoingthe passages— Leger hann 
undir sik allt land nordan fré Finna-bui ok sudr til Danmerkr, Fms. x. 273; hann 
pottisk verda at fogli sv& miklom at nef hans ték austr til landz-enda, enn véli- 
fiadrar allt nordr i Finna-bu, Sverr, S. ch. 2, Flatb. ii. 536, 


Mm 


530 NOTES TO PAGES 256-258. [BK. Iv. 


(fragment), ll. 84-90. At 1. 25 one line is missing, cp. the parallel lines 35, 44, 53. 
The chief word is ‘ Huskarlar’ rather than Hirémenn. We read— 
‘At Huskarla reido vil ek pik spyrja!... 
Hverso et hann, etc. ... 


Fé-giafall (adj.) perhaps construes better than the genitive; one may say gédr, illr 
giafa, cp. matar-illr, but hverso giafa is unidiomatic. 

l, 26. ‘ftra égn-flytir’ should be obelised, what it is we know not: ipréttar-menn 
is a suspicious word, we propose? ‘inn-drdétt’ (Archetype, idrott = {drott), or even 
inndréttar-menn, see Thulor 204, where note that huskarlar and inn-drétt stand side 
by side, put as if drawn from our Lay, William of Malmesbury has preserved the 
name of two of Harold’s guard—Helgrim and Osfrid, who came to York with the 
ship Shockhead sent as a gift to Hthelstan. 

I. 28. For the ancient Teutons’ passion for gambling, cp. Tacitus Germ. ch, 24. 

1, 30. Hun-lenzkr occurs in Hamé. 64, whilst the Lay of Atli and the Tapestry 
Poet use Huinskr (Hynskr). Present Poland, Austria, Semgallia are probably meant. 

1. 34. at visa radi is flat and senseless; we espy roedi (oars) under it, and are 
farther helped by an eleventh-century poet Thiodolf (vol. ii, p. 209, 1. 9), who most 
likely had Hornklofi’s line in his mind. We read— : s 


Reidoliga hygg-ek ba or vgorro ré&di peysa, 
with a swift stroke they sweep the oar out of the wake. 
1, 40. fagr-rendadr, variegated (versicolor), points to the Gaelic tartan. 


ll. 44 sqq. Bearsarks is here the generic name, Wolfcoat the special, the proper : 


name, as it were, of Shockhead’s chosen body-guard. The Lives of Kings (drawing from 
our poem) mention them—bar véro p4 med honum [the king] . . . peir berserkir er 
Ulfheénar véro kalladir; peir héféo varg-stakka fyrir brynjor ok vordo fram-stafn 
é, konungs-skipinu*. Both names are echoes from past times, when warriors actually 
were clad in skins of hunted wild beasts; and it by no means follows that Shock- 
kead’s men were so equipped. Note, that for eagle-bearer in the Roman legions, 
under the Emperors, was chosen a picked man, tall and strong in limb, clad in wolf’s 
skin, like a German king’s henchman [often really a German we doubt not]. Cp. 
our negro bandsman and the French tambour-major of last and the present century. 
ll. 50, 51. We recognise a paraphrase of this passage in the Kings’ Lives (Hkr. 
p-. 53)—peir einir n&do hird-vist med Haraldi konungi er afreks-menn véro at afli 
ok hreysti ok allz-konar atgoervi; peim einum var skipat hans skip; enn hann 4tti 
pa g6d vol at kidsa or hverju fylki ser hird-menn (Har. Harf.ch.g]. 1.51. ‘aradis 
ménnom,’ better afreks-ménnom as in the prose: 1. 51 does not construe, though 
we are unable to restore it. on ae 
ll. 53 sqq. Andad the Fuggler. Note the jugglery alluded to in the story of 
Cuchullin and in the Senchus Mor; quoit hurling, keeping balls and knives in the air 
together, are mentioned. The whole has the air of Irish court-life, from Shock- 
head’s expeditions to the West. Yet, mark that the Sagas make no mention 
whatever of this! It was not dignified enough, or Ari did not understand it right. 
1. 54. aur-gati, see Dict. 34 b. 





1 Here one may fancy she addresses the raven as horn-klofi, the stress-letter is h ; 
and the word occurs both in Hofudl. 64 and Thulor 580. 

2 The spelling ‘ iprétt’ should be disused. ; 

8 Vatzdola, ch. 9, in speaking of Hafrsfirth Battle. The passage, by the way, is 
drawn from Ari’s Kings’ Lives in a fuller and better state than we now have it in 
Heimskringla. 





ey aA 


















Sp Ee 





§ 3.] NOTES TO PAGES 258-259. 531 


1. 55. As to whether to read elskar (verb) or elskr (adj.)—In St. Olaf’s Saga we 
read—porkell elskadi at iarli medan hann var ungr [Kringla and Cod. Holm.]; 
elskadiz (reflex.), Fms, iv, l.c. [Cod. AM, 61]; féstradi hann (acc.) er iarl var ungr 
[Orkney Saga, l.c. p. 18, Rolls Edit.] Hence we should by preference say, at 
hundi elskar (elskaz) Andadr ok, as in the text, Andad trains pet dogs and plays 
the fool. 

1, 60. lifom, most certainly, sense and metre require it. 

ll, 62 sqq. The Hafrsfirth Battle. That this is part and parcel of the Raven 
Song is evinced by the introductory clause, Heyrdir-pi... The Raven’s reply 
begins we think in 1. 64. 

1. 63. Keotwan. The Kings’ Lives, paraphrasing our Lay, turn it into a Norse 
Kiétvi, taking the for a suffixed article; we scent a Gaelic name, of which Land- 
nama gives so many, on -an, such as Beolan, Trostan, Kearan, Even Haklang, |. 74, 
sounds as if translated from Gaelic, like Svarthofdi, Hunding, and so many more. The 
Lives add a Sulki (from last line in our song). The chiefs were, we hold, of 
half-Gaelic blood, like so many of the Icelandic settlers, 

1. 64. ‘ vestan,’ from west over the sea, is borne out by the whole context ; for the 
new-comers were Wickings from the British Isles, see ll. 67 and 69. The Wickings 
of the Colonies of Ireland and Great: Britain called the Norsemen Eastmen or 
Easterlings (see Landn. and the Sagas passim). 

1.65. The law phrase is ‘med gapandom héfdom né ginandom tridnom,’ see 
Reader, p. 16. Hence we would read— 

med ginandom héfdom ok gapandom tinglom, 
figuring the fury of the invading Wicking host, breathing death and destruction to 
the land. 

ll. 68-70 we have moved up three lines, for they refer to the Wickings, whilst 
ll. 71-73 speak of Shockhead’s campaign : stddom nekkva... read, or stédom.. . 
out of the berth, cp. Harb. 14. 

ll, 71, 72. emjodo and grenjodo do not infer madness, such as the later Sagas are 
so fond of depicting when speaking of Bearsarks, mixing them up with cases of de- 
moniac possession, quite another thing ; the words simply describe the war-whooping, 
common to old Germans and Celts, cp. baritus in Tacitus Germ. ch. 3, Ammian. 
Marcell. Bk. xxvi, ch. 7, § 17; xvi, ch. 12, § 43; xxx, ch. 7, § 11. Berserkr (we 
should wish to rewrite the article in the Dict.) is a word of a pure denotation, 
meaning hero. Mr. Carlyle has touched the true sense, once saying of Oliver, ‘ He 
was a Norse Baresarker.’ 

ll. 74-81 partly paraphrased in the Kings’ Lives—périr Haklangr hafdi lagt skip 
sitt i moti skipi Haraldz konungs, ok var périr berserkr mikill (misreading of 1. 71) ; 
var par allhoré sékn 4dr périr Haklangr fell (1. 73); var pé hrodit allt skip hans. 
pa flydi Kiétvi konungr { holma nékkurn; par var vigi gott (ll. 74, 75). Sidan 
fiydi allt 1id peirra, sumt 4 skipom, sumt hliép 4 land upp, ok sva et efra sudr um 
Iadar (ll. 76-81). Hence ‘landi at halda’ cannot be right, read ‘lengr’ or the 
like, that is, he gave way, was turned to flight. By the ‘thick-necked’ king, 
Ceotwan is meant. The defeat is vividly painted: ll. 78-81 are not quite clear; 
by ‘ Austkylfor’ would be meant the Easterlings that fought with the Wickings ; 
they, the song says, fled ignominiously to their bowls of mead. Lines 73-77 again 
we take to refer to the fate of the slain and wounded of the Wickings'. 





* Lines 76, 77 recall the image in Odyss, xii, 414, 415. 
MM 2 


532 NOTES TO PAGES 259-261. [BK. Iv. 


We have an illustration in king Swerri’s fierce battle in the port of Bergen, 
A.D. 1194. 

ll. 78-79. To fling the shield on one’s back is to rua, turn in flight; hence for 
*hyggjandi’ we would read uggandi, ¢error-stricken. 

ll. 82, 83. A fragment, after the battle; ‘vitinn’ is ungrammatical, perhaps for vig6r, 
hallowed; cp. Odinn 4 ydr alla! Flatb, ii. 72; ok gaf hann nu penna val Odni, 
Hery. S. p. 327 (Bugge). 1. 83. We should prefer ‘ Fiorgynjar,’ Frigg being Woden’s 
wedded wife ; cp. Excursus, vol. ii, pp. 474-475. 

li. 84 sqq. A fragment on Shockhead’s wives, The Kings’ Lives speak of the 
king’s many wives, partly no doubt apocryphally, partly drawing from our Lay 
when still complete. The poet’s words need only mean that he chose Ragnhild, 
the Danish queen, by preference over the heads of all the Norse ladies: Hein- 
verskr, one from Heidmark, county Hedemarken, Norway ; Heelga ettar, the tribal 
king Helgi, the eponymous hero of the Halogians. 

ll. 89, 90 are corrupt and obscure; her-gaupa seems to be the.law-term for 
captive women serving the lust of the conqueror; by ye the Norse ladies are meant, 
Harold’s secondary wives, eclipsed by Ragnhild. 


The Dirge of King Eric, (p. 260.) 


As in Biarki’s Lay (p. 188), we can catch here the echo of an older Household 
Poem, —the goodman rising before day, arousing his bondsmen, getting his sleeping 
household out of bed, making a mighty stir; hence |. 4 denotes menial work, unfit 
one would think for the Chosen Heroes of celestial Walhall: leydra (from laudr, 
lather, see Dict. 374 a) is an Gr. Aey.; it can only mean to wash in lather. Surely 
this is a survival from a song where ‘ vil-megir’ (not einherjar) was the word— 
alliterating as it does with wake, It is strange to find this, the oldest Walhall 
Song, moulded on an older genuine Husbandmen’s Song (Hiskarla-hvét). 

1. 3. We prefer the indicative; the subjunctive was no favourite in either the 
Saga or the Song of old. 

1. 8, Already put right, Dict. 779 b; cp. for the dative, Skirn, 53, and hyat, 
A. 2. B. Dict. 297 a: pusund, here an untold number, myriad. 

1, 12. We prefer skalattu; the negation denoting wonder, ‘Speak not such folly!’ 
The return of Balder is like the return of the Cocqsigrues, 

1. 19. Mark the participle vitod (vitinn, Hornkl. 82, is an error). 

1. 21.. Missing line; we have filled it up, repeating line 15. 

1. 28. Here again a line has been dropped; we fill it up from the copy, Hakm. 6. 

ll, 26, 27. Faulty both in metre and sense. The simile is copied by Eywind, 
Hakm. 63, 64, Man ébundin 4 yta sidt Fenris-ulfr of fara; here ‘siot’ is identical ; 
from ‘fara’ we guess at ‘ganga’ in the original, a g-word being required by the 
letter-stress. The emendation we take to be safe: ‘nzr’ is mended from ‘ ser.’ 

ll. 32, 33. The Kings’ Lives [Hkr. Hak. S. Géda, ch. 4], drawing from the complete 
Song, give the names of the kings, being Godthorm, Iwere and Harec his two sons 
[names of Danish royal race], and Sigrod and Ragnwald,—making five. The Saga 
then adds—par fell ok Arnkell ok Erlendr synir Torf-Einars [Orkney Earls],— 
which would bring the number up to seven,—a confusion, as we can clearly see, 
from King Bareleg’s time, when an Orkney-Earl Erling is said by some to have 
been slain at the battle of Anglesey, ‘whilst some say he fell with King Magnus 
in Ireland’ (a.p, 1103). We can confidently strike the Orkney Earls out here as 
having no place in the Lay—the kings were five and no more—and so destroy 


. as i= 
a oe = 
ee as ee ee. et 








oe a ee 


oa eres) 

















OPE CEs 


§ 3.] NOTES TO PAGES 262-266. 533 


a bit of pseudo-history. What were the contents of the lost part of the Lay we 
can guess at from Eywind’s copy; it contained some account of the battle, the 
welcome, and a final apostrophe. The English authority for Stainmoor fight is 
Simeon of Durham. The Life of S. Cadroe gives a glimpse of Eric’s English reign, 
and mentions one of his nobles, Gunderichis (perhaps a kinsman of Gundhild—the 
name is of Danish type). Eric’s coins, struck at York on the models of his pre- 
decessor Sitric and of Onlaf, give the names of his moneyers, Aculf (?), Radolf, 
Ingelgar, and Leofic (?). 
The Dirge of Hacon, (p. 262.). 


The Walcyrie scene is an addition, if not creation (for it is probably drawn from 
the Helgi Lays) of Eywind’s, The original (1. 5) barely gives the name; which 
however suggested the idea to the younger poet. 

1, 5. Beorn Chapman, Fairhair’s son. 

1, 7. gunfani, cp. Harb, 113, Helgi i, 125. 

ll. 11, 13, 15, 17 have come down as epic lines; one sees they were once 
dialogue lines, the Wu shows so much; we have restored them by simply dropping 
the added end-clauses—for til orrosto; st66 und ar-hialmi; 4dr til vigs teeki; skyldi 
land verja—commonplace enough: in ll, 16, 17 a small transposition was needed. 
Verse 3 looks like echoed by Raven Song, ll. 84-86. 

1. 20. hugom (single); a parallel is, bedi reidr ok i hugom, Post. S, p. 168; else 
i hugom gédom, Hym, 39, Wak, 103. 

1. 30. i goer, yesterday, we take this to be the true reading, Geirskogul is, in 
face of ll. 1, 34, inadmissible. There is in the poet’s mind an izéerval for the spirits 
of the slain between the battle and the march to Walhall; they lie stark through the 
night; it is in the early morning the dead rise and march off. The battle most 
likely lasted down to the afternoon or late into the evening of the preceding day. 

ll. 37 sqq. Here begins the plagiarism from Eric’s Dirge. It is however probable 
that the battle description, vv. 3 and 4, may have had some equivalent in the lost 
part of the Dirge. Il. 38-41 pair off with ll. 16-19. 

v. II is Eywind’s creation, for Hacon was baptized. 

ll. 46, 47 pair off with ll. 28, 29, and Il. 48, 49 with ll. 30-33 of the Dirge. Who 
were the eight brothers? What becomes of the éwenty sons of Fairhair the Kings’ 
Lives count up! Hacon, the youngest, meets only eight that had preceded him. 

v. 13 again is a consequence of v, I1: ‘sialfir’ is empty in sense and false in 
metre ; we read ‘halfir.” The sense we hold to be this—The king is suspicious of 
entering Walhall, as treachery might be brewing against him, and so, to ward off this 
danger, he proposes that but the half of his following shall enter at the time (unarmed 
of course), whilst the other half is to remain watching outside the door in arms. 
The Spurious Epic, vol. ii, p. 553, ll. 5, 6, may echo our line when uncorrupt. 

1, 56. 148 ok regin, alliteratively from a Carmen; we meet it in Olkofra Thattr, 
turned into Ran ok regin (!) (in an oath), 

ll. 62, 63 pair with ll. 26, 27 of the Dirge. 1.66 an echo from G. W. vv. 39, 40. 

1, 68 is perhaps a proverb, Morg es piddar pian? cp. O. W. Pl. 34 (note), 201. 
The end of the stanza seems to allude to the famine of the year 975. Hence the poem 
was not composed till several years after the battle; the softened tone of the poet’s 
grief speaks to the same effect. 

Appendix—l, 4. gylfringar (or glymringar, v. 1.) not found in Thulor. 

1. 5. tusi, a Chudic loan-word, Thulor 527; not inappropriate in Eywind, who 
lived under lat, 65° 20’, close up to Lapmark, 


534 NOTES TO PAGE 267. [Bx. xv. 


ll. 9 sqq. Simile from tempest and sea, surfing against the shore [the blood =the 
sea, the battle=the storm, the shield =the land]: again, ll. 13, 14, the missiles are 
the thunderbolt, the shield the sky ; skyjom bauga is a safe eméndation: 1. 16, one 
would read stormi for straumi: vig-rodar is prompted by Helgi i. 127.—The text 
presented in the MSS, is a mere maze of wild wandering words, 


Head-Ransom: Hofudlausn, (p. 267.) 


We give here the marrow of the story as told in Egil’s Saga, of the incidents 
which led to the making of the poem Head-Ransom :— 


“It is told that Gundhild had a spell worked; and this was the spell, that Egil 
Scallagrimsson should never rest in peace in Iceland till she should set eyes on 
him, .. . And when he was staying at Borg [out in Iceland], after Scallagrim’s death, 
he began to grow restless; and as the winter drew on he grew ever more restless. 
And when the summer came then he made it known, that he was minded to get a 
ship ready to go abroad that summer.” It was late when he sailed, and they met 
bad weather, but in the end made the Humber, and ran the ship ashore and wrecked 
her, “There they got news which pleased Egil, that King Athelstan and his 
kingdom were faring well; but other news too there were which seemed parlous 
to Egil, to wit that King Eric Bloodaxe and Gundhild were there holding and ruling 
the kingdom [of Northumberland], not far from where they were, up in York.” He 
also knew that Arinbeorn the baron was there with Eric and in great favour with 
him, So the same night he rides up secretly to York. ‘He had a broad hood 
over his helmet, and all his weapons on him.” He asked which house in the town 
belonged to Arinbeorn, and was told, and rode up to it at once. ‘‘ And when he 
came to the house itself, he sprang off his horse, and found a man to speak to. He 
was told that Arinbeorn was sitting at meat. Said he, ‘ Good fellow, I would like 


thee to go into the house, and ask Arinbeorn whether he will rather talk to Egil — 


Scallagrimsson indoors or out.’ Says the man, ‘It is little trouble to me to do thy 
errand.’ Then he went into the room and spoke out in a big loud voice, ‘ There is 
a man come here as big as a giant, and he is now standing at the door, and he bade 
me go in and ask thee whether thou wilt rather talk with Egil Scallagrimsson 
indoors or out.’ Said Arinbeorn, ‘Go and bid him wait outside; he shall not wait 
long.’ He did as Arinbeorn told him. Arinbeorn bid them take the tables away ; 
then he went out and all his Housecarles with him. And when he met Egil he 
greeted him kindly, and asked him why he had come there. Egil told him in 
a few words all about his voyage, ‘and now thou shalt consider what course I shall 
take, if thou art minded to give me thy protection.” ‘Hast thou met any man 
in the town, says Arinbeorn, ‘ who will have known thee, before thou camest here 
to my house?’ ‘None,’ says Egil. ‘Take your weapons then, men,’ says Arin- 
beorn. So they did; and when they were all weaponed then they walked to the 
king’s house. And when they came to the hall, Arinbeorn rapped at the door and 
bade them open, saying who he was. The Door-wards opened the doors at once. 
The king was sitting at table there. Arinbeorn said that twelve of them should 
walk in, naming Egil and ten others besides himself. ‘Now thou, Egil, shalt bear 
thy head to the king, and take hold of his foot; but I will plead thy suit.’ . Then 
they walked in. Arinbeorn went up to the king and greeted him, The king 
welcomed him, and asked what he wanted, Said Arinbeorn: ‘I am bringing you 
a man that has come a long way to visit you at home and be reconciled with you. 
It is a high honour for you, my lord, that your foes come of their own will out of 

















§ 4.] NOTES TO PAGE 267. 535 


far-off lands to you, feeling that they cannot bear your wrath, though they be far from 
you. And do thou treat this man as a king should!’ . . . Then the king peered 
about, and looked over the heads of the men, and saw where Egil was standing. 
He knew him at once, and glared upon him, and said, ‘Why wert thou so 
bold, Egil, as to dare to come to see me? Thou didst leave such a tale of crime 
behind thee last time we parted, that thou couldst have no hope of life from me.’ 
Then Egil went up to the table, and caught hold of the king’s foot. King Eric 
said, ‘I need not tell over thy crimes against me, for they are so many and so 
heavy, that any one of them would be quite enough for thee not to be suffered 
to go hence alive. Thou mightest have known beforehand that thou shalt never 
make thy peace with me.’ Then spake Gundhild: ‘Why not slay Egil at once? 
Dost thou not call to mind, O king, what Egil has done to thee, slaying thy friends 
and thy kinsmen, and, above all, thy son, and making a libel (nith) on thyself also? 
Who hath ever heard of a king being defied in this way?’ Says Arinbeorn: ‘If 
Egil have spoken ill against the king, he may make amends therefore by words 
of praise that shall endure for ages.’ But Gundhild said: ‘We will not hear his 
words of praise. Do thou, O king, have Egil led out of doors and cut down, I will 
neither hear his words nor look upon him.’ Then Arinbeorn spake: ‘The king 
must not let himself be egged on to work thy cowardly work. He must not have 
Egil slain by night, for night-slaughter is murder.’ The king said: ‘It shall be as 
thou askest, Arinbeorn, Egil shall live this night. Have him home with thee and 
bring him to me in the morning.’” . . . Arinbeorn takes him home, ‘and when 
they were come to his house, they twain went up into a loft for a little while and 
took counsel together over the matter. Arinbeorn spake thus: ‘The king was 
very wrath just now, but I rather thought his mood was softening somewhat at the 
last; still we must leave it to fate which way it will end. I know that Gundhild 
will set her whole heart to upset thy cause. Now my wish is that we take this 
course, to wit, that thou should keep awake all night and make a song of praise on 
King Eric. I-think it would be well if thou wert to make an Encomium of twenty 
stanzas, and were to deliver it in the morning when we two come before the 
king.’ .. . Says Egil: ‘I will try thy counsel since it is thy wish; but I am not 
prepared to make a song of praise on King Eric.’ Arinbeorn bade him try. Then 
he went out, and had meat and drink carried up at once to the loft; Egil was there 
alone all night. Arinbeorn went back to his men, and they sat over their drink till 
midnight. Then Arinbeorn went to the sleeping-room with his men; but before 
he took off his clothes he went up to the loft to Egil, and asked him how he was 
getting on with his song. Egil said that it was not begun: ‘A swallow has been 
sitting by the window, twittering all night, so that I have had no peace for her.’ 
Then Arinbeorn went out of the room and out by the doors that led up to the top 
of the house, and sat down over against the window of the loft where the bird had 
been sitting; and he saw a witch in a changed shape going off to the other side of 
the house. He sat by the window till it dawned. And after Arinbeorn’s coming 
Egil made the whole poem and got it by heart, that he might deliver it in the 
morning when he should see Arinbeorn, They go to the king next morning, and 
Arinbeorn says: ‘Here is Egil; he has not sought to flee in the night. Now I 
would fain know, my lord, what his lot shall be. I hoped that thou wouldst let 
him get the benefit of my pleas, for I think it would be a very great thing that 
Egil should be permitted to make his peace with thee. I have ever acted, as was 
my duty, in such a way as to spare nothing, either in work and word, to make your 
glory greater than before. I have left all my belongings, and kinsmen, and friends, 


536 NOTES TO PAGE 267. [BK, IV. 


which I had in Norway, and followed you, when all your liegemen forsook you; 
and this is but fair, for thou hast done me many a kindness.?’ Then Gundhild 
spake: ‘Enough, Arinbeorn, do not talk so much on this head! ‘Thou hast done 
King Eric much good, and he has repaid thee in full) You owe much more to the 
king than to Egil, It is not a thing that thou shouldst ask for, to wish that Egil 
should go off from here scot-free, with such guilt as there is on him!’ Then 
Arinbeorn said: ‘If thou, O king, and Gundhild be of one mind, that Egil shall not 
make his peace with thee here, it were a manly thing to give him law and leave for 
a week, that he may have a chance of getting away, inasmuch as he has come here of 
his own will to see you, hoping to get mercy from you. And after this the dealings 
between you may go on as you will.’ Then said Gundhild: ‘I can see by this, 
Arinbeorn, that thou art more faithful to Egil than to King Eric; if Egil is to have 
a week to ride away quietly, he will certainly reach King Ethelstan’s realm in that 
time. And King Eric need not deceive himself into thinking that any other king is 
not more than a match for him; nevertheless a short time ago it would not have 
been thought likely that King Eric would not have had will or means to revenge his 
injury upon any such fellow as this Egil here.’ Says Arinbeorn: ‘No man can call 
Eric a greater man for slaying a franklin’s son that has put himself in his power. 
But if the king wish to magnify himself by this, I will promise him so much, that 
this matter shall never be forgotten; for Egil and I will make common cause 
henceforth, so that he shall have to deal the same lot to both of us. Thou shalt 
buy Egil’s life dear, O king, if we are all laid dead on the field, I and my following. 
I had looked for other things from thee, than that thou shouldst rather have me laid 
dead on the ground than give me one man’s life when I ask thee.’ Then the king 
answered: ‘Thou art going too far, Arinbeorn, in taking Egil’s part. I should be 
loath to do thee harm, if it come to this, that thou wilt rather lay down thy life 
than he should be slain. Nevertheless I have cause enough against Egil, however 
hardly I deal with him!’ And when the king had said these words, Egil walked up 
to him and began his poem, and spoke up and got silence at once,” ... “King Eric 
sat bolt upright while Egil was delivering his poem, glaring at him. And 
when the Encomium was finished, he said: ‘ The poem is most finely delivered, and 
I have now made up my mind, Arinbeorn, what to do in Egil’s case. Thou hast 
pleaded Egil’s cause in a very unmeasured way, in threatening to defy me. But 
for thy sake it shall be as thou hast asked of me, that Egil shall go from my presence 
whole and unpunished. But do thou, Egil, take heed in thy voyaging, that after 
thou art once gone from my presence out of this hall, thou never come into my sight 
again nor in my sons’ sight, nor ever be with me or in my host. And I give thee 
thy head now this once, because thou hast put thyself in my power. I will not act 
like a niddering by thee. But know of a truth, that there shall be no peace between 
thee or me, or my sons, or any of our kindred that is minded to revenge our cause 
upon thee.” Arinbeorn thanks the king and they go away. ‘“ And when Arinbeorn 
and Egil took leave of each other, Egil gave Arinbeorn the two gold rings which 
King /éthelstan had given him, and they were worth a mark a-piece. And Arin- 
beorn gave Egil a sword called Drag-wandil. Thorwolf Scallagrimsson had given it 
to Arinbeorn, and Scallagrim had got it before from Thorwolf his brother, but Grim 
Hairy-cheek, the son of Kettle Trout, had given it to Thorwolf, Kettle Trout had 
had it and used it at wager of battle, and it was the sharpest of swords.” Cp. Hom, 
I]. xxiii and Od. xxi. 

Text B is given in full, pp. 379-380. The kennings are treated in the respective 
Excursus. For the metre, see p. 553. — 











§ 4.] NOTES TO PAGES 267-271. 537 

1, 1. * West over the Sea’ is a standing term of the Wicking-tide, going westward 
to the British Isles; here it is of Iceland as if from Norway, So too in Landnama 
the Irish in Iceland are called ‘ Westmen.’ 

1. 3. Isa-brot; is it the Arctic ice the poet has in mind? 

1, 6. bidd (f.), earth, a Gaelic loan-word (different in gender, sense, and root- 
vowel from bidd-r, table) ; occurs besides, Vsp., 1. 16, Merl. ii. 298. 

1. 7. Note, the w sounded as a vowel and alliterating with 7; see however Text B. 

1, 17. ‘The web of darts,’ the standard, we hold, is meant ; perhaps, in the British 
Isles, originally a plaited shield, cp. Helgi i. 103, note: vé (Il. 20) too means the 
standard, cp. Arnor. vi. 48. 

1, 19. ‘inn brimils médi’ we do not understand. 

1, 21. ‘Fit’ we take to be the shore where battles were fought. 

1. 30. Or isarn-leiki? 

1. 36. Nari, Hell’s brother, cp. aldr-nari, Vsp. 156. 

ll. 39, 40. A ship’s beak labouring in a high sea, compared to the raven’s beak 
dipping in the blood of the slain: savage imagery } 

1, 41. gnaudar lz, not quite safe, see B. 

1. 42. Battening the wolves on the sea is not so absurd as it might seem, for 
actions were fought close in to the shore; the wolves are fancied as coming down 
from the woods to the corses drifted ashore, cp. vol. ii, p. 202, |. 9. 

1. 49. ‘sem hvar’ is unidiomatic, 

1. 53. verjom (Old Germ. waren, Lat. uarii = men), different from ver, husband. 

1, 55 we do not understand ; the text is unsafe. 

1, 59. fidl =fiold, with genitive, bkv. 94. 

1. 61. fidr-lag, cp. aldr-lag; folk-hagi, cp. pidd-hagi. 

1. 63. Iofor-land = York and the surrounding county; Iofor-vik, Lay of Arinb, 15. 
In Egil’s day York was sounded trisyllabic, though some eigfty years later in Sighvat 
we already find Iér-vik, vol. ii, p. 135, 1. 2.. By hornklofi, the raven standard is meant, 
of which Orkney Saga tells us—(merkit) var goert i hrafns-mynd, ok pa er vindr 
bléss i merkit, p4 var sem hrafn beindi fluginn [Rolls Edit. ch. 11, p. 15]: verpr 
af brandi we understand not, 

1, 68. He has above said Ioforlandi, but what is ‘ fegi?’ we take it to be the Irish 
form of Lat. vicus, fich', hence lofor-fegi=TIofor-vik. Note that King Eric’s Blood- 
axe’s Body-guard was mixed in nationality, Irish and Norse; the word, though 
a riddle to Icelanders and an Gm, Aey., would therefore have been understood by the 
hearers in Eric’s hall. loforvic is, by the way, but a popular etymology of Eburacum, 

ll. 73, 74. The gem of the Song, otherwise rough-hewn enough! The emen- 
dation we have treated in the General Introduction: ‘baugi’ not appellative; for it 
is the poem, not gold or rings, the poet bids the kings enjoy—‘ enjoy rings’ would 
have fitted the king’s address to the poet. As for Baugi (Befig), the Soma Giant, Sup- 
tung’s brother, see the story translated, vol. i, p. 465; ‘bidri’ fits in with alliteration 
and sense: Vagni, of Woden, occurs in Alvism. 11, notes; from the heavenly Wain: 
Cod. B. gives vaara, taara; so the quantity is well warranted, being tar, tears, and 
no other word; vili is near in form to velli, it is just the word we want, tear-boiler, 
tear-cauldron. The image would be drawn from the hot springs in Iceland, whereof 
there are many in Egil’s home Borgfrith (e. g. those of Reykjaholt), The poet thrice 
repeats this simile of the eye,—‘ Cherish my song, O king, as Woden does his only eye!” 





= 
? It lurks, we think, in later kennings (drawn from here?), hodda fegi, the land 
of hoard, or land of gems =the hand, Lex. Poet. 161-162; vol. ii, p. 64, 1. 28. 


538 NOTES TO PAGES 272-273. [BK. rv. 


Arinbeorn’s Lay, (p. 272.) 


The facsimile transcript, p. 380, will give the reader an idea of the unique MS. 

For the kennings, see the Excursus, 

ll. 1-8. Introductory. 

ll, x and 6, -kvidr, adj., abridged in Cod., is to be read thus (not kvedr), agreeably 
with a vowel-change e-i [first noticed by Mr. Leffler of Upsala], e.g. rigna from 
tegn, virkr from verk, virdr from verd, etc. 

ll. 2-6. gloeggvinga, cp. vol. ii, p. 543, 1. 13: skrok-berendr, cp, Helgi i, 1, 155. 

ll, 7, 8. sigt (gender fem.), cp. Hofudl. 70, Eirm, 27, Hakm. 62, Gripi 208: we 
read ‘margra,’ as being more idiomatic, and because sigt certainly is not a neuter: 
cdi, cp. Vsp. 32, G. W. 11, Vpm. vv. Ig, 20. 

ll. 9-48. The poet begins his story, by relating Arinbeorn’s goodness to himself in 
having saved his life in York from Bloodaxe’s anger. See p. 534. 

ll. 9, 10. ‘He had fallen under the king’s wrath.’ How, we know not, for the 
murders and butcheries, of the king’s son among others, told in the Saga (chs. 57-60) 
are in a great measure to be set down as fables, invented by the Saga-remodeller, of 
the thirteenth century, 

1, 11. ‘diarfr hott,’ yields no good sense: ‘ dular-hott,’ disguise-hood, we should 
say, was what the poet said. The Saga-maker (and in this episode he is excellent) 
must have known that to be the word, for he says, ‘hann hafdi sidan hatt yfir 
hialmi,’ though a few lines above there stands—Hann herdi pé huginn, which might 
allude to a ‘ diarfr.’ 

1, 12. Arinbeorn is par excellence called Hersi (just as Cato is called Censor), 

1. 13. ‘ygr-hialmr’ (elsewhere egis-hialmr, O, Ww. Pl. vv. 33, 34). Sturla copies 
the word in that form in a poem of 1264. 

1, 16. ‘hiarli,’ not hforvi, must be the word; an h-word is wanted, so much 
one can see: urigr, watery, will not do, (it cannot well be) applied to the ‘ sword,’ 
but befits the coast, Mark 63; mountains, Skirn. 38; ship, Rimeg.15; ways, Righ. 
155, Swipd. and Meng. 70; cp. Homer’s iypa xéAevOa, Here, in Egil’s song, it is 
aptly applied to the land about York, the Humber March, watered by so many rivers 
(mwoAv-7éTapos), We know not the gender of hiarl; but take it to have been 
masculine. 

ll. 17-20. The keen flashing eyes of a king are often sung by the poets, see Righ. 
133; here it is a still ‘ terribler’ thing to face the eyes of a king in wrath, 

ll. 21, 22. The puns or conceits, Bolstr-maka (head’s) verd = Head-Ransom, cp, 
1. 32 below. In ‘hgngs markar’ we think we see another conceit denoting the 
county; either we read ‘Humra,’ which would fit well enough, humra, gen. of 
humarr= Humber; or heeng (though now in Iceland applied to the salmon) may in 
Egil mean the lobster; anyhow, by hceings mark the Humber March is meant. 

1. 26, skati, cp. 79, Hofudl. 48, 54. 

1, 27. Cp. ulf-gratt harit ok pykkt [Saga drawing from the poem]. 

ll. 29, 30. We read tiror (dual), the two eyes, the two sparklets, ‘tira’ is akin 
to Germ. zier: soekk, gullies, chines, cp. Ht. 5, alluding to Egil’s craggy, jutting 
eyebrows; bruina-mikill the Saga says, ch. 54, though it makes the picture too 
coarse and monstrous: ‘sam-leitom’ we now prefer; it recurs vol. ii, p. 270, VI, 13 
(drawn from our Lay ?). 

1. 37. moérgom betri, dubious (mdgom betri): 1. 40 too is dim and unsafe, 

1, 42. kniar, cp. Thulor 188 (knight, champion). 

ll. 45-48. Neither Arni Magnusson nor the Editor (in 1860) were able to read 





bab 














§ 4] NOTES TO PAGES 273-274. 539 


this, What Gudmund Magnzus read (end of former century in Ed, 1109) is illu- 
sory; it is not that which lies in the faded lines, nor has it the right flow, being 
lame in sense: ‘xttar-skati’ (end of I. 48) seems safe, cp. pidd-skati, Hofudl. 48. 

ll. 49-52. The poet reverts to the obligation now lying on himself. 

1. 49. vin-pidfr, a law word, a. Aey. (or coined by Egil ?). 

l. 50. Read, var-litigr (not van-liigr), an old Teutonic law term, A.S. wer-loga ; 
for toasts coupled with vows, see Excursus, p. 404. Strange to say, var-liugr is 
an dm, Aey. in this passage; other words, grid-rofi, tryggd-rofi, having taken its 
place: hrédrs cervirdr is too impersonal, not technical enough; the poet heaps 
together the strongest ‘4kvedin ord,’ libellous law terms; hence we would read, 
hrokr (k =p), cervirdi, older form for auvirdi (see Dict. 36a) =hrdékr, cer-virdi ok 
heit-rofi, a boor, a wretch, a vow-breaker, unless, etc. A goodly anthology or 
Glossary of such terms is gathered (from lost sources mainly), vol. ii, pp. 543 and 545: 
heit-rofi, a vow-breaker, see Dict. s, v. 

ll. 54-56. Faded, illegible, unsafe. Arni was not able to read it, nor could we. 
The image is from carpentry or smith’s handiwork, The clue is perhaps afforded 
by Einar Skilason’s Geisli, 1. 198, ‘slétti ek 63 bragar-tdélom,’ to plane out with the 
song tools, i.e. the tongue, clearly copied from here. We read— 


Nu es pat sét hve ek slétta skal 
bragar-tdlom ... 


The rest we must leave alone; ‘ bragar-fdtom’ is inadmissible, ‘ feet’ being altogether 
alien to Teutonic ideas of poetry. 

ll. 57-60. Images from carpentry continued; the subject-matter is the timber or 
boards, the tongue the plane for shaving the boards; these similes are copied later, see 
vol. ii, p. 300, 1, 8: omon (voice), cp, L. Br. L. 287, and vol. ii, p. 544, l. 10, bottom : 
efni, the timber; valig (mighty) is preferable to valid (chosen): 4 tungo, closer to 
the trope would be ‘und’ tungo, lying ready to be shaved underneath my tongue: 
magar péris, Thori the Baron, son of Hroald, of whom see Egils S. ch. 32. 

1. 60, twofold or even threefold, marks the sections to come of Arinbeorn’s 
Praise: (1) His lordly liberality, wealth, open hand and heart; (2) his valour and 
exploits. 

1. 61. The first item follows, the second falls in the blank, see p. 380, col. 2. 
Are we to read, like Head-Ransom 22, ‘ bat telgig fyrst?’ 

1, 62, alpidd, cp, Sons’ Wreck 74. 

1, 65. -herjar, easy emendation (a dative -heri has no existence). 

1, 66. yrpidd, qs. verpidd, cp. Vellekla 40, 62 (copied from Egil ?). 

1, 68. Frey and Niorth, the givers of wealth and of good seasons. ‘Rich as 
Niorth,’ Vatzd. (last chapter), cp. Yngl. S. chs. 11, 12, Edda (Gg.) 

ll. 69-72. The simile. Arinbeorn, the ‘ caput familias,’ is figured as a mighty ¢ree 
(cp. Excursus, vol. ii, p. 473), from whose every branch bounties come drizzling 
down like streams of water coursing all over the outstretched earth: hofud-badmr, 
a law term, Hit. 23, Thulor 214. Hroald, the Baron of Frith in Norway, was Arin- 
beorn’s grandfather, the founder of the family; of whom see Landn. ii, ch, 1, Egils 
S. chs. 2, 7, from lost clause in the Lives of Kings: ‘At alnom sifia’ is unsafe, 
we read, at cerno dritipa, fow abundantly: 1, 71.‘ vinseldir ;’ in 1860 we tried hard 
to unravel this word in the MS., and we could then see that it was not ‘ vinseldir,’ 
as given in the Editions; we have now, we think, fgund the word that fits in with 
the sense and the ‘ductus calami’ of the vellum, to wit, vatn-foll, streams of 
water, see Dict. 682 b (vatz-foll it could not be): af vegom dllom, from all sides, 





540 NOTES TO PAGES 274-275. [ BK. IV 


all around, cp. Swipd. and Meng. 27, Sun Song 21, Héd and Ang. 49, Grimn. 
84: vind-kers botn, image copied by Sighvat ii. 15, Mark 4. We now read— 
Enn Hroaldz & héfud-badmi 
auds id-gnéttir at cerno dritipa, 
sem vatn-foll af vegom gllom 
& vind-kers vidom botni. 


il. eae A fresh simile; unfortunately 1. 73 is utterly illegible and unsafe. 
We once tried long and ttied in vain to find the key-word to the image. The 
old editor Magnzus fancied a string (seal) of the ears=fame, renown, which to 
our mind is too far-fetched, lying clean outside the range of ideas of the ancients ; 
yet the sense seems to be, how well-beloved Arinbeorn was, beloved by all men like a 
true king (1. 74), the darling of the gods (75): Vedr-orms, certainly so’ (not ve- 
porin, an otherwise impossible word) ; some chief of whom no record is left; Vet- 
lingar (not Veclingar), clan-name Watling to be found in Papen toér (toeja), 
helper, champion of. 

ll. 79, 80. Two proverbs, ‘men of large heart, of great soul, are few and far 
between ;’ and ‘’tis given but to few to win the hearts of all men ’—wealth alone, 
the poet truly says, cannot do it, cp. Lodd. Less. v.12: spear (Thulor 286) is here 
the spear-head (arrow’s head?), to which the ‘shaft’ is to be fitted, cp. Orvar 
skepta, Righ, 135. 

ll. 81-83. ‘No man ever left Arinbeorn’s house without gifts and welcome:’ leg- 
ver (bed), its ship, the house: longom knerri. Ancient halls were long and narrow ; 
a hall of thirty-five fathoms by seven yards is mentioned in Landn. (Hb.), App, 
whence the builder got the surname ‘ Long-Hall :’ heipt-kvidr, cp. Havam. 71, vol. ii, 
p. 59, |. 37: hadi leiddr, cp. Lodd. Less. vv. 18, 20. This latter refers to the poor 
of these days, who were termed ‘walkers,’ gango-menn, Gangandi (Chr. W. 12, 
foot-note) ; alliteratively, ala gest ok ganganda, 

1, 86 unsafe. In the rest of the column (p. 380 b) we could read the initials only 
of the stanza, 

ll. 88-91. Cited in Edda, we are able to identify it in the blurred column: the 
image is from the saying, kasta 4 gle, ‘to throw in the sea,’ to waste. 

Il. 92 sqq. All the rest down to the envoy is now lost; the part on the faded page 
relates Arinbeorn’s valour, prowess, and feats of arms, How much of the text 
ran over to the next leaf we are unable to tell; whatever it was, it is irretrievably 
lost, whilst the rest of the column may one day be read, though, beyond a few bits, 
we were foiled in the attempt. 

ll. 92-95. The Envoy. Images again from carpentry or house-building : mél-pidn 
is not material enough for a poet of old; we want a ¢ool or instrument, mal-born, 
speech-pin, would be the nearest word =the tongue, called ‘ plane,’ 1.57: Obrotgiarn, 
unbreakable, firmly built; bragar (not Bragar) tun, song’s court, cp. ord-hof, Sonat. 


23, mouth or breast; stendr, present or future sense, shall stand=mun standa, _ 


meaning, ‘I have reared a song that shall long live unbroken in the mouth, breast, 
or memory of men!’ Cp. Pind, Pyth. vi. 7-13. 
Having finished his song—as he was residing in Iceland, and his friend in Norway— 


the next thing Egil had to do was to despatch a fit messenger (there were no other ~ 


means of publication in his days), who would have to carry the poem to Norway 
in his ‘ breast,’ and to recite it before Arinbeorn, his house, and clan, 














§ 4.] NOTES TO PAGE 276. 541 


Sona-torrek, (p. 277.) 


The story of the composition of Sona-torrek is thus told in Egil’s Saga, ch. 80 :— 

“It happened once that Beadwere [Fgil’s son] asked to go with them [Egil’s 
servants], and they gave him leave. Then he went down to Wold with the servants. 
They were six together in an eight-oared boat. But when they were about putting 
out [to come back] the flood was late in the day, and since they had to wait for 
the tide, they got away late in the evening. Then a mad gale burst upon them 
from the south-west, right in the face of the river. And a big sea rose in the bay, as 
will often happen there. And the end of it was, that the boat was swamped 
beneath them, and they were all lost; but when the next day came the bodies 
drifted ashore. Beadwere’s body came ashore on Ejinar’s Ness . . . Egil heard the 
tidings the same day, and rode thither to seek the body. He came right upon 
Beadwere’s body. He took it up and set it across his knees and rode with it out 
into Thick-ness to the barrow of [his father] Scallagrim, Then he had the barrow 
opened and laid Beadwere therein down by the side of Scallagrim, Then it was 
closed again, and it was not finished till about sunset. After that Egil rode home to 
Borg. And when he came home he went straight to the bed-locker, wherein he 
was wont to sleep, and lay down and shot the lock to. No one dared to speak to 
him. [And it is told that when they buried Beadwere Egil was dressed in hose knit 
fast to the leg, and over them a red fustian kirtle, tight, and close cut and laced at the 
side, And more say that he swelled so [for grief] that the kirtle and hose were 
rent upon him!.] Nor did Egil open the bed-locker later in the day, nor had he 
any meat or drink there with him. There he lay that day and the next night, and 
no one dared to reason with him. But the third morning, when it began to dawn, 
Ansegerd [Egil’s wife] set a man on horse-back, and he rode as hard as he could 
west to Herdholt, and told Thorgerd [Egil’s daughter] all these news, It was past 
noon-tide [three o’clock] when he got there. He also said that Ansegerd had sent 
word to her to come as quick as might be south to Borg. Thorgerd had a horse 
saddled for her forthwith, and two men rode with her. They rode on all that 
evening and through the night till they reached Borg. Thorgerd went straight into 
the big room. Ansegerd greeted her and asked whether she and her men had had 
supper. Thorgerd answered in a loud voice: ‘I have had no supper, and none will 
I have till I sup at Freya’s. I know no better way than my father’s, and I will not 
live after him: and my brother!’ Then she went to the bed-place and called out; 
‘Father, open the door, I wish us both to go the same way!’ Egil pushed back 
the lock. Then Thorgerd got up into the bed-room and had the door shut again, 
and lay down on the second bed that stood there. Then spake Egil: ‘Thou hast 
done well, daughter, to wish to follow thy father. Thou hast shown me great love. 
How was it likely that I should wish to live after such a sorrow?’ Then they 
were silent for a space. Then spake Egil: ‘ What is this, daughter; thou art chew- 
ing something?’ ‘I am chewing dulse,’ says she, ‘for I think that that will make 
me worse than before, for otherwise I think that I shall live too long.’ ‘Is it bad for 
a man then?’ says Egil. ‘Very bad,’ says she; ‘wilt thou eat thereof?’ ‘ Why 
not?’ says he. And an hour later she called out and bade them give her to drink, 
and they gave her water, Then said Egil: ‘Thus it goes with them that eat 
dulse, they always get more thirsty.’ ‘Wilt thou drink, father?’ says she. He 


—_,.. 
—_— 


? An echo of the Sigfred Lay, where the mail-coat is riven by the hero’s grief and 
passion, The passage is a gloss in the text of Egla. 


: 





542 NOTES TO PAGE 276. [BE. tv. 


took and swallowed a great draught, and it was in an ox-horn, Then said Thor- 
gerd: ‘ We are beguiled, it is milk!’ And Egil bit a shard out of the horn as far 
as his teeth gripped it, and then threw the horn down. Then said Thorgerd: 
‘What counsel shall we take now, for this plan of ours is at an end? I am fain, 
father, that we should live a little longer, so that thou mightest make a dirge over 
Beadwere, and I will carve it on a stick, and then let us die if we please. For I think 
it will be long ere thy son Thorstan makes a poem over Beadwere, and it is not 
seemly that he should not have his due rites,’ . . . Egil said that it was not very likely 
that he could make a poem then, even if he tried, ‘But I will try,’ says he. 
Egil had had another son whose name was Gundhere, and he had also died a little 
time before. Egil began to get better as he went on making his poem. And 
when the poem was finished, he recited it to Ansegerd and Thorgerd and his 
household, And after that he rose up out of his bed and sat down in the high- 
seat. This poem is called the Sons’ Wreck. Then Egil had his son’s funeral pers 
formed after the heathen fashion. And when Thorgerd went home Egil took leave 
of her with parting gifts '.” 

This Family Idyll is an independent story, based on traditions in Thorgerd’s family 
and posterity in Broadfirth ; we note but few, if any, traces of the Saga-~man having 
paraphrased the poem, the only historically authentic source. Yet the names of the 
two brothers, Gundhere and Beadwere (as is the case with the poem’s #ifle, 1. 94), 
may, though now lost, have been once drawn from the poem. The Saga, too, 
gives place-names connected with the funeral cairn or the drowning, Nausta-nes (cp. 
1,12), Digra-nes, Einars-nes; do any of these lurk under the corrupt lines? 

The date of the poem can only approximately be fixed; we fear we have (p. 276) 
put it too early, and that A.D. 970 would be nearer the mark. Taking that date, 
we shall better understand the poet’s lamentation of his lonely, helpless state, bereft 
of kindred and progeny, a picture of gloom and despondency overdrawn, as often is 
the case; for Egil had one son left, Thorstan, a gentle weakly backward lad, good 
for little, the father thought, yet he turned out well enough. This Thorstan’s 
eldest son (vol. ii, p. 99) fought, when quite a young man, at Swolder (against Trygg- 
wason); his father’s marriage would accordingly fall in 978—980, so that in 970 
Thorstan would have been a mere lad of fourteen or fifteen, or even younger, no 
stay to an aged father, As for daughters, Egil had two. Thorgerd was at this 
time, we take it, still an wnmarried girl in her father’s house*, This would make 





1 There is a beautiful parallel in Beowulf, ll. 2450-63, to Egil’s grief at his son’s 

death :— 
Symble bid gemyndgad morna gehwylce 
eaforan ellor-sid ; ddres ne gymed 
to gebidanne burgum on innan 
ytfe-weardes, ponne se 4n hafad 
puth deddes nyd deda gefondad, 
Gesyhd sorh-cearig on his suna buire 
win-sele wéstne wind-gereste 
réte berofene; ridend swefad 
hzled in hodman; nis per hearpan swég 
gomen in geardum, swylce per ged wezron. 
Gewited ponne on sealman sorh-léod geled 
an efter 4num: pubte him eall t6é rim 
wongas ond wic-stede. 


2 Thorgerd’s children are recorded in Landnama, Bk, ii, ch. 18—Sons, Kiartan, 
Halldor, Stanthor, Thorberg: daughters, Thurid, Thorbiorg, Bergthora. It is the 





ee ss ee a 








§ 4.] NOTES TO PAGE 276. 543 


her ruse all the truer, it would fall on her to console her father, and she would have 
a chance of success where his wife had none, Thorgerd afterwards married Olaf 
Peacock, a patriarch rich in flocks and herds, the hero of the House Lay (vol. ii, 
Pp. 22, 23). 

The Poet’s outlook in 970 was indeed gloomy enough—one boy not of age, 
two unmarried girls, no brothers, Arinbeorn gone, no friend left, old age closing upon 
him, enemies around him, an outlook dark enough to justify ll. 13 sqq. 

Ketil Iorundsson (see Proleg. p. cxlii) gave us, about the year 1650, the only copy 
we have. The copy being taken, the vellum was cut up into covers (a common 
fate in Iceland), and used for binding, stretched over wooden boards. A few 
leaves, however, were saved by Arni Magnusson, and (in 1859) identified by the 
Editor as being part of Ketil’s original; one of these leaves happens to contain 
the Head-Ransom. There is no doubt but that Hofudlausn was taken from that 
very same vellum: that leaf, however, is lost (unless it is lurking somewhere as the 
cover to an old book). The reader therefore must look back to Ketil’s authority, 
a fifteenth-century vellum, with blurred lines here and there, which the good easy 
man could not read; hence the state of our text is easily accounted for, Had the 
leaf been preserved, we might possibly even now after two centuries, by taking 
greater time and trouble than he gave, have read it all Ld 

The ‘kennings’ and similes have been treated of in Excursus I to vol. ii. 

Since the text p. 277 was printed we have, although in the eleventh hour, found 
means for a further readjustment and redistribution of its scattered lines. We will, 
in the utmost brevity, sketch out its plan as it now appears to us :— 





invariable wont of Ari (in Landnama) to count sons and daughters respectively in 
the order of their age; hence we know the sequence of the age of each separately ; 
but how sons and daughters alternated we never can tell; Lawman Sturla (in 
Islendinga Saga Genealogies) follows the same rule, Kiartan was accordingly their 
eldest son; and he stayed with Tryggwason in 998-1000 as a young man (age 
18-20?); his birth would therefore fall in or about 980, and Thorgerd’s marriage, 
say 978. 

' The parchment is of a poor quality; the lines from the other side are seen 
through as if the leaf had been steeped in oil, which confuses the copyist. I re- 
member the Head-Ransom leaf well, what pains it took me (in 1859-61) to decipher 
this and other Icelandic MSS., some palimpsests, I never used any chemical reagents, 
but only pure water poured into a saucer, wherein the leaves were put. A sheet 
of paper was ready at hand, with all the lines of the vellum marked down, so that 
one could put in with a pencil in its right place every word or phrase as soon as 
tead, When the very dim writing cannot be read through the thin sheet of water, 
one has to move the leaf out of the water on to the edge of the saucer, and there 
let it dry, waiting patiently (never rub or touch it) till at a certain degree of the 
drying process the writing will come out, faint, yet perceptible to the naked eye, 
and after a moment (a few seconds) vanish again like a fleeting shadow. The soft 
light of an afternoon is best; time (many days) and patience do the rest. An 
accurate acquaintance with Icelandic palzography, abbreviations, etc., is more 
helpful than sharp eyesight. In this way I was able to read pages where nothing 
but black, sooty, grimy parchment was visible to the naked eye, and which Arni 
Magnusson 150 years earlier had failed to read; nor had anybody even known that 
anything was written thereon. My last effort of this kind was in 1874, over a few 
fragmentary leaves of Sturlunga at Copenhagen, and a newly discovered MS, at 
Stockholm in August of the same summer, for the Rolls Series. The writing 
does not suffer from the process. This I ascertained by trying the same leaf 
twice, at two years’ interval (1859 and 1861). The last time the writing came out 
again just as it had before; I thought clearer the second time. Texts before un- 
known were thus won.—[Editor, ] Ae 


eee eS a .j 


544 SONA-TORREK RECONSTRUCTED. [BK. Iv. 


It falls into three sections, Proem, Central Part, and End, winding up with an 
Envoy. ‘These divisions are made up of four-lined verses. 

The Proem, \l. 1-20; we have here moved up ll. 9-12, a parallel simile to ll. 5-8 
and 13-16; this makes the proem twenty lines; some lines are probably missing. 

ll, 21-81. The Central Part of the poem. It is much disordered as to the sequence 
of stanzas (which is not to be put to Ketil’s account); fresh transpositions are 
required. The first thing requisite is to make out as clearly as one can the plan or 
frame the poet had in mind. In this we are aided by, (a) noting parallels from Arin- 
biorn’s Lay, and (6) from the statement in the Saga that the lay was dedicated to 
the memory of his ¢wo sons, to each of whom a section was devoted, We find that 
the dirge falls into three Sections, besides Introduction, Epilogue, and Envoy, viz. 

(1) Beadwere’s death, by drowning, ll. 21-42; beginning, First I will carve, a 
parallel from Lay of Arinbiorn, |. 61. 

(2) The second section treats of Gundhere’s death, headed by the line—pat man-ek 
enn (or annat) in line 68 of our present disordered text; this whole section has 
therefore to be transposed to after 1. 42, viz. ll. 68-73, 41-48, all fragmentary. 

(3) From hence it turns to his Joss of friends, Arinbeorn foremost, upon which, 
1. 73, he descants on the faithlessness of men, the bad times he has fallen on, A 
son’s loss is irreparable (Il. 78-81). 

The End, \\. 82 sqq., followed by an Envoy. 


SONA-TORREK. 
The Proem, 


Eromk tregt miok tungo at hréra 

or lopt-vztt li6d-pundara: 

esa nu venligt um Vidriss pyfi, 

né hég-dreegt or hogar-fylgsnom. 

Esat aud-peystr—pvi ekka veldr 5 
hofugleikr—or hyggjo-stad 

fagna-fundr Friggjar vers 

ar-borinn or I9tun-heimom. 

Eromk Farma-gods af frosti piokkt 

hrosta-brim i hiarta strondo: Io 
makat-ek upp i dééar grunni 

ryniss roedi rétto halda. 





THE SONS’ CRUEL WRECK, 

Proem.—He cannot sing for grief— 

It is hard for me to raise my tongue, the steel-yard of sound, from the roof of my 
mouth, 

Little hope have I of winning Woden’s spoil, nor. is it lightly drawn from the 
hiding-place of my mind, 

It is not easy to make it flow from the home of fancy [my breast] that pleasant 
find of Frigg’s husband, borne of yore from Giant-land. 

The heaviness of my woe is the cause thereof, 

The yeasty surge of the God of the Burden [Poetry] lies icebound on the strand 
of the heart [my breast], 

Nor can I make the oar of speech {my tongue] play rightly in the deeps of song 
[my breast]. . . . . « + [Four lines of like meaning, but corrupt.] 


hdl de Peaks, 
ee , 




















SONA-TORREK RECONSTRUCTED. 545 


‘Lasta lauss er lifnadi’ 

‘& nockvers nockva bragi’ 

‘jotuns hals undir flota’ 15 
nains nidr fyr naust-durom. 

pviat 2tt min 4 enda stenzk 

sem hre brunnin hlyna marka: 

esa karskr madr sas i kggglom ser 

frenda hroer af fletjom rydr. 20 


The Central Part. 
pat mank emni ddar lokri 
i froeda-sal fyrst um telgja: 
pat koemr ut or ord-hofi 
merdar-timbr mali laufgat. 


Grimmt vaéromk hlid patz hronn um braut 25 
fodor mins 4 frend-gardi: 

veit-ek 6-fullt ok opit standa 

sonar skard es mer ser um vann. 

Miok hefir Ran ryskt um mik; 

emk cer-snaudr at Ast-vinom : ek 
sleit marr bond minnar ettar, 

snaran patt, af sialfom mer. 

Veitzto um pa sok sverdi rekag 

vid gl-smié allra tiva: 

R6da va-bridir um vega mettag, 35 
foérag and-vigr Egiss mani. 





Why he mourns— ? 

For my race hath now come down to the stock, like the burnt trunk of the trees 
of the forest, 

No hearty man is he that must bear in his hands the corse of his kinsmen from his 
house, 


But he will sing— 

First 1 will with the blade of song [my tongue] out of the hall of song [my 
breast] hew this matter. 

Yea, this song timber, leafed with speech, shall pass out of the word-fane [my 
mouth }, 

§ 1. Beadware’s death by drowning— 

Cruel was the breach the billow made in my father’s wall of kinsmen, 

I can see it standing unfilled, unclosed, the gap left by my son which the sea 
caused me. 

Ran [the Ocean Giantess] hath handled me roughly. I am utterly reft of my 
loving friends, 

The sea hath cut the bonds of my race, the hard-spun strands that bound me. 

How shall 1 take up my cause with the sword against the Brewer of all the Gods 
[Eager]? 

How can I make war upon the awful Maids of the Sjorm [the Billows, Eager’s 
daughters] ? 

Or fight a wager of battle with Eager’s wife [Ran]? 

Nn 


546 SONA-TORREK RECONSTRUCTED. © 


Enn ek ekki eiga péttomk 

sakar-afl vid sunar bana: 

pvi-at al-pidd fyr augom verdr 

gamais begns gengi-leysi. 40 
Mik hefir marr myklo rentan, 

grimmt es fall frenda at telja. 


. pat man ewm emni es upp um héf 
i Gosheim Gauta-spialli 
ettar-ask bannz 6x af mer, 45 
ok kyn-vid kvd4nar minnar, 
‘Eromka pokt pidédar sinni’” 
*pott ser hver sattom haldi’ 
byrr es by-skips f be kominn 
kydnar son, ‘ kynniss leita.’ 50 
Sizt son minn séttar brimi 
heiptudigr or heimi nam: 
‘pann, ek veit at varnadi’ 
‘vamma varr vid: n& meli, 
Sidan es minn 4 mun-vega 55 
zttar-skigldr ‘aflifi’ hvarf. 
Veit ek pat sialfr at i syni minom 
vasat illz pegns emni vaxit, 
ef s& rAs-vidr roeskvask nexdi 
unz her-gautr hondom teki. 60 
fE lét fast pat es, fadir malti, 
pott al-pidd. annat segii, 
ok mer vid helt 4 Valbergi, 
ok mitt afl mest um studdi. 





Moreover, I know that I am not strong enough to cope: with the destroyer of my 
son. 

For the helplessness of an old man is manifest to the eyes of the whole people. 

Yea, the Ocean hath done me a great wrong. 

It is hard for me to recount the murder of my kinsman, 

§ 2. Gundhere’s death by fever— 

The second song-matter shall’ be how the Patron of the Gauts raised up into 
Godham the sapling-ash of my race, that grew out of me, the tendril of the kin 
of my wife. 

[Two corrupt lines follow. | 

Yea, Gundhere, my wife’s son, is gone to be a guest in the city of the Hive [Para- 
dise] .-. . . « . ever since the scion of my race [Gundhere] turned into the 
path of bliss—since the deadly heat of sickness took my son from the world— 
since the buckler of my race turned from life into the path of bliss. 

I know very well that there were the parts of a good gentleman in my son, if the 
sapling had been left to ripen ere that the Lord of Hosts laid hands on him. . 

He ever held fast to his. father’s word, though the whole congregation spoke 
against it, 

And upheld my cause at Walfell [the Moot-hill]. 

And was the greatest stay to my strength, 























§ 4.] SONA-TORREK RECONSTRUCTED. 547 
ur, Mer keemr opt Arinbiarnar 65 


i bry-vind broédra-hleyti: 

hnugginn vini es hildr proask, 

horskom hersi, ek hygg at pvi— 

Hverr mer hugadr 4 hid’ standi 

annar pegn vid pidd-redi, 70 
*parf ek pess opt. of her giaurum’ 

verd-ek. var-fleygr es vinir pverra. 

Miok es tor-fyndr s4-es trua knegim 

af al-bidd Yggijar galga: 

‘pviat nifl godr nidja steipir’ 75 
brodor beran ‘vid baugom selr,’ 

‘finn ek pat opt er fiar beidir’ 

pat es ord malt at engi geti 

sonar. id-giold ‘nema sialfr alitue’ 

‘pann nid or odrom se’ 80 
borinn madr i brddor stad. 


The End. 


Attag gétt vid geira dréttinn, 

gridom tryggr tridak hanom: 

adr vinskap Vagna-rini, 

sigr-hofundr, um sleit vid mik. 85 
Bleéetkat-ek pvi brédor Viliss, 

goda iadar, at ek giarn séak: 





~ 


§ 3. Arinbeorn’s absence— 

I yearn for the brotherhood of Arinbeorn, 

Now that I am reft of my friend, that trusty Baron; when’ the battle waxes I 
think of it. 

What other hero that loves me well will stand by my side against the counsels of 
my foes? 

[I am like an old eagle that has lost his flight feathers]. 

I lack [the strong pinions that once upheld me]. 

Yea, I go with drooping flight, for my friends are dropping away from me. 

It is right hard to find a man to trust among all the congregation beneath the 
gallows of Woden [the world-tree]. 

For there is . , . [a saw], Bare [is man’s back without brothers behind him]. 

I often found this when... ' 

Moreover, it is a proverb that no one can get full recompense for his son, , . . 

Nor can one born of another father stand in the place of a brother. 


The End.—His gift of song— 

I was friendly with the King of Spears [Woden]. 

And I put my trust in him, feeling safe in his plighted truce. 

Till the Lord of the Wain, the Judge of Victory, broke the bonds of friendship 
with me. * 

Wherefore I do not worship him, the brother of Wili, nor look yearningly upon 
the Prince of the Gods, 

Nnh2 





548 NOTES TO SONA-TORREK. 


pé hefir Mims vinr mer um fengnar 

bolva bestr, ef it betra teljom. 

Gafomk i-drétt Ulfs of bagi go 
vigi vanr vammi firda ; 

ok pat grepps ged es ek goerda mer 

visa fiandr at viliendom. 


The Envoy. 
Nu es uti Torrex tveggja bura, 
Norva nipt it nesta stendr: 95 
skal-ek pd glaér med gédan vilja 
ok 6-hryger Heljar bida. 

ll, 1-20. Introductory, a proem, as it were. 

ll, 1, 2. See General Introduction, p. xc: 1i68-pundari, the tongue figured as steel 
yard weighing out the words. 

1. 6. ‘hofugligr,’ a misshapen word, though heilagligr occurs, Ord. 32; vaca 
*hofugleiki,’ an a. Aey. in Edda Gg., see vol. ii, p. 631, 1. g (drawn from here ?), 

1, 7. fagna fundr, cp. Hit. 45: ‘ nidja’ can only be gen, pl. (of the Anses); we 
would read, Friggjar vers, of Woden; Ketil’s copy, as known, has ‘ priggja,’ hence 
editors have altered fagna into pagna, taking priggja to stand for ‘ pridja,’ as a name 
of Woden (an impossible one by the way). The error lies in the other word, and 
we read Friggjar, but one letter different. It was Woden who, in the ‘dawn of 
ages, carried the Soma-mead from Giant-land. 

The Poet's Task— 

ll. g-12. It is here of the poem, not of Woden, he is speaking; hence ‘hilmir’ 
is wrong: the whole clause, as it stands in our MS., is a maze of error, Fortunately 
we have, we think, the key to it. In the first place, in Arnor (vol. ii, p. 194, 1. 2) 
we find the simile, Woden’s hrosta brim +, Woden’s yeasting surf, copied, we take it, 
from this line, Therefore in ‘fanst’ a name of Woden must be hidden, an word ; 
the very ‘ ductus calami’ of the corruption points to Farma-gods (farma = fanst, gods 
dropped). Farther, ‘i fostom pock’ is ungrammatical and meaningless, no such 
word as pokkr ever existed ; what is underneath it? The poet is speaking of Song 
as Woden’s surf, and complaining it will not flow; the words, as it were, stick in his 
throat. We thereby get the clue of simile; under ‘ fostom’ we detect frosti (frost) ; 
under ‘pockt,’ piockt (thick), thick with frost, icebound. Following the simile 
farther, under ‘4 hendi stendr ’ (unidiomatic and meaningless by the way), the breast, 
figured as coast or land, is hidden; in ‘ stendur’ we detect strondu, in ‘ hendi’ hiarta 
—and the figure is now full; the song lies icebound within his breast, A very 





Yet the friend of Mim hath bestowed upon me a recompense for my wrongs: 
If I am to reckon the good [he hath done me as well as the evil}, 

The war-wont Foe of the Wolf hath given me the blameless art, 

Yea, song, by which I may turn my open foes into well wishers. 


Envoy— 

Now the Cruel Wreck of my Two Sons is sung through. 

Norwi’s granddaughter [Night or Darkness] standeth nigh at hand, 
But I shall gladly, and with a good will and fearlessly, await death, 





1 brim (not fen) is the true reading of the MSS.: Arnor, younger by a century, 
a native of the same country as Egil, born within twenty miles of Borg, would 
have known Egil’s poems, and now and then copied his pens Here is one 
parallel passage, and more may turn up. 














a Pe 





NOTES TO SONA-TORREK. 549 


beautiful, touching figure, and one not unmeet for an Icelandic poet’. In the 
next two lines the poet varies the simile a little, and Snorri in Hattatal (v. 81) 
appears to have copied his figure, where he says, I put forth my poem med télo 
roedi, with my speech oar; hence for ‘reidi’ we propose to read roedi (oar) ; ryni, 
here speech song ; ryniss roedi, song-oar (=the tongue), To ‘iaroar grimo’ we find 
the clue in ‘munar grunni,’ Hofudl. 67: for ‘retti’ read rétto, Sense, ‘I cannot 
hold my tongue aright in my mouth,’ i.e, I cannot work on my song. 

Just as silent reading was unknown to the ancients (see note on Atlam. 34), so 
we have always to fancy the poet of old composing audibly, accompanying his 
thoughts with his voice, plying his tongue all the while, as a modern poet plies his 
quill; hence such comparisons as this of the tongue to a plane, the words being 
the timber, and the mouth the workshop, In other lines the simile is from seaman- 
ship, the tongue is the oar or the rudder, the mouth the ship, the poem the sea. 

ll. 13-16, The text all wrong; we have not got the key to any safe emendation ; 
but, judging from the stray words, ‘nékkva’ (boat), ‘ fyrir naust-durom,’ we surmise 
the poet gives a fresh parallel simile, figuring the song as a dwarves’ ship, and the 
poet as her shipwright, There would then be éhree parallel similes, all to the same 
effect, to wit, that he is so oppressed with grief that he cannot sing. 

ll. 17, 18. The second line contains the simile; the emendation tried in our first 
text is too far from the wording; the line alliterates on 4. Considering that hre ~ 
means wreck, markar forest; farther, if in ‘ barnar?’ we suggest brunnin, burnt, the 
simile seems to be drawn from a wood laid waste by fire, with nothing left standing 
but charred stumps— 

pvi-at ztt min 4 enda stenzk 

sem hre brunnin hl... marka, 
for my family is come to an end like the wreck of a burnt forest. What word lurks 
in hlinnar* (hlyn-r=she plane)? We prefer the reflexive form: for standask 4 
endom, see Dict. s. v, standa, C, II, - 

ll, 19, 20, The sense is safe; it refers to the lifting the body out of the house, 
for which funeral rite, see Dict. s. v. hefja, A. I. 3. We read, s& es { kdglom ser, for 
koglar means the joints of the hand; it never can mean the corse; we should there- 
fore retain rydr (as in Ketil’s copy), to rid, clear out; hroer is funeral, here, as it 
seems, including the body of the person to be buried. 

Beadwere’s death— 

ll, 21-24, The whole clause is awry ; ‘fall’ implies a violent death, and Scalla- 
grim, Egil’s father, died in his bed; beside this, the poet is not here bewailing his 
parents’ death. We have to seek for a clue elsewhere. And the parallelism and 
analogy with the following lines show that we have here again a simile from carpentry 
or carving, the timber, the adze, and the workshop, are the poem, the tongue, and 
the mouth ; these are the items underlying the corruption of Ketil’s copy, Remem- 
bering the rule once laid down about word-doublets, we proceed—under ‘telja’ we 
espy telgja (to carve), with one single letter’s difference; next we have to look for 





+ The Gradus (vol. ii, pp. 619, 620) says—Munnr (the mouth) mannz er kalladr inni 
...allz frédleiks (the inn of knowledge): and again, the breast—Bridst er kallad 
inni eda skip aldrs ok hugar ok hiarta: the fongue—tunga er kdllud dr (oar) eda 
styri (rudder) .. . ok kennd til orda (words) eda géma, eda tanna. These similes 
were drawn from old poems, and among others from these very songs of Egil (in 
their pristine state). 

? barnar as bardar, beaten, as given by editors and Commentators (Lex. Poet. s. v. 
hrebarinn), is grammatically impossible. 

8 hlimar, qs, limar (branches), as commentators put it, is impossible. 


550 NOTES TO SONA-TORREK. [BK. Iv. 


the mouth; here Skida Rima 375 supplies froeda-salr (for fodor fall), echoed as we 
surmise from this very line: in ‘ec enn’ we espy emni (timber): in ‘modor’ ddar: 
in ‘hrer’ locri, cp. Arinb. 57—an apt image—the words which he has called dry 
logs of song-timber, carved or planed in the mouth, shall bud forth like living, 
blossoming branches, Aaron’s rod, or like Pope Urban’s staff in the Tannhauser 
tale. Did the poet during his stay in England hear the Bible story, or has he 
drawn it from old native legend or his own imagination ? 

ll. 23, 24. We prefer to read koemr for ‘ ber’ (kér=ber) ; the words being figured 
as blooming wands shooting out of the poet’s mouth. The sense is—This is the 
first subject-matter of my song. 

ll, 30-33. snaudr at e-u; cp. fallin at frendom, vadin at vilja, Hamtheow Lay 
19, 20: ‘svaran,’ an s-word is missing, as epithet to strand; in one of the false 
verses in Egil’s Saga we read, ‘snar-patt Haraldz dttar;’ as this would be an imita- 
tion from this line, ‘snaran patt,’ a hard-twisted strand, would be the right words. 

ll. 33-36. The emendation (1. 34) is safe. The Ocean Titan Agir is known as 
the great brewer and host of all the gods: ‘roda vags bredr’ of the MSS. is much 
too heavy for the line, and defies grammar. Rd6di (the destroyer) may be aptly said 
of wind, fire, or sea; cp. the phrase lata fyrir r60a, ¢o throw forth to the winds, to 
waste: here we take it to mean the sea, personified as the Desolator; for ‘ broedr’ 
we read bridir, for ‘ vags’ va- (terrible). The three lines tell over the Ocean Titan’s 
family, a line to each, husband, wife, and brood,—a grim array. 

1. 34, suds bana, impossible ; suda-bani is not right either; we unhesitatingly read 
‘ sunar-bana,’ the slayer of my son. The poet speaks as if he were waging a bitter 
law-suit for his son’s slaughter against the giant, his dam, and his daughters—man’s 
unequal battle against the brute, pitiless, cold forces of nature. 

Gundhere’s death— 

Il. 43 sqq. One is here at once struck with the half-Christian imagery taken from 
the poet’s long stay in England, a subject for a study into which we cannot here 
enter. His son has entered a heavenly Paradise, ‘Godham,’ the home of gods, into 
which place he has been lifted by Woden'; he also calls it mun-vega, places of bliss, 
whither his son went his way (1. 55), or by-skips boe, she Bee-ship City, to which 
figure Edda (Gg,) we think affords the key—‘ Two birds (it is there said) live in 
Weird’s Burn (Paradise), they are called swans, and from them are come all the race 
of birds that bear that name’ [vol., ii, p. 635]. Possibly this passage too is derived 
from these very lines of Egil's, Again (1. 60) the poet tells that the hands of the 
Lord of Hosts have taken his son. Did Egil by Hergaut Gauta-spialli mean Woden 
or an unknown god higher still? Possibly he himself hardly knew. 

1. 43. ‘man’ is here not the active verb (remember), but the auxiliary verb 
(shall), and is to be scanned with slur; a word is missing; there is but one measure; 
in conformity with line 21, we believe emni to be the missing link; noting the 
syllabic similarity between it and the following enw (emni, enn), and so unhesitat- 
ingly read, bat man enn emni, i.e. the next matter at hand to be carved out. 

ll. 45, 46. ettar-askr, an almost Biblical phrase ; kyn-vidr (cp. cunio-widi of the 
Old Germ, Charm Song) would mean some ivy or wild vine, though at the same 
time keeping in view the simile of a family tree (ett, askr, kyn-vidr). The image 
calls to mind Ps, exxviii. 3,‘ Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine.’ 





* To this Godham Yngl. Saga affords a strange commentary—pessa Svipidd 
kollodo peir Mannheima, enn ina miklo Svipidd k6llodo peir Godheima; or God- 
heimom sogdo peir [the Anses] mérg undr—possibly merely a lame gloss drawn 
from this line of Egil’s poem. 





$4] NOTES TO SONA-TORREK. 551 


ll. 47, 48. Unintelligible; what is hidden underneath we as yet are unable to tell ; 
from the adjacent lines, those speaking of the Bee-ship (for in the MS, those lines stand 
linked together, and should not be separated), and from the technical word ‘sinni,’ 
A.S, gesidas, we are inclined to fancy some allusion to Egil’s son having come into 
the Company of Woden, and been received a member of the heavenly household, 

1. 50. kynnis leita cannot be right. 

1, 52. ‘heiptogligr’ is impossible; we surmise heiptudigr, ubigr =uligr, a blurred 
p read as 7. 

ll. 53, 54. We take these lines to have contained some further words of praise to 
his son Gundhere, and would read vamma vanr, cp. G, W, 212; the letter-stress 
being w, one supposes va-meli (slander ?), 

ll. 57-60. vasat, put right in Dict. 732 b, s.v. pegn, I. 2; the suffixed negative has 
simply been dropped: for emni, see Dict. 116, s.v. efni, 1. 8: ‘randvidr,’ there is 
no such word; we read ras-vidr, a young sapling, a word found in Skirn. 130, 
Havam. 70; Egil himself elsewhere uses the uncompounded 14, vol. ii, p. 73, 1. 28 (for 
which passage see the Notes): Ketil read raa{as rand, That famous Latin motto, 
‘tandem fit surculus arbor,’ the proud device of the orphaned Maurice of Orange, 
springs unbidden to one’s mind. 

ll. 61-63. x lét fast, cp. Lodd. Less. 79: ‘6ll pidd, we prefer al-pidd, Egil’s 
favourite word, cp. 39, 74, Arinb, 62: line 47 is hard to solve; the context bears 
out that by ‘ver-bergi’ a place of assembly must be meant; now it so happens that 
Egil’s County Moot was held under’ a mount called Valfell (a w-word), Val-berg 
would be the hill or rock of the Moot, like Logberg; the line would therefore 
alliterate on w, and ‘upp’ be wrong. These lines contain allusions to certain 
political troubles, whereof we have a distorted picture left in Egil’s Saga, ch. 84. 
Indeed the Claim of Scallagrim must have spiit into two halves, the part lying south 
of White-water going with the Southern Quarter, whilst the western half remained 
under the Myramen, each getting its own court and speaker *, 

Loss of Friends— 

ll. 65, 66. For Arinbiarnar, see General-Introduction, pp. Ixxx-xc. There is no 
doubt whatever but that under ‘m®* biarnar’ Arinbeorn’s name is hidden, cp. ‘ vinir 
pverra,’ a few lines down, bry-vind, bryja, ogress, occurs also, Thulor 94; ‘bry’ 
=troll, vol. ii, p. 546%. 

ll. 67, 68. “hyggjomk um,’ and again in the next line ‘ hykk at pvi,’ would be a 
poor repetition; the error lies in the first word; here another word at once sug- 
gests itself, to wit, hnugginn (reft of) governing dative; in ‘um’ we detect ‘uini,’ 
reft of my friend; but what is hidden in hnysumz hins? It is palpably corrupt, for 
the old form is nysask, and here we require an h-word ; in ‘ hins’ we espy hersi, the 
Baron Arinbeorn’s title, see Lay of Arinbiorn 12 (hins=h’fi); hence in hnysumz 
some epithet to Arinbeorn is hidden, horskom or other #-word, As for hnugginn, 
with dat., see Grimn. 135; vol. ii, p. 243, 1. 70 (sigri hnugginn) ; Ord. (see notes) 
19, 20, hnuggin em ek breedrom, etc.; pres. indic. with dat., vol. ii, p. 243, 1. 70. 





+ Um varit einn dag roeddi pforsteinn (Fgil’s son) um vid Bergfinn, ef hann vildi 
rida med hénum upp undir Valfell ;—par var pé ping-st6d peirra Borgfirdinga ;—enn 
porsteini var sagt, at fallnir veri budar-veggir hans, Gunnl.S., ch. 2, The same 
locality is indicated in the moot-scene in Egil’s Saga, ch. 84—menn sé af pinginu at 
fiokkr manna reid upp med Glitifra, 

? Arinbeorn must at this date have been dead, though the Saga relates that he 
fell with Greyfell (A.D. 976), a statement of small authority in the face of allusions 
afforded by the poem. . 





552 NOTES TO SONA-TORREK. [BK. 1¥. 


Il, 69, 70. & hlid standi, recalling the scene in Bloodaxe’s hall in York: pidd-redi, 
a guess-word: 1, 71 is unintelligible: 1, 72, var-fleygr, simile from a moulting hawk, 

1, 71, We believe the well-known proverb, Berr es hverr 4 baki. .., reading beran 
for ‘ hrer’ (Reader, p. 259, No. 20), to have stood here. 

ll. 73, 74. It is an instance of ingenuity peculiarly hard to realise, that a man 
should ever guess that this poet’s image could have been formed from elk-hunting 


on the ice, and further, fancying that the beast would be driven into the ice-holes - 


and drowned there, conclude that it would be possible to call the ice the elk’s gallows, 
and so in the phrase men of the land of the elk’s gallows recognise the Icelanders ; 
the whole idea is absurd; besides, elg-r has in gen. elg-s, cp, vol. ii, p. 169, 1. 7; 
p. 420, |, 32. We unhesitatingly suggest Yggjar galga, Woden’s gallows, the Tree of 
Life, under which mankind dwells, see Grimn. 100. 

ll. 75-77. Corrupt, though the drift is fairly visible, ‘My kinsfolk have failed, 
and my familiar friends have forgotten me: they that dwell in my house and my 
maids count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight,—Job xix. 14, 15: or, 
‘I looked on my right hand and beheld: but there was no man that would know 
me: refuge failed me: no man cared for my soul.’—Ps, cxlii. 4, 

ll. 78-81. Very obscure ; we would read—pat es ord malt at engi geti [ok=orp]. 
The sense appears clear; a son’s loss is irreparable, ‘feohleas,’ as the English poet 
puts it [Beow. 2441]: idgidld, here a law term (Woden’s Love Less., 1, 37), full 
compensation: the latter clause from nema stad is quite dark ; we would suggest— 
borinn mégr i burar stad, i.e. ‘even a son-in-law cannot replace a son.’ 

Woden and the Poet—The final part addressed to Woden, 

ll, 83-85. Well preserved: ‘ vinad, impossible; we have to read either vinattu, 
vinsem4, or vinscap; the last best (sc blurred or dropped, p read as p); in G, W. 
120 it is used as a compound; and here it scans as bi-measured, ‘ adr’ being a slur. 

ll, 86-91, cited in Edda, are in a fair state in Ketil’s copy; ‘goda iadar,’ the 
prince of gods, or god iardar, the god of earth, which is to be preferred? for telk 
read teljomk (?). In 1, 87 scan séak as bisyllabic. 

ll. 92, 93. viliendr, well-wishers, friends, cp. Havam. v. 16, and Swipd. and M. 35. 

ll. 94-97. See Introd, p. xc—‘* Kvzdi petta kalladi hann Sona Torrek’ [Saga]. 
So the ¢itle is Sona Torrek, or ‘ Torrek’ single: Nérva nipt, N.’s daughter or-niece 
—N6étt vas Norvi borin, Vpm.9g8; Nott in Norvi kenda, Alvm. 115, The Night of 
Death is here meant. Light or Day is constantly used of Life in old Teutonic poetry, 
e.g. to seek a second light =to live over again in another world, to die. 

Such is our text, Indeed, one might fancy some mischievous elfish imp had 
inked it all over, Look at changeling lines like these !— 


. En mer _fanst ifostom pock 
. erome farma (gods) af frosti _ piockt, 


. hrosta brim  ihiarta  strondu, 


. pat man ecmit oc modur hrer 


I 

2 

1. hrosta hilmir ahendi  stendur 

2 

1 

2. pat mane  emni odar__locri. 


1. fodur fal fyrst um  telja 
2. froeda fal fyrst um _ telgja, 


i, i byr vind bredra  leysi 
2,i bry vind bredra hleyti. 


I, nu er mer tor velt tveggia boga 
2, nu er uti tor rek tveggja bura, 


a. a eS ee ey 


Se 





ae IES bg 


—- S 


a eae Ae ey ae ee 


oS Mya 









§ 5.] NOTES TO PAGE 281. 353 


Was ever text of a noble poem in such a state? It would be wrong to put down 
all this to Ketil’s account. Fortunately, the key-word once gained, we are greatly 
holpen ; so, for instance, telgja for telja is an open-sesame to froeda-salr and the rest. 

As for the metre in Egil’s two poems, Lay of Arinbiorn, and Sons’ Wreck, we find 
the poet fond of Thiodwulf’s Ynglingatal line—a slur fo'lowed by two docked 
measures, yet not in regular alternate succession as in Ynglingatal, but often in 
many lines running, In the present state there are nearly seventy lines in this metre; 
had we the pristine text there would be many more, The type is— 


or lopt ‘| vett *: liod | pundara 

o brot *| giarn*: ¢ bragar | tuni 

emk hrad *| kvidr*: hilmi at mera, 
Cp. Lay of Arinbiorn—ll. 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 16 (?), 18-21, 23-25, 27, 28 (?), 44, 
49, 5°, 55, 57, 62, 63, 66, 67, 69, 71, 72, 80, 82, 84, 85, 88, 89, 92-95. Sonat. 
—ll. 1-5, 9,19, 27, 30, 31, 34, 39, 39, 44, 46, 58-60, 62, 64, 66, 72, 74, 84, 88, 
92, 94, 97. 

Ever and anon, besides particles, words relating to personal existence or feeling 
are to be scanned slurred—Sonat,, esat nu, vasat, Il, 3, 19,591; eromk, 9; veit-ek, 
27; verd-ek, 72; sleit, 31 ; foerag, 36; pd hefir, 88; burr es, 49 :—Lay of Arinb., 
dré-ek, 1,11; skein, 20; nui eromk?, 57; hve hann, 66; vask, 92; hldé ek, 94. 

Again, a close observation of the metre reveals that in several lines a stress-syllable 
has been dropped, the slur and but one docked measure remaining, By the aid of 
metre we can even recover lost words, e, g. Arinb. 35 we would read, en si. grams 
giof (a g-word is manifestly lost): 1, 29 a ¢-word is missing, vid pvi is slurred, 
Farther, in Sonat. 9, eromk is slurred, gods is missing: 1. 23, perhaps read pat - 
koemr eift ut: 1. 30, ‘of’ cannot carry the stress, and we read cer-snaudr: I, 43, 
scan ‘ bat man’ slur, as a vowel-word is missing; emni fits well in, cp. J, 21: 1. 55, 
a vowel-word missing, ungr(?): 1, 78, we propose ord for ok: 1, 92, a stressed g- 
word missing; we propose grepps, Cp, Arinb, 8: 1. 94, Torrek, the poem’s name, 
would, for sake of emphasis, be scanned double-docked (tor*| rek*:), hence we 
read, nu es uti, see Dict, 671 a, s.v. iti 4; and so can account for the syllable 
m’ in Ketil’s copy: 1, 96, one would slur skal ek p6, if so a g-word is missing, 


The Lay of Darts, (p. 281.) 


Brian’s Battle has been drawn within the circle of the Icelandic Family Sagas, 
owing to a young Icelandic noble having fought at Clontarf as the Orkney Earl’s 
henchman. The following pieces are drawn from the lost Brian’s Saga: (1) the 
story of the Charmed Raven-Standard, preserved in the Earls’ Saga; (2) The Battle 
itself, of which we subjoin a few extracts from our two sources, Niala and the Tale 
of Thorstan Hall-o’-Side’s son :— ; 

**Hlodwe Thorfinsson took the earldom after Liot, and was a mighty man; he 
had to wife Edna, the daughter of Cearval, king of the Irish; their son was Sigrod 
the Stout. Hlodwe died of an illness, and is buried in a howe at Haven in Caithness, 
Sigrod his son took the earldom after him; he was a mighty ruler and of wide 
domain. He held Caithness against the Scots by his power, and called his host out 
every summer. He used to harry in the Sodors in Scotland and Ireland. It hap- 
pened one summer that Finleic, Earl of the Scots, pitched a field for Sigrod on a 





+ Even in line 1 we would transpose and read, Btomk tregt miok, etc, Eromk 
slurred, cp, analogies in Il. 5, 9, 47, Arinb. 57. 
® Here. dele nu, following Cod., AM,, W., and 748. 





BBA NOTES TO PAGE 281. [BK. Iv. 


set day [i.e. challenged Sigrod to a pitched battle] at Skedmire. Sigrod sought his 
mother that she might divine unto him upon the matter, for she was a wise woman, 
The earl told her that the odds in number between his foemen and his own men 
would not be less than seven to one, She answered, ‘I would have brought thee 
up all thy life in my wool-basket, if I had known that thou wert bent upon living 
for ever; but tis Fate that settles a man’s days wherever he is. It is better to die 
with honour than to live with shame. ‘Now take this banner, which I have wrought 
for thee with all my skill! And I say, by my knowledge, that the victory shall be 
to them before whom it is borne, but deadly shall it be to them that bear it.’ The 
banner was made with much fine needlework, and with exceeding art. It was wrought 
in the likeness of a raven, and when the wind blew upon the banner it was as if the 
raven flapped his wings in flight. Earl Sigrod was very angry at his mother’s words; 
and gave the Orkneymen their ethel-holdings free to raise a levy for him; and went 
to Skedmire to meet Earl Finleic, and each of them set his host in array. And as 
soon as the battle was joined, Earl Sigrod’s standard-bearer was shot to death. The 
Earl called upon another man to carry the standard, and he bore it for a short 
while and then fell also. Three of the Earl’s standard-bearers fell indeed, but he 
won the victory. And that is how the Orkneymen got back their ethel-holdings ” 
[i.e. became udallers again],—Orkney Saga, ch. 11. 

“That winter Earl Sigrod went to Ireland, and there fought a battle with King 
Brian; and this battle has become famous over the land west of the main [North 
Sea], both for the multitude of them that fought there and because of the notable 
things that happened therein to them that were at it. Now when the Earl set out 
from home, he asked Thorstan whether he would go with him. Thorstan said 
that it would be very unseemly for him not to go and follow him in danger, ‘ For 
I have been well pleased to lead a merry life with thee in time of peace.’ The 
Earl thanked him for this speech of his. Then they went to Ireland and fought 
a battle with King Brian. And many notable things happened thereby, as it is 
told in the Tale of him [King Brian]. Three standard-bearers of Earl Sigrod fell 
there one after another, and then the Earl bade Thorstan carry the standard; but 
Thorstan said, ‘Carry thy crow thyself, Earl!’ Then a certain man said, ‘ Thou 
art right, Thorstan, for I have lost three sons by it!” The Earl took the banner 
off the staff and put it round his body over his clothes, and fought right dauntlessly. 
And a little while after this a voice was heard crying in the air, ‘If Earl Sigrod will 
have the victory, he must go to Dumas-bank [Tomar’s Wood] with his host.’ 
[Blank in MS.] And so it came to pass. The Earl fell and a great part of his host 
with him, but Brodir’ slew Brian.”—Thorstan’s Saga. 

In the parallel but fuller passage in the Nial’s Saga, drawn also from the Saga 
of Brian Boroimhe, the story of the banner is thus told—* Earl Sigrod had a hard 
fight against Terthealfach [Tairdelbach, Brian’s grandson], who came on so 
mightily that he cut down every one near him, and broke the array of the Earl 
right up to the standard, and slew the standard-bearer, Then the Earl got another 
man to carry the standard, and a hard battle began, but Terthealfach gave him his 
death-stroke at once, and cut down man after man that came up, Then Earl 
Sigrod told Thorstan, son of Hall o’ Side, to carry the standard, and he was about 
to take up the standard when Amund the White called out, ‘Do not thou carry the 
standard, for all they that bear it are slain!’ ‘Raven the Red,’ said the Earl then, 
‘do thou carry the standard.’ But Raven answered, ‘ Carry thy devil thyself’ [crow 





1 Bruadair of the Irish text, looking like a Pictish name. 


ME lt ee pee ee eee ee ee ee 


§ 5.] NOTES TO PAGES 281-283. at 


is here better]. ‘Then the Earl cried, ‘It is most meet for the beggar to carry his 
own bag.’” So he tears it off the pole and wraps it round him, and dashes into the 
fight, where he soon falls, shot through by a spear. His fall is the signal for flight. 
Thorstan stood still when the others fled, and began to tie up the thong of his shoes, 
‘Then Terthealfach asked why he did not run away with the others, ‘ Because,’ 
said Thorstan, ‘ my house is out in Iceland; I can’t get home to-night if I do run?’ 
Terthealfach gave him quarter, He went back to the Orkneys, and thence to 
; Norway, and joined King Magnus’s following and became one of his guard. Thor- 
| a stan was twenty years old when he was in Brian’s battle.” 
; Among the portents before the battle was an apparition of Woden— 





4 “On the Thursday a man on an apple-grey horse, with a pole-staff in his hand, 
; rode up to Gormflaith and her company, and held long talk with them.” See for 
y prose Irish accounts Todd’s War of Gaedhil and Gaill, Rolls Series, There are 


citations from Irish poems on this great fight in the Annals of the Four Masters. 
i The Lay is possibly but a fragment ; in the middle, lines seem to be dropped. Like 
the Dirges on Eric and Hacon, it falls into “wo sections; (1) a Dirge on the eve of 
battle, (2) during and after the battle lost and won, Guardian Spells and a Pean 
for the young king (Sigtryg?). This latter part especially is fragmentary and the text 
in part doubtful. The Norns are figured as seated in a ‘ dyngja,’ or underground 
‘weavers’ bower’ [cp. Grimm, Dict. s.v. dunk, iii. 1532-33], weaving the fatal 
woof”. Note the half-strophic character of the Lay and the clashing lines 13, 34. 

ll. 1-5. rifs, better rifjar, Righ, 1. 55: fyrir geirom, dubious, some word denoting 
death, destruction ; we would join it to ver-piddar (= yrpidd, Arinb. 66), presaging 
the death of a host of men: Randvés-bani= Woden, from the Hamtheow and 
Ermanaric cycle, vol. ii, p. 541; the friends of Woden=the Walcyries. 

ll. 6-10. The upright standing-loom; klé, kleadr (Dict. 342, 343) we take to 
be akin to Aaia or Aeéa (y being dropped): yllir, see Thulor 429, an else unknown 
word: iarnvardr yllir should be obelised,it lacks proper flow; the weaver’s loom 
(Icel. hlein) is meant ; we would prefer— 





—— 


eS eee 


. hleinar or iarni enn at hrelom Orvar. 

Il, 11, 12. The names of Walcyries, cp. Thulor 172-175 (nine), and 642-649 
(twenty-nine, originally thirty), and p. 80, No. 3 (six), Grimn. App. 5 (thirteen)—all 
incomplete : Svipol, Hiér-primol occur only here: for Sangrid, Grimn. App. reads 
Rand-grid ; the Thulor have both. 

ll, 15, 16, darradr, cp. Hakm. 8: siklingi ‘ sfdan,’ tame and suspicious: read, ok 
siklings syni? or, ok Sigtryggi hans syni fylgjom. 

ll. 17, 18. Dubious text, but the meaning clear: the Walcyries or Norns say they 
will throw a sheltering shield, hiif-skioldr (Dict. 261), around the young prince. 

1, 20 we know not how to put right. Perhaps read— 

Sv at ungr konungr angri firrisk. 
So that no harm may betide the young king. 

1, 22. The right phrase is skiptask hoeggom vid; skiptask vapnom is unidiomatic : 
ll. 15-26 appear to be a charm for the young king. 

ll, 27 sqq. Forecasting the death of Brian and Sigrod. 





? Thus Niala: the unique MS. of Thorstan’s Saga has here a corrupt reading, 
where under ‘ vid skéginn’ one espies the true ‘ ské-pbveng sinn.’ 

* The word remains in Trolla-dyngja (Titaness™Bower), Iceland’s greatest vol- 
cano (lately described in Mr. W. G. Lock’s vivid Monograph ‘ Askia,’ 1882), where 
the Titanesses are fancied beating the loom in subterranean caverns. 


556 NOTES TO PAGES 285-293. [BK. v. 


1, 38. Spa-vardar = spa-disir (?). This line ought to follow 1. 40, where it fits in as 
apodosis ; after 1, 37 there are certainly several lines missing. 

1. 40. sigr-hli6é, a Paan, copied by Lawman Sturla, cp. angt-lidd, Helgi i. 341. 
Some one is represented as eavesdropping and listening to the song, cp. Spell Song 
33> 34+ 

BOOK V. Lay of Gripi, (p. 285.) 

Of all the Eddic songs this is the gentlest, but also the most prosy ; it is a sum- 
mary of the whole Sigfred story, The Welcome scene (Il. 1-20) is noticeable, 
that and nothing more. Text plainer and less corrupt than usual; yet we have a 
few emendations to add. 

1. 19. bigg-pu her, ellipt., house (gisting) or the like understood, cp. vol. ii, 








P. 556, § 9, 1. 5. a 
1, 52. vig-risinn, cp. Old G, L. 97. 
1. 58. The sense requires ‘wrapt in fire,’ hence the emendation is supplied by 


Wak. 79, W. W. L. 72, both which songs the Gripi poet would have known: in , 
‘eptir’ we espy ‘sveipinn.’ Some hero’s name may underlie ‘ Helga,’ [Hencgest ?] 4 

1, 82. Mangled; read, leita eptir (?). 

1. 103 =vilt-ki, cp. G. W. 172. 

1, 188. Mangled text, emendation clear; read, pa es pu etc., Gitika arfa 4 grid 
trudir, when thou art heartily trusting G.’s sons; Sigfred being betrayed (i gridom) 
by Giuki’s sons. 

1, 199. sifjungi, see Atlam. 304, Thulor 218. An old law term. 

» 1. 209. A well-known saw (maat?), cp. Atlam. 161. 


Long Brunhild Lay, (p. 293.) 

The following cluster of Lays, contained in §§ 2, 3, we have called Tapestry 
Songs, from the frequent embroidery scenes here depicted, Long Br. L. 291; O. G. L. 
46-55, 68-74, 84; Oddr. 62-67: or Lamentations or Monologue Songs, L. Br. L, 
135-169, 211-288, 305-342; Sh. B. L. 59-76; Oddr. 50-125; Old G. L. 1-140; 
Gkv.; Tregr. 9-57. Cp. also the tapestry scenes in the Lacuna Lays, vol. i, p. 391, 
and oftener. See the like scenes in English poems— 

pa wes haten hrade Heort innan weard 
folmom gefretwod, fela pera wes 
wera ond wifa be pet win-reced 
gest-sele gyredon. Goldfeg scinon | ; 
web after wagum, wundor-sedna fela 
secga gehwylcum, para be on swylc starad:—Beow. 991-996. 

It is to little purpose that in Wolsunga Saga we have a paraphrase of the Tapestry 
Songs and of Atli’s Lay, much closer than those in Ynglinga Saga, Edda, Flatey- 
book, of Ynglingatal, Wolospa, and Hyndla’s Lay, which have furnished us with the 


Oe ees 


clue to a thorough restoration of the latter poems; for, while the paraphrasts of a 
these had at hand good, complete texts, our Wolsunga paraphrast had but a sister MS. * 
to our disorderly text; hence his paraphrase is in most instances practically useless, 7 
all deep-seated errors being common to both. The text of all these lays is in a sad : 
plight, and we have but little to offer as an after-math of emendation, ‘ 

A sprinkling of kennings, though mostly neither pungent, original, nor imagina- , 
tive—e. g. lady, menja moérk, Long B. L, 189; men-skégul, 159; gollz var, 294; << 
linn-vengis (gold’s) Bil, Ordr. 120: man, her-glotudr, Short Br. L. 20, 71; sdrva ; 


deilir, Ordr. 122; bauga deilir, 75; hring-broti, 83; eggleiks (battle’s) hvétodr, 
0. G. L. 109: gold, ormbeds eldr(!), Gky. 103; linn-vengi, Ordr. 120; Grana 








retin ate atl - 





$$ 1, 2.] NOTES TO PAGES 293-301. 557 


hlid-farmr, 79; Rinar malmr, L. B. L. 66; battle, folk-rod, Short Br. L, 36: 
fire, vidar herr, Long Br. L. 324 (better hrét-garm), Better are, Menjo neit (gold), 
Long Br. L. 210; varga leifar (wood), Old G. L. 35; alfa greti (dew?), Tregr. 2; 
drins um-dégg (smoke), Old G. L. 130, etc. See the Excursus. 

Characteristic of these lays is the emphasising repetition, Short Br. L. 3,4; L. Br. L. 
71, 72, 83, 84, 147, 148, 249, 250; O. G. L. 75, 76; Oddr. 26; Gkv. 3, 4, 75, 
76; cp. also Tregr. 9, 10, 36-40; O. G, L. 24-26. In other lays it is rare, Righ 
143, 144; Pkv. 120, 121, and probably owing to a faulty text. 

1. 13. seggr inn sudreeni, echo from Akv. 8; cp. disir Sudroenar, Vkv. 4, Helgi i, 
64. The use of this word is strange, cp. Exeter-Book Riddles, 3rd series, II; 
superne secg, and in the Lay of Bryhtnoth, |. 134, superne gar. 

1. 16. Mark the confused fashion in which our poet uses Hunnish, mostly 
applying it to Sigfred, cp. Il. 33, 75, 264, 265, O. G. L. 50, Atlam. 362. 

1. 30. In ‘isa iocla’ we espy ‘ eiskaldi,’ O, W. Pl. 166 ; vol. ii, p. 218, 1. 3. Brun- 
hild’s passion is the subject-matter of these lines. 

1. 32. ‘sveipr i” ripti, lame in grammar, cp. Righ 78: read, sveip (pret.) i ripti, 
cp. l. 50. 

1. 33. fria, meaningless (frida ?). 

1, 34. Cp. Gkv. go (vin sé si vettr ‘ vers ok barna’). 

1. 37. lata, with dat., cp. 1. 61, 214, Long Br. L. 214. 

1. 46. A proverb, cp. O. W. Pl. v. 77. 

ll. 47, 48. One espies ‘ hefnda leita’ under ‘hefnd léttari,’ and ‘til saca’ under ‘sata.’ 

1. 51. vilgi only means very; the error lies in the verb, the negative suffix 
having been dropped; hence Dict. p. 706, s. v. vilgi, dele II; also in Hd. 4 there 
lurks an error, perhaps =vilgi gloeggr, very canny. 

1. 58. ganga fra bénda sinom, fo divorce oneself, cp. Unnr gekk fra Hriti, 
Laxdzla, ch. 19. Again, ganga med veri, to take a husband, marry, O. G. L. 88. 

1. 71. By guess, or sceri...? 

1. 79. A counterpart to |. 108. 

1. 87. her-giarn, suspicious ; the object to ‘ varp’ is missing, and it must be the sword 
‘ Gram, a synonym for which is concealed under ‘ giarn:’ for revenge read weapon, 

1. 98. svaran, adverbially, cp. 104. 

1, 101. broedr, so also the paraphrase; in Gudrun’s case a slender comfort, her 
brothers being her husband’s murderers ; we must read ‘bur:’ note that a son was 
left; the daughter Swanhild seems to have been a posthumous child. 

1. 106. siau alir, the meaning would be ‘ when we are gone’ (pa es sém allir?): 
systur ver, brother-in-law. 

1, 116. See Dict., p. 6724, 1. 6. 

1. 122. haukstalda, loan-word from English. 

1, 124. ‘gl68 4 golfi,’ manifestly wrong ; we suggest gylfra, a hag, beldame, to 
be concealed under ‘ golfi;’ the word occurs in Sverr. Saga; see Dict. 221 b. 

1. 132. What is ‘ovo?’ cp, Atlam. 1 (ofrmod ?). 

1, 153. mégom minom, necessitated by the sense. 

1. 168. Cp. Dict. 380b, s. v. leida (¢o Jead) II. 

ll. 174, 175. Her husband alone clasped her neck, the rest standing aloof. 

1, 186. We read, hon oss borin évilja til. 

1, 199. brék, cp. Hamé. 26. 

1. 204. The frequent mention in these songs of the linen-veiled ladies recalls Paul 
the Deacon, Bk. iv, ch. 22—Vestimenta vero eis erant laxa et maxime linea, qualia 
Angli-Saxones habere solent. 


~ 





558 NOTES. TO PAGES 301-310. [BK. v. 


1. 210.. neit, already explained in Dict. 451 b. 

1, 213. i sundi should be obelised: read, your two lives shall be hale=you shall 
survive and. be merry. 

1, 215. The use of the dual is treated in Dict. 733 a, s.v. peir, B. 2, to which 
add—id N. (=. and yourself, thyself), Grip. 47, Ord. 7, L. Br. L. 215, Volkv. 
166, Skiéa R. 231: vid N. (=N. and myself), Skirn. 77, Harb. 37, L. Br. L. 341, 
Volky. 169, prymskv. 49, 83; also in Old Engl. poetry, Beow. I. 2002, Widsith, 
1, 103 (wit Scilling), Satan 411, Caedm. 387 (unc Adame). For survivals of the dual 
in Homeric Greek see Kiihn’s Beitrige, 1877, for an article by Wackernagel. 

I, 247. déttor alna, necessary emendation, viz. the dying Sigfrid prophesies the 
birth of Swanhild. 

_1, 239. gyrja man, emendation suggested by vol. ii, p. 359, vl. 4. 

1, 254. Treated in General Introduction; Hamé. 7 affords the key. 

ll. 262-284. The Burial Scene is all mangled and awry, nor can it fully be 
restored. A horse, a hawk, and a dog are mentioned: in Fas. iii. 378: the para- 
phrase—enn 4 adra hénd hénum mina menn, tveir at fétum, tv& hauka; but the 
paraphrast had only a maimed text before him, essentially the same as our R. 

1, 278. Heljar, necessary emendation, cp. the following ‘ drive to Hades.’ 

1, 286. midtodr, Fate, Destroyer rather than sword; cp. however Wak. 109 (re- 
stored text), Oddr. 61. 

1, 292. Brunhild drives to Death in the company of Gudrun’s husband. 

1, 293. Vallandi, Gaul (Normandy, Brittany) would be meant. 

Il. 309 sqq. Treated in General Introduction ; the Lacuna-poems afford the clue. 

ll. 316,. 317.. Helm-Gundhere and. Aud, who are they? cp. W. W. L. 83, 84. 

1. 319. Scata-lund=Oédins vé, 


Short Brunhild Lay, (p. 306.) 


The text is very mangled and fragmentary; the: transpositions made improve 
matters a little, yet there are yawning gaps. 

ll. 11, 42. Like the witches’ broth in Macbeth; the ingredients, owing to the bad 
text, cannot wholly be made out. Another version, but still corrupt, is in fhe — 
paraphrase, vol. ii, p. §30, ll. 12, 13. z 

l. 19. He is listening to the dialogue of the raven and eagle; hence the emenda- 
tion ‘ hlcera’ for ‘ hroera’ suggests itself, there being only one single letter’s differ- 
ence: for ‘ f6t’ we read ‘ fidld;’ this iteration is just in keeping with our Tapestry 
poet’s wont; cp. Tregr. g and oftener, The raven’s prophecy, before Sigfred’s 
death, is exactly paralleled by the raven’s foreboding Osgar’s fall as he goes forth 
on his last journey. Cp. the older and more horrible portents met by Cuchullin, 

ll. 20, 21. her-glétodr, cp. 1. 71: for ‘badmi’ read ‘bavdui,’ in keeping with 
1, 16 just above, 

1. 31. nidta ‘landa’ is unidiomatic, see Dict. s. v. nidta, B. I. 

1. 36. Five sons, as in the Germam legends ;. in earlier Eddic songs they are but 
three, one a half brother only. 

ll. 53-56. Maimed and obscure. 

1, 66. Cp. the Excursus, vol. i, p. 423. 


Lamentation of Ordrun, (p. 399.) 


1. 8. Read, ok 4 svartan fo; ‘ok’ is to be scanned slurred (better, ok 4 svangan 
io, cp. 1, 11 below). 
ll, 14, 15. Quite a maze, the clue is missing; many lines lost. 











eee eee 
——————— . - ——— 


§§ 2, 3-] NOTES TO PAGES 310-317. 559 


1, 22. Who is Wilmund? This poem if perfect would have given the key to the 
juncture of the Sigfred and Attila cycles. 

1, 27. bitra must be wrong; read, burdar galdra, or the like, for midwife charms 
are meant; in translation read ‘ birth’ or ‘ midwife charms.’ 

ll, 28, 29. Wholly obscure; the child is born, 

1. 33. ‘fleiri god” cannot be right. 

ll. 33-39. Obscure; Ordrun did not render help: for love’s sake, but. because of 
her vow. 

1. 42. & fiorgynjo, meaningless. 

1, 45. Gundhere was Ordrun’s secret lover, cp... 93. 

1. 58. Paraphrased, borgar geta (i.e. gta), 

1. 62. Cp. O. G. L. 1, 2. 

Il, 63-67 should have been obelised; it is all a tapestry scene, recounting (like 
O. G, L. 46-55) all the items embroidered on the canvass. The words are partly 
visible through the maze of the corrupt text by the aid of a parallel contained in one 


of the Lacuna: Lays (if that same lay were preserved, we might have the means of 


restoring the text) ; see p. 391 and vol, ii, p. 353——hon lagéi sinn borda med gulli, ok 
saumadi 4 pau stér-merki er Sigurdr hafdi gort, drap.Ormsins, ok upp-toku fiarins, 
ok dauda Regins: under ‘um sik’ we espy & skriptom, cp. O. G. L. 48: under ‘ iérd 
diisadi’ auds upp tgko, or the like. 

1. 85. ordit, cp. Atlam. 77, Hallfred i, 1. 96. 

1, 100, O, G, L. presents a parallel as to grammar; but ‘hofgullinna,’ golden- 
hoofed, is meaningless ;. we would read héf-giallanda, the hoof-clattering, cp, Catullus’ 
soni-pes (copied by Vergil), 

ll. 104-110.. The harping’ scene is altogether Western; yet the incident is here 
localised in Jutland (I. 109), cp. Atlam. 16. Geirmund is the father of Offa in 
another cycle of tales; cp. Matthew Paris’ Vita Off, and Saxo’s Garmundus. 

l. 122. Read, sorva, dealer of treasures, 

ll. 123-125. Ordrun’s epilogue: 1. 126, the poet’s envoy, 

Fragments from the Lost Lays of the Lacuna, (p. 314.) 

v. I. The paraphrase runs—ok sv& mondi pétt hafa enum fyrrum frendum pinum 

. ok mun-pu eigi hafa peirra skaplyndi, er fyrst eru taldir til allz frama, Vols. S. 
ch. 13: or rather—Eigi m4 per rAd r4da, er pu ert vid hvat-vetna hreddr, ok ertu 
dlikr binum frendum at hughreysti, ch. 18. 

vy. 2-4 are entirely in the vein of the Tapestry poet. 1.16. hnipnadi, cp. 
O. G. L. 15, 19; cp. also Egil’s Saga for the bursting of the sark, 


The Old Lay of Gudrun, (p. 316.) 

This is from one end to the other a Lamentation Lay; Thiodrek. is never made 
to utter a word. It is ina sad plight; the needful transpositions however clear the 
way through the pathetic Euripidean strain, though one is still stayed by gaps and 
hindered by obscure lines, 

1, 9. at pingi, see the context. The Short Brunhild Lay follows a similar story, 
cp. the prose, vol. ii, p. 531. 

1, 14. tirog-hlyra, cp, Tregr. 7: the trait of the sympathetic horse is noticeable. 

1, 23. One would suggest, leita pu Sigurdar; the sentence as it stands is hardly 
idiomatic; cp. the following, where Gudrun goes forth in quest of her slain husband. 
South-way is Germany, as East-way is the Baltic country, this nomenclature starting 
from the Wick. 

1. 36. We have already suggested this, Dict. 714.b; cp. ok heefir fyrir pvi, sla, 


560 NOTES TO PAGES 318-321. [BK. v. 


ef pu villt, at eigi hvarfi ast pin ein saman, goer héna pé eigi sv vid-resa, sem 
ill-kvendi gera, biddaz dllum, en unna engum—[Helgra manna, SS. (ed. Unger) 
i. 455]: varga leifar=wolves’ heritage, the wild forest. The lines here added in 
R are quite out of place and drawn from the other lay, where Gudrun sits weeping 
over her husband murdered by her side in her bed. 

1. 39. Right in the paraphrase—Sidan hvarf Gudrun brott ‘4 skdéga, ok heyrdi 
alla vega fra ser varga pyt;’ indeed, ‘ ulfar puto’ is concealed under ‘ potoz.’ 

1. 41, Under ‘brendi’ we espy birnir; the sweet sap of the young birch is the 
bear’s dainty, cp. Sverris S,, in the passage cited Dict. 772, s. v. birkja,—pbeir Ato safa 
ok sugo birkju vid, where dele article birkinn, 

ll. 41-45. Half and Thora are else unknown; one here recalls the hall of Heort. 

ll, 46-55. The greatest of all the embroidery scenes, reminding one of the Bayeux 
tapestry ; indeed, judging from it, they cannot be far distant in time. Lines 68-74 
below are clearly part and parcel of this passage; the list of names and apparel mark 
them out as such; they should therefore be removed to after 1.55; where they now 
stand they clog the story, and are unexplainable, ‘Iofrom likir’ (I, 71) is meaning- 
less; we read, i igfor-likjom, in boar helmets; Beowulf gives the key— 

... eofor lic sceonon 
ofer hleér wera gehroden golde—l. 303. 
For ‘steypta’ (1. 73) we read stopda, helmets steeple-high, cp. vol. ii, p. 216, 1. 8. 
The names Iarizlaf, Iariscar, are most likely corrupt, the flow of the lines indicates as 
much: for Waldere see note to Lay of Hlod and Angantheow. Respecting Sigar 
(1.155) cp. Hyndla’s Lay, the Prose Paraphrase, vol. ii, p. 519, v, the race of ‘ Siklings.’ 
In one of the Lays of the Lacuna, the famous story of Sighere and Siggar is told in 
a fuller way, see vol. i, p. 392; see also Ynglingatal. Cp. Saxo. The incident of 
Bevis of Hampton, where Josiana hangs the Earl, is the last echo of Sigar’s Legend. 

1.55. The Wolsunga paraphrast has altered Fivi into Fioni (Fiui=FiGi), cp. 
Sighvat iv. 20 (or Fifi nordan), and Orkn. S,,—hann for pa allt sudr 4 Fifi ok lagdi 
undir sik landit, p. 34, Rolls Edition, Mark the use of suér, nordan. These three 
instances are the sole ones in Old Northern literature where the name of the 
Scotch kingdom occurs, whilst the Danish isle Fion is spoken of scores of times, and 
must have been well known, even to the paraphrast, from Iomswickinga Saga, a 
popular story circulated in many copies. 

ll. 56-58. Right in the paraphrase—petta spyrr Grimhildr hvar Gudrun ‘ er nidr 
komin; heimtir 4 tal sono sina.’ 

ll, 66, 67. y-bogi, bow of yew tree, decidedly English, cp. the hawker’s portrait in 
the Exeter-Book’s Business of Men, where he is seen training the ‘ Welsh bird.’ 

ll. 68 sqq. Else unknown names, save Waldhere: read Wascom, 

ll. 69, 70. Cp. Hlod and Angantheow Lay, ll. 1-3. 

1, 81, at pinn fodor, read frum-ver, a word used by our poet, L. Br. L. 242. 

1. 82, Hlédvess, a Frankish name, cp. Valland, L. Br. L. 293. 

ll. 92, 93. ‘hildingom’ and ‘poat’ are required by the sense. 

1. 95. sono, that is to say, by her new husband. 

1, 97. Elsewhere veitask varar, vol. ii, p. 527, 1. 30. 

1. 99. See the General Introduction, p. Ixxxix: hzkinn, besides here, occurs only 
in Merl, ii. 67; but is frequent in Dan. and mod. Norwegian (see Ivar Aasen): 
‘corse-harpy’ is merely a synonym for ‘raven’ or ‘eagle.’ 

1. 114. The place-name looks like one of the poet’s inventions—Wine-hill, _ 

1, 119. bani broedra, whereby Attila is meant, a presage of future tragedy. 

ll. 122, 123. Paralleled by Hyndla’s Lay, vol. ii, p. 516a (reconstructed text). 








$3] NOTES TO PAGES 321-325. 564 


*Sénar’ (—u) we take to be. identical with Séma, the divine nectar; cp, Excursus, 
vol. ii, p. 462; the change of m into m we account for as a mere corruption, The 
word, by the way, only occurs in genitive form, sénar (” before a); traces of the 
original m are howeyer still found in the derivative, Suftung, qs. Sumptung, Sum- 
tung, and perhaps in sumr, Thulor, I. 318; the o being long is proved by lines such 
as vol. ii, p. 51, 1. 10 (for in the third measure —u is required). 

ll. 125 sqq. in part obscure; what is ‘landz Haddingja?’ probably a synonym 
for serpent, landz huitingr or landz fyldingr; render, the trout of the earth: innleid 
(entrails ?), if correct, explains perhaps the writhing curves of the Golden Horns: 
1. 129 quite corrupt. Cp. however Harding’s necromancy and magic adventures, 
told at length in Saxo, bk. i, from a lost Saga. 

1, 133. Mangled text; for the hypothesis we once had in mind, Dict. 326 b, 1. 8 
from bottom, is too unsafe, 

1. 135. valnesk, dz. Aey., else always valsk-r ; unsafe text one would think; read, 
vala-ript varid (?), ladies clad i in stuffs of Gaul (?): hafid { vagna, faulty in metre, 
read, i vagna hafid. 

1, 140, The end is missing, for the fragment below, p. 347, is wholly different, 


The Ordeal of Gudrun, (p. 322.) 

The best and earliest description of a heathen ordeal, Cf. AEthelstan’s Laws. 
The metre falls here and there; e.g. 1. 1, ‘arfi’ is better than sonr; 1, 21, ‘gram’ 
is doubtful: 1. 27, second half somehow harsh, 

1, 2. pd, not pvi, cp. Dict. 742 b, s.v. pd, A. II. 1. 

1, 10. Cp. unnar-steini, Helgi i. 260. 

1, 12, vord né verr, alliterative law phrase, husband and wife. 

1, 15. This line is an ‘aside ;’ the suffixed negation has dropped out; it is here 
testored to make the lines run right. 

1. 16. ‘We talked of our woes.’ Gudrun’s Tale of Woe is contained in Old 
Gudrun Lay above, 

1,17. Read— Lifa prir einir priggja tego manna, 
but three are left of these thirty men; cp. piddrekr konungr var med Atla, ok hafd 
par ‘1atid flesta alla menn sina,"—R (Prose), vol. ii, p, 531. 

ll. 19, 20, hneppt em-ek is not the right word; we require a participle, meaning 
bereft, hnugginn (hnucin emc=h’incto mic), Read— 

Hnuggin em-ek broedrom ok buri ungom, 

hnuggin em-ek gllom hofod-nidjom ; 
cp. Grimn. 135, vol. ii, p. 243, 1. 70. In‘ brynjodom’ (a manifest corruption) we sures 
mise ‘ buri ungom,’ i. e. Sigmund, Gudrun’s infant son, whom the brothers had slain, 

1, 21. Saxi, King of the Southerlings (South Teutons), only known from here. 

1, 23. siau hund segga, seven companies of men would be better. 

Il, 31, 32. ‘sykn em ek ordin heilagliga’ is an aside. 

1, 39. i myri, exactly Tacitus, ‘ coeno ac palude, injecta super crate, Germ, 12. 

1, 40. sykn, the word required by sense and alliteration, has been dropped: 
‘svaba,’ corrupt from sva vp, 


The Tale of Gudrun, (p. 323.) 
Iliad vi, 400 sqq. presents some analogies to our pagm, 
1, 32. hapta ok her-numa, cp, O. W, Pl. 87. 
1, 33. ‘sidan verda,’ varda, gen. pl. of vérd (a wedded wife ?). 
roe) 


562 NOTES TO PAGES 326-332. » [BRK.v. 


1, 41, In the translation read * husband’s’ for ‘son’s.’ 
- 1, 48. Put right, Dict. 693 b, s. v. vengi. 

1, 59. ‘tresc’ is clearly the Old French word éresce, mod. Fr. éresse, Engl. tress. 
In French it can be traced back to the twelfth century; our poem will move it a 
century and a half farther up. 

ll. 66-71. Lines 68-69 have been severed and thrust in elsewhere in the Old 
G. L. between Il. 5 and 6; thus—‘sva var S. vf sonom Giuka | sem veri groenn 
laukr or grasi vaxinn, | eda hiortr h& beinn um hvossom dyrom, | eda goll gl. af 
gra silfri:* the broken simile we have put together here, where it is in full harmony 
with our lay. 

ll. 74, 75. iolstr or ilstri is a name of the willow, Thulor, |. 440; for the same simile, 
see Hamtheow Lay, 1. 20. In the English read ‘skorn’ for ‘ shrunk,’ 

ll. 95-98 remind one of Helen of Troy, vuypéxdavros ’Epivis, SopiyapuBpos (as 
féschylus calls her) éAévavs €Aavdpos édémrods, cp. Helgi and Sigrun, p, 151, 
ll, 158 and 250, 

Il, 96, 105, 106, corrupt ; we have yet to find the key to the riddle: who, too, 
were the seven kings? . 


Gudrun’s Chain of Woe, or Treg-réf, (p. 329.) 

See respecting this poem the notes and text of Hamtheow Lay. 

Il. 1-4 are in the main obscure; ‘4 tai’ and ‘ar um morgin’ (1. 3) point toa 
scene in the forecourt early of a morning, where the pyre is erected: greti alfa, 
elfin tears, the dew? 1. 4, kveykva must refer to the lighting of the pyre, hence 
‘sutir hverjar sorg’ should be obelised. 

1, 10. vegin at husi, render, J have been wedded to; to‘ be driven home’ is an old 
legal term, conduci, uehi, cp. O. G. L, 135, Rigsm. 159. 

IL. 16-18 are part of the Old Lay of Hamtheow; hnédf (am. Aey.), pret. of hntfa, 
to crop off; cp. the Norwegian law word nufa (i.e. hnufa), Dict. 2774. 

1. 30. Cp. L. B. Lay, ll. 219, 220. 

1. 34. ‘es peir’ required by the grammar, for ‘ tréddo’ can only be pret. indic. 

Il. 40, 41 we have tried to restore here by following up the parallelism; after 
Hogna a word has still to be added for metre’s sake. The lines are imitated by 
the compiler of Laxdzla in the famous passage where Gudrun tells her favourite 
son, Bolli, the secret of her heart. 

1. 48. Better, pa es vit 4 bed bedi stigom, or gengom, cp. I. 23 above. 

ll. 54, 55. We believe there is a lacuna here. 

1. 57. To this emendation we have the key in Ordrun’s Lay, ‘nu es um gengian 
Grdtr Oddriunar,’ and in Sona-torrek, 1. 94, though there too the text had to be 
restored, yet in both cases safely we trust. 


The Greenland Lay of Atli—Atla-mdl, (p. 332.) 

Proverbs—ll. 5, 40, 72, 96, 110, 161, 236, 248, 260-262, 280, 281, 332. 

1, I. ‘ofo’ is suspicious; the word may be ofa-pra, tragedy: in the measure 
before the line-pause this poem (the exceptions being some ten out of nearly four 
hundred) has —u (not uw). The comma should stand before ‘ pa.’ 

1. 2, Thus; for ‘nytt’ =knytt is an impossibility; these asides are favourites swith 
the poet, cp. Il. 5, 14, 21, 26, 43, 54, 67, 77, 126, 156, 180, 225, etc. 

1, 3. Cp. Akv., 1. 5, as finally restored, Introd. p. cxxv. 

1. 5. Skip cexto skuldir (?), cp. Helgi and Sigr. 2. 

1.17. Cp. Akv. 159: 1, 18, better ugdo, 


- 








ee ee 











§ 4.] NOTES TO PAGES 332-338. 563 


1. 19. férn, offering, a Christian word, derived from ecclesiastical Latin. 

l, 26. svip-visi, cp. L. B. L. 50. 

1, 29. Read, meyjar for ‘ mzrar.’ 

1, 34. The wording was equivocal. Note that silent reading was unknown to 
the ancients; they read (as common people, at least in Iceland, still do) by moving 
the tongue and muttering. 

1. 37. drétt-lat, epithet of a lady, perhaps borrowed from some lost line of the 
Old Atli Lay. 

Il. 48, 49. Corrupt; for leita read letja ? 

1. 65. The white Polar bear was unknown before the discovery of Iceland, where 
however he is merely a chance guest, coming and leaving again on the floes of Polar 
ice; cp. Ingimundr [the Settler] fann bero ok hina tv4 hvita 4 Huna-vatni; eptir 
pat fér hann titan ok gaf Haraldi konungi [Fairhair] dyrin. Ekki héféo menn 4dr 
i Noregi sé3 hvita-biérno.—Landn. iii. ch. 3 [eatly tenth century]. By the dis- 
covery of Greenland [end of tenth century] Europeans reached the home of the 
Polar bear. Hence this image is quite. conclusive as to the age and place of the 
poem ; and justifies the ¢itle ‘Greenlandish’ given it in R. 

1. 69. Text unsafe. The meaning must be, ‘thy sark was dyed in blood,’ 

1, 83. An echo of Atla-mal, 45 (as emendated, Introd. p. cxxx). 

ll. 89, 90. Paraphrase—par munu renna (wave) akrar er pu hugdir 4na; ok er 
ver gongum akrinn, nema opt stérar agnir fetr vara, Here is a good verse from a 
North Engl. Ballad— 


I dreamit a dream, my dear ladie, 

—sic dreamis are never guid— 

I dreamit my bour was full of red swine, 
and the wa’s ran doun wi’ bluid, 


Which an Icelandic Ballad gives thus— 


Mig dreymdi i dirntm pau hin svortu svin, 
pau rétudu upp moldu med rénunum sin. 
And so on.—Isl. Fornkvzidi, No. 21. 

1. 96. feigd, following the paraphrase—ok ma ekki fordazt sitt aldrlag. 

1. 98. For ‘litr’ as a day-mark, see Dict. 390, s.v. litr, 2. 

1, 110. The wording unsafe; it is a proverb, respecting the inviolability of the 
stranger. 

ll, 123-124. ‘rifo kid] halfan’ and ‘brugdosk heldr reidir’ are meaningless; 
underneath the former we espy, roedi skialfa, in the latter, brusto hdreidir; the whole 
running— 

Roa ndmo riki, roedi skialfa, 
beysto bak-follom, brusto ha-reidir, etc., 


i, e, the oars shivered, the rowlocks burst. We find a parallel to this passage in the 
Rowing Scene in Grettla—porgeirr fell p& svA fast & arar, at af gengu badir hairnir 
. . . héfdu sv lGisk drarnar, at Grettir hristi per i sundr 4 bordinu . . . Grettir preif 
erdi tvau, er lagu i skipinu ok rak boror stérar 4 bord-stokkunum.—[Grett. ch. 50.] 
We meet the phrase roedi skialfa in Snorri’s Hattatal, verse 75. Is it not echoed 
from Atli’s Lay? 

1. 149. What is concealed beneath fordodo fingrom ? 

1, 155. For ‘silfri’ read sérvom, amber beads, of,which necklaces were made ; of 
course silver (unless bad) would not be shivered though cast about; instead of 
‘baugar’ read ‘steinar.’ Cp. the breaking of the necklace in Hord’s Saga, Reader, 

002 


564. NOTES TO PAGES 338-346, [BK. Ve 


p. 97—Men hennar 14 & kniém henni,..ok hraut menit or kniém henni, ok 
brast er & golfit kom. 

1. 156. Read, ypdi létt hurdom ? 

1. 165. Cp. Hakm, 14, Dict. 286, For the Amazon-like exploits of Gudrun 
(ll. 165-172), cp. Freydis in Eric Red’s Saga (Flatey-book i, ch. 432), . 

1. 175. ‘dsdrir’ is required by the sense; the letter-stress may fall on either of” 
the components; it here falls on s, ; 

1, 178, The sequence of the hours of the day is deranged ; we would restore and 
read, undorn ok aptan, Ond-verda natt (morning, noon), afternoon, evening, early 
night, cp. Vsp. 25, 26. 

1, 181, &tjan peir felldo, cp. Paraphrase—drepit Atjan (xix. Cd.) kappa mina. 

Il. 183 sqq. Several incidents in the following lines are only known from this ~ 
poem. 

188. I.e. ‘ Two died a natural death, two slain, I alone am left,’ 
196. f heljo (?), ok sveltir i hel ok myrdir [Paraphrase], 

. 217. es skyldi vdss gialda; what is that? 

. 220. bras, a cook, scullion ? 

1, 230, drétt-megir (the henchmen), cp. Akv. 5, Vpm, 42; dag-megir yields no 
meaning. 

ll. 237, 238. No clue is as yet found to these lines; a wide gap, too, seems to 
fall here, for lines 239 sqq. represent Atli as returning from Gundhere’s death. 

1, 248. eva for opt; hafna gédo, to throw away a good chance, here a kind of 
proverb; cp. Gunnar Paulsson’s (vol. ii, p. 410)— 

Half eru r45 i hendi manns: ad hafna og taka gddu, 
liggur peir vid lanid hans ; 4 lifs og andar slédu. 


. . 


1. 254. hotvetna, cp. 1. 353, always so in ancient vellums; hvat-vetna the later 
form. 
1, 256. ok i lundi éxom, in a Ballad strain. 
1, 261 we take to be drawn from the game of hnefa-tafl, cp, Heidrek’s Riddles, 
vv. 19 and 25 ; when the pawns are gone the king is in straits. 
}, 262. Cp. the Scottish Ballad— 
Thomas, herkyn what I the saye: 
When a tree [at] rote is dede 
the leves fallis and wytis awaye, 
froyte it beris none whyte ne rede. 
A, 270. sumbl or ‘it sama.’ Paraphrase—Gudrun geerir n& erfi eptir sina bredr, 
ok sva Atli konungr eptir sina menn. 
1, 274. es léko vid stokki, cp. pa gekk Hordr (the baby) fyrsta sinni fra stokki, —_ 
[Hard. S., Reader, p. 97.] ~ 
ll. 279 sqq. Text unsafe; we see the sayings, Gefa ré reidi, cp. Malsh, 13. 
1, 298, Emend., enn pu azt [Paraphrase]. 
1. 300, Emend.; perhaps better, barna atztu pinna brddir (obelise the rest). 
1, 314. The Paraphrase—pu spar per pat sialfum ; enn ek mun hlidta annan dauda, 
1. 315. Cp, the Icel. Fifth Court formula—i pvisa lidsi ok 6dro; see poem by the 
English Chronicler on Eadgar’s death. Cp. also last lines of Sona-Torrek. 
1. 335. Cp. gafsk van at lygi—[Agrip.] 
1. 345. Paraphrase—nema pu rédir londum peim er att hafdi Budli konungr. 
1. 347. svera, we have recovered the partner-word, vol. ii, p. 104, 1. 29, 
1, 363. Paraphrase—ok var pat litid at bera ekkju nafn, 











: 
; 


§ 5] NOTES TO PAGES 346-347. 565 


ll. 366-369. Somewhat unsafe; some law term one fancies. 
1. 384. ‘ pra-mali,’ perhaps meant to be the ##e, cp. Oddrdnar-Gritr and 
Tregrof. 
Fragment of an Atii Lay, (p. 347.) 


1, 12. visna ; the sense requires this word. The Paraphrase here, as so often else- 
where, shares the error of the text. 

1. 14. bodnir mer at éta [Paraphrase]. 

1, 22 seems to be an echo or imitation of the Old Atli Lay, 1. 40 (but unfortu- 
nately also in a mangled state). | 


é : Hlod aud Angantheow Lay, (p. 348.) 


Il. 1-4 look like a bit of a separate song, parallel to the English Traveller’s Lay, 


ll. 15-35— ’ 
Atla weold Hunum, Eormanrec Gotum, etc. 


1..2, Gitzor (qs. Gisrod, Gisfred), His egging kings on to strife is alluded to in 
the Proverb Song, 1. 185, a legend drawn from the Hlod and Angantheow Lay: 
Grytingom, an obvious emendation; for the Saga (from lost lines of the Lay) calls 
Gitzor the Ckampion of the Greothings (Grytinga-lidi): Iordanes and Ammianus 
have preserved the name of this clan or tribe (Greotingi). 

1. 3. There was a famous Cear, King of Munster; cp. also Weyland’s Lay. 

Waldarr, Waldhere—the hero-patriarch of the wide-spread Walter family—calls for 
a special notice. He is famed in song, the hero of an old English Epic (of which a frag- 
ment was lately unearthed at Copenhagen), and of the Latin tenth-century * Waltha- 
rii Poema’ (Ed. Grimm, 1838), where he is termed ‘Rex Aquitaniz,’ which 
Grimm rightly takes to be a rendering of the alliterative ‘ Waldhere’ of ‘ Wascono- 
land’ of the Old Teuton Ballads; hence in this line we would read— 


Valdarr Véskom enn Vglom Kiarr. 


In O. G. L., |. 69, in the great tapestry scene, he reappears, though in a deranged 
text. Here, too, we suspect a ‘ Valdarr Voskom,’ or ‘ Valdarr inn Mildi af Vaska- 
Jandi’ (?), for ‘ med Iarizleifi’ is manifestly corrupt. His name has also been stuck 
into the Scioldung lineage (though only in a side line), see vol. ii, p. 522. This is all 
that remains of him by name in old Northern Song or Saga, for no historical Valdarr 
occurs anywhere in the Icelandic Sagas (Landnama or Lives of Kings). Yet in the 
old Sagas we find indirect traces of his and Hildigund’s love—(1) In Laxdela Saga, 
Ceartan’s death", where Ospac eggs Bolli on to draw his sword and stand no longer 
a mere on-looker at the fight (Reader, pp. 23, 24), the clause Enn er Ospakr sa 
and the following passage recall in wording and phrase Gundhere’s harangue to 
Hagano, Walth., ll. 1064 sqq. (2) In Gunlaug and Raven’s fight, mentioned in 
Excursus III to vol. ii, where we have put on record our opinion that, once upon 
a time Waldhere’s and Hildigund’s story ended fragically*, and that the good monk 





+ The death of Ceartan, slain by the sons of Oswife, is historical (see Landnama, 
Bk. ii, ch. 11), into which Bolli’s and Gudrun’s parts are woven in by the legend. 
For if, as the Saga relates, Bolli was the real slayer, and dealt the death-wound, 
why did he alone escape scot free? The brothers were all outlawed, and settled in 
Norway, they and their descendants, of whom Archbishop Eystan was one, 

2 Helga’s is a romantic figure, preserving the features of the Hildigund of the old 
poems, The Saga exhibits many other traits whigh point to mythic additions from 
old songs. The last fight is manifestly inartistic in its incidents; thus Raven is 
maimed like Gundhere, but is slain directly afterwards, whereas in the original the 


566 NOTES TO PAGES 347-352. [BK. v. 


who put Waltharius into his Latin garb has, in this point, tampered with his 
originals, the old Teuton Ballads, In the course of the Waltharii Poema many 
allusions—Walther’s presentiments, ner silence and gentleness—point to.a 
tragic end to come, The poetical ‘motive’ requires it; for a mere battle, be the 
blows ever so thick, may be an incident, but can never be the main subject of a 
true old song, But we must here forbear, and appeal to the reader’s poetical sense. 
How glad we should be to know how’ the English ‘Waldere’ poet unravelled his 
story. The English Ballads, the Lay’s spiritual descendants, speak to a tragical end. 
Professor Child’s Ballads afford fresh proof of this, 
Il, 5-8. The hero is born in full armour (cp. Helgi i. 21, 22), like Athene 
springing out of Jove’s head, 
ll. 24-32 and 47-49 read as law-formulas, With these terms compare those in 
Beowulf (Il. 1086-1089) between Finn and Hengest— 
Ac hig him gepingo budon, 
pat hie him 6der flet eal gerymdon 
healle and heah-setl, pet hie healfre geweald 
wid Edtena bearn 4gan médston 
ond zt feoh-gyftum Folc-waldan sunu 
dégra gehwylce Dene weorpode, 
Hengestes héap, hringum wenede 
efne swa swide sinc-gestréonum 
fettan goldes sw& he Fresena-cyn 
on béor-sele byldan wolde, 


The terms of the oath— 
pet Sezer enig mon 
wordum ne worcum were ne brece, 
ne purh inwit-searo zfre gemeznden, 
déah hie hira beah-gyfan banan folgedon— 


. 


are evidently from an old carmen. 
With Il. 47-49 compare the Welsh laws of Howeldda and the Otter-skin story, 
vol. ii, p. 529. And— 
Hune ego mox auro vestirem sepe recocto, 
et tellure quidem stantem hinc inde onerarem, 
atque viam penitus clausissem vivo talentis. 
. Waltharius, ll. 405-407. 
1, 81. skiallanda, read skillinga ? 
ll. 89-94. Cp. the story of Styrbeorn, Flatey-book i. 3—Hann seldi hénom reyr- 
sprota i hénd, ok bad hann skiéta honum yfir lid Styrbiarnar, ok pat skyldi hann 
mela, ‘Odinn & ydr alla!’ Ok er hann hafdi skotid, syndiz hénum gaflak 4 lopti, 





wound is part of the story, not a mere purposeless event. Professor Kélbing’s pretty 
and accurate German translation is accessible and deserves to be widely read. A 
perusal of it will convince those who cannot read the original that there is more of 
legend than family tradition throughout the Saga. As for the Improvisation verses 
of the Saga, given in vol, ii, pp. 111-113, they had better all have been put among 
* Verses of Saga Editors,’ pp. 331 sqq. Genuine, we hold, is only the line, Alin vas 
rygr at r6gi fira bornom, cited in Edda (the rest of the line-pair is not genuine); the 
word rygr, here used of the lady, gives room for reflection; it could never refer to 
the young maiden Helga, meaning as it does a sacrificing priestess, see Sigh. iii. 55; 
the ditty, I], 80. 17; and the Sun Song 108, where the word has sunk still — 
and means a witch, 


od 
—«_, —— 


i oe et ae 


twee te 








$5.] NOTES TO PAGES 352-358. 564 


ok fié yfir folk Styrbiarnar; ok pegar slé blindi 4 lid Styrbiarnar ok sidan 4 sialfan 
hann. And—pa skaut Steinpérr spidti at fornom sid til heilla ser, Eyrb. ch. 44. 

1. 98. horn-bogi=hornungar ? bastards, 

ll, 100-103. A puzzle of numbers. Cp. ‘the man of St. Ives’ of the nursery 
thyme. 

1. 104. basmir (wealth?), an else unknown word. Can it be O. E. baswa stan, 
rubies or topazes ? 

1, 109. For was read is. A saw which looks like an echo from the Hamtheow 
Lay (conclusion). , 


BOOK VI. Ditties, (p. 357.) 


Mythical, ghosts, dreams— 
1. This flyting of Witch and Poet is paraphrased in Saxo. It falls in that part of 
the Edda no# contained in Cod. W, whilst, of the rest of the MSS., Codd. U and AM. 
748, 757 omit the giantess’ song; Cod. 1e8, owing to a great blank, begins with 
‘él sdlar bél.’? Hence it comes that of the piece one line and a half has only come 
down in Cod.r. We have tried to restore the lines—l. I we divide, tungls-iétr, 
the moon-grinder, moon-swallower : 1, 2, the reading of r is plainly corrupt; at-sigs 
idtunn would refer to giants raising the wind, cp. Lay of Wafthr. v. 36; farther, 
for ‘ él-sélar’ we read él-sidtar, the heavens: 1. 3, natt fa..., 1 € 8, nafiarbar, r, refer, 
we think, to the night-roaming of witches: 1. 5, we prefer skip-smid, I e 8, =the 
dwarf-ship-wright,= poet: 1, 6, read éneppan. 
Note—lIs not skalld after all a Gaelic loan-word? It is found in no Teut.-Scand. 
dialect out of Iceland (for mod. Swed. skald is an Icel. Renaissance word), Cp. Gael, 
sgeul (story), sgeulache (story-teller), sgeulachd (romance), 
2. The story is unknown, like No. 1 it is a dialogue between Giantess and Man. 
3. Gryla figured as vixen, see Thulor, 1. 635, and the Icelandic ditty— 
Gryla reid fyrir ofan-gard, hafdi hala fimtén: 
enn { hverjum hala hundrad belgi: 
enn i hverjum belgi born tuttugu, 

We subjoin, from memory, the following Nursery Rhymes on Gryla— 
Her er komin Gryla 4 Gegis-h6l, 
hin vill sig hvila her um Oll 161: 
Han vill sig hvila pvi hana vantar born, 
hun er gr& um halsinn og hlakkar einsog Orn: 
Hin er gra um hAlsinn ok hleypur ofan-i fids, 
hin vill ekki horfa 4 pad hatida-lids : 
Han vill ekki hlyda 4 pann hatida-séng, 
kvartar hun um ketleysi og kvedst vera svéng: 
Kvartar hin um ketleysi kidkrandi pa, 
‘ Geféu mer barn-korn i belginn minn gra?’ 
*Gefdu mer barn-korn sem brekin hafa nég, 
yrurnar og zrslin pau aldrei koma i 16?’ 

_*Yrurnar og zrslin . . ..—and so on ad infinitum. 

4. kvett, older form for kidt, flesh. 

5. getta, lassie? 

6. tuttr, a lullaby word=stuttr? in modern nursery talk s¢ is sounded as ¢, telpa 
= stelpa, ° 

7. Fora giant looming out of the glare of a huge fire, cp. Dio Cass., Bk, Ixvi, 


568 NOTES TO PAGES 359-360. [BK. vi. 


ch. 24, Vergil’s Eneid ii. 610 sqq., and in Iceland Isl. piddsogur i. 31, and — 
ton’s Mort d’Arthur, which Mallory has paraphrased. 

g. hatt kila (?). 

13a. Faraldr, the Destroyer. 

13 b. Compare this with Volospa 175-180, Serpent Nidhogg holding the doomed 
souls in his jaws. The poet must have known the Sibyl’s lay. 

We have to insert a few more ditties, omitted by mistake. 

a. The story of Gretti’s turbulent childhood is clearly the adaptation of an old mythic 
tale to round off the gap caused by absence of all information respecting the famous 
outlaw’s early life. But a hero must have been a wonderful child, and so we get the 
childhood of Gretti as we do the childhood of the heroes of the Chanson de Geste, 
of the Arthurian romances, and of Buddhist legends. The comic tale which ap- 
pears in English as Tom Tram’s adventures, and in Gaelic as the Tale of Mac-a- 
Rusgaich, Storm’s or Bluster’s (son), forms the foundation for the Saga editor’s 
additions here, and two genuine old ditties occur in the passages containing parts of 
this tale. One (ch. 14) where Gretti kills the geese he is sent to keep, singing— 

pat goer-ek ‘vist es vettrar’ ving-ek hals 4.kiiklingom’?, 


which as the ‘ vettrar’ must refer to the Mistress Winter of the English chapheoll 
the Bluster of Campbell’s tale may be rendered— 

_ Says Winter’s son, ‘My deed I sing, the little goslings’ necks I wring.’ 
‘Another (ch. 17) where Gretti is in the Saga made to lie lazily in the cabin of the 
boat with the skipper’s wife, laughing at the men clawing at the oars in a gale with 
their frozen fingers— 

Happ er ef hér skal kropna hverr fingr 4 kyrpingom: 
It makes me merry to behold the wretches’ fingers stiff with cold, 

The comic adventure of Gretti at the farm with the two girls (ch. 77), where 
he plays the part of Mazet, is from the same source, for Tom and Mac-a- 
Rusgaich meet with similar experiences. The ditty is here unfortunately replaced 
by two miserable court-metre verses of the Remodeller’s own composition. 

b. There is one little bit of verse of the same type as St. Patrick’s Lorica, which, if 
only as a very early version of our familiar child’s charm, ‘ Matthew, Mark, Luke, and 
John,’ must not be left out. It occurs in the Fareyinga Saga: Thrond o’ Gate 
had taken Thora’s little son Sigmund to foster, in the hope of allaying a fierce 
family feud. The mother went to visit Thrond and see her son. ‘ He was then 
nine winters old and very sprightly.to look on. His mother asked him what 
Thrond had taught him, and he said he had gotten by heart how to pursue all 
suits and the rights of himself and other men, and he had all that at his fingers’ ends, 
Then she asked him what his foster-father had taught him in religion. Sigmund 
said that he had gotten the Pater-noster and the Creed by heart. She said that she 
would like to hear him, and he did as she wished, and she thought that he sang 
the Pater-noster pretty well. But Thrond’s Creed was after this fashion— 


‘. , . Gengat-ek einn ut 
fetum minom fylgja fimm Guds Englar ; 
ber ek ben fyrir mer, bera peir ben fyrir Christi ; 
syng-ek salma siau. Siai Gud‘hluta minn!’ 





1 vist er vetrar (verb) is acorrupt form for Vetrar (proper noun in the genitive) ; 
ving-ek stands for wring-ek—a mark of this ditty being older than Gretti’s day. _ 








§ 1.] NOTES TO PAGES 360-363. 569 


* I do not walk alone, four follow me, 

Five of God’s angels follow in my steps [names of angels lost] ; 

I put up a prayer for myself, they bear it before to Christ ; 

I sing the seven Psalms. May God look on my soul*!’ 
Meanwhile Thrond comes into the room and asks what they were talking about. 
Thora answered and said that Sigmund, her son, had been saying over to her the 
prayers he had taught him, and ‘I do not think his Creed of much account.’ ‘ Well, 
but the fact is, as thou knowest,’ says Thrond, ‘that Christ had twelve disciples 
or more, and each one of them taught his own Creed; and now I haye my Creed, 
and thou the Creed thou hast learnt; and there are many Creeds, and they by no 
means all read one way.’”—Ferey Saga, ch. 56. 

Historical and Anecdotic— 

15. This ditty and story occurs in three places, Landn. I. c. (the best text), Sturl. 
(begin.), Halfs S. (end): to 1. 67 there are various readings, whereof this appears to 
be the one that yields the best sense, 

' 17. For the mountains mourning and laughing, cp. Sighvat viii. 25. 

20. ‘allt es amorlegt,’ an aside: correct the punctuation of the rendering. 

21. The bear must have lost his tail by fire in the folk-tale alluded to; it is usually 
said to have been frozen off, or as one of Uncle Remus’ tales has it—rubbed off. 

23. ganga med Ingolfi, to marry Ingolf; cp. ganga med veri, to take a husband, 
O. G. L. 88; so, ganga fra, to abandon, . 

25. This is a ditty alluded to in the Introduction, p. xxiii: for hvergi foerir, a 
various reading has hofom engi prek,—an attempt at turning into a rhyme ditty ; 
the rhymes in Il. 96, 97 are unintentional. 

26. ekkja, poet., heel, feet, how we know not. With this story, cp. Job xix. 
14, 15. 

28. hre-frakki, cp. frakki, Lay of Righ. 

29. cerlygi, here a portent, a prodigious thing. 

30. The two lines should be transposed. 

31. Awry, has come down but in one MS. (Hauksbék); the words are all 
shaken out of place, One might right it, reading— 


Hefik par komit es hvildar of lér 
Kristr porvaldi Kodrans syni. 


The Saga says—‘ Thorwald died in Russia, a short way from Polotzk, and is there 
buried in a mount (?) at John the Baptist’s Church,’ Some such thing must have 
once stood in Il, 109, r10, Perhaps—‘par es hann hafidr i ha-fialli,’ but ‘high 
mountain, when speaking of Polotzk in Russia, is strange. One would prefer 
*ha-palli’ or the like, i.e. near the altar, cp. also 54. The verse is given to one 
Brand, the Traveller. It is unknown who he was, when, or where he lived, unless, 





* As the ditty has only come down corrupted in the Flatey-book text—Gangat 
ek einn ut, fiorir mer fylgia fim Guds Englar, ber ek ben fyri mer ben fyri Christi, 
etc.—we subjoin the modern Faroic version, a better text descended, we take it, 
from a lost vellum copy— 

Gjivnir eru Ainglar gowir: ai gengi e aina uti, 
ferun mujnum filgia fim Guds Ainglar, 

Bije e firi mzr bon, bera tair ta bén firi Christe, 
singje e salmana sjei. Sar Gud til"sauluna mujna! 


For a full O, Engl. text naming the Evangelists, see Grein, ed. Wiilcker. 


570 NOTES TO PAGES 364-370. [BK. VI. 


as we strongly suspect, he be identical with Brand surnamed Frodi, Ari’s con- 
temporary, for whom see Landn. Bk. ii, ch, 15. By the way, we hold ‘breidfird- 
inga kynslod,’ Landn, |. c., to be an error for Borgfirdinga kynslé3, 

33- A parallel to many a mocking ‘ mansong’ in the court-poets: I am fighting 
here and my lady’s favoured lover is lying snug at home, cp. vol. ii, p. 76, ll. 5-8, 
205, 1. 9, 352, 1. 133, etc. 

34. of stopi, over the stubbles ? 

36. Brand the Munificent and Skati’s son, cp. Lay of Arinb. 79; see the half- 
legendary story in Reader, p. 143. 

37. pat er va litil, cp. Helgi iii, 12: seidim, better sidim. 

40. Paraphrased in Saxo, given p. 391. 

42. heidar, gen. from heidr, genitive of value. 

45. Paraphrased in Saxo. It is, we take it, older than Stanford-Bridge Fight ; 
only the last line applies to affairs at that battle. 

49. Fyrileif, a place in East Norway; Ask, a farm in the Isle of Fenring, off 
Bergen. 

50. Portyrja, East Norway. 

53. atatata, hutututu, onomatopoetics of the teeth chattering with cold; known 
to readers of Asbiornsen’s excellent Norse tales: ‘ dasi ér’ is somehow wrong. 

54. lung, a Gaelic word: the sun-blest earth =Palestine, the Holy Land. Cp. 31. 

55a. Ingunni, here an appellative, Gael. inghean; cp. note on Harb. 94, and 
Ditties, vol. ii, p. 247, 1.15. Render, I mean to have the lovely fair-mouthed lassie, 
no matier... <A western ditty. 


Epigrammatic, Libels— 

57. Note the bishop’s gentle reply—Eptir nid pat v4 porvaldr tv4 menn. Biskup 
spurdi hvi hann vegi p4.— pviat peir ségdo okkr eiga born saman.’ Biskup svarar: 
‘peir lugo & okkr, enn pu foerdir 6-ord peirra afleidis; pviat ek matta vel bera born 
pin eptir mér.’—[Kristni S., ch. 4.] 

58. The famous blasphemy (god-gé) against the heathen gods, recorded in Libellus, 
ch, 7 (one line only), cp. Niala, ch, 103 (in full), 

59. Stephen the missionary; the ditty given in Kristni Saga, ch. 12; it cost the 
poet his head. For the hook-nose, cp. Righ 34. 

60. gap-riplar, staring, goggling (as if with lust); goegr, goggling. 

62. ketil ormar =sausages. 

63. Hvinn, see Dict. s. v. 

64. Observe, kani, akin to canna, a can: fy, fie, occurs only here, 

66. Allusion to the tale of weeping Balder out of Hell, cp. Proverb Song, v. 9. 

67. A burlesque in Egil’s Head-Ransom’s metre. 

70, 71. See vol. ii, pp. 385-392. 

72. A good sample of the old nith; cp. Lokas v. 23, Helgi i. 150-180, vol. ii, p. 81. 
No, 12, p. 109, 1, 113 the flyting in the Lombard hall (Introd. p. lii), Niala, ch, 125 
and elsewhere—John Thorlaksson, the poet-priest, the translator of Milton, and the 
hero of Henderson’s Travels, who died as late as 1819, was famous for his biting 
improvisations and powers of flyting. His verses against the poor rhymster, who was 
hired by his adversaries to encounter him, are as overwhelming in comic force as the 
satires of Dunbar himself. But best known perhaps of all his satiric work is the nith 
he made upon one of those pests of Iceland, the Danish truck-merchants, whose usury 
and greed had forced him to part with his pet pony. He sent the beast to the 
importunate creditor, but tied the following verse to its tail— 





§1.] | NOTES TO PAGES 370-371. 571 


Varla ma per, vesalt hross, veitast heidur meiri 
enn ad piggja kaupmanns koss, og kzrleiks at-lot fleiri, 
ordin husfrai hans: 
Enn pegar pu leggur hardan hdéf um hals pins ekta-manns, 
kreistu fast og kyrktu pidf, kigara Nordur-lands! 
which we might English roughly— 
Poor mare, no greater meed than this shall ever be thy share, - 
Than to receive the merchant’s kiss and other fondling care, 
now thou’rt his wedded wife: 
But when about thy husband’s neck thou throw’st thy hard hoofs forth, 
Throttle the thief, and choke to death the tyrant of the North! 
This, as will be seen, is a nith of the real, coarse, archaic type, the last spontaneous 
utterance of a kind of satire, which goes back to the very earliest remains of Teu- 
tonic literature. A good brief sketch of John Thorlaksson’s life would be worth 
having ; he is the most picturesque of Icelanders of the last generation. 


Ditties on Runic Stones in Sweden and Norway— 

None older than the eleventh century. The early ones in the older Runic charac- 
ters we have touched on in the Excursus on Metre, p. 436. Professor Bugge has 
kindly contributed some corrections and additions. 

73. Read in Icelandic spelling— 


Ei man liggja meé aldr lifir 
bri hard-slegin breid ept gddan, 
sveinar goerdu at sinn fddor, 
ma eigi brutar-kuml betra verda, 


i.e, For ever, while ages endure, shall this broad, strong-built bridge (road) last, 
which the lads made after their father dear. 

74. Bugge comments and renders—Read, whoso is skilled in Runes, these tong's 
(twisted Runes) that Bali carved! taking ‘tekr’=tengr, and pimsum as two 
words. However, a verb runsa, governing dative (to confound, disturb), is found in 
Sverr S. p. 380—peir runsodo (pillaged) buom peira. Bali, a Swedish Rune carver 
from Upland, appears to have lived about the end or middle of the eleventh century. 

76. = Vibdvaldi lét or Langarni (Langarn, a place-name). 

77. ‘Su vas mar hanarst a Hapalanti,’ Anstrith was her name, Cop. Dict. s. vv. 
hannarr, hanngrd, . 

80. Read, ‘ mykit,’ the Swedish form. 

81. map ann=med hann (whilst he) ; med = medan is frequent in Swedish Stones. 

We add the following in Rune spelling (Bugge)— 

Rostein auk Eilifr Aki auk Hakun 
reispu peir sueinar iftir sin fapur 
kubl kenilikt iftir Kala taupan, 
by mun kops (gé6ds) kitit verpa.—[Smaaland, Sweden.] 
R. and E, etc., these boys reared a notable monument after Kali their dead father. 
He, the good, shall be remembered. - 
And— Satu trikar [drengir] iftir sin brup[r] 
; stin a biarki stupan runum, 
The men raised on a rock a standing stone with Runes after their brother. 


* Runar ek rist ok rapna stafi’ is an echo of an ott: repeated formula, ep. Havam. 
26, 36. 


572 NOTES TO PAGE 371. [BK. VI. 


We subjoin farther— 
#£ skal at minum mana, mipan min lifa—t[392 L.] 
Ristu merki at man ietan.—[476 L.] 
Sunir alkupir at sin fabur Sterkar.—[851 L., 710 B.] 


Styrlaugz auk Hialmar staina raistu 
At brupr sina brautu nesta’ 

paiz entapus i Austrrike 

purlik auk Sturbiarn piaknar kubiz. 


Han uaz bonta bestr i Sili—[947 L., 737 <i 


Sten hafir riton pon stonta mon 
Bali... raupi uftir brupur.—[g99 L., 1084 B.] 


Han uaz mana mistr unibikz (unidingr) 
uaz (m)iltr mataz uk . . .—[1267 L., 1008 B.] 


Mip stin lifir auk stafir runa.—[1277 L.] 
Hialmz auk Hiali hiaku runaz.—[1342 L.] 
Kup hialbi saul hans auk Ku(p)s mubiz 
Hilagr Kristr i himin rikii—[1410 L.] 

Han uaz bastr bumana 

auk miltastr matar-.. .—[1427 L.] 


Nu skal stando stin o biarkii—[1441 L., 1164 B.] 
Faiz uarpa nu fudiz pom betri—[1468 L.] 
E mun stanta mebp stein lifiz—[1609 L.] 


Her likkiz faphar tuer, 
Hipin ok Enarr heto per.—[1631 L.] 
Sia ma pu a mik 
ai ma pu fa mik 
: Kunnar garpi mik 
K eoe a mik,—[1953 L.] 
Fiuriz kirrpu at fapur kupan 
tyrp .trilik at tumara 
miltan uirb auk mataz gupan...—[45 D.] 
UVaru aliz Uikiks suniz 
lat burniz men litu rita stain.—[41 D.] 


Uaz til Inglans ukr tringr farin 
uarp pa haima at harma taudr.—[42 D.] 


By way of winding up this little section on Runes, I subjoin a note on the Tune- 
stone (given in Reader, p. 446). Some years ago (Sept. 9, 1879) I took up M. Wim- 
mer’s able book on Runes, and after looking at his illustration of the Stone itself and 
going through the lengthy commentary which accompanies it, came to the conclu- 
sion that he had read many letters wrong: (1) the four times repeated 9 is not 
‘ng,’ but ‘j=y,’ a ‘bildungs consonant,’ whence the frequent recurrence; (2) the 
letter after ‘pb’ is not ‘u,’ but ‘r,’ a mistake easy to make, for in old runic inscrip- 
tions, runic r, written backwards and inverted (as here), is hard to distinguish from 
wu; (3) the letter after ‘an’ should be read ‘d,’ not ‘o;’ (4) the final inflexive con- 
sonant must be read ‘z,’ not ‘r.’ Re-reading the stone with these corrections, and 





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ves 





§ 1.] NOTES TO PAGES 371-373. 573 


dividing the words afresh (for there is no word division), one gets a reasonable 
sentence— 

prijdz dohtriz dadlidun'..,z widuride st,., 

arbijas ij6z tez-arbijand.., 

Three daughters shared ... Wodarid st... 

They the heiresses share the heritage... 

This inscription, in pure ‘Gothic,’ such as Ulfila wrote, contains a numeral, two 
verbs (one in preterite plural, one in present indicative plural), and a pronoun, and is 
not scratched on a portable ring or horn, but graved upon a rock weighing many 
tons, found in an island in the mouth of the Glommen River, S, E, in Norway, 
The inference is obvious—once on a time the self-same speech was spoken by every 
‘Gothic’ tribe from Roumania to Norway, As separate tribes were isolated, this 
language split of course into different tongues, and these tongues into unnumbered 
dialects, ° 

As to the words of this inscription, it may be noted that ‘ ¢ez’ exactly answers to 
the Germ, zer-, Lat, dis-: the compound ‘tez-arbijan’ is a legal term for the 
process familiz herciscunde. We may now bid farewell for ever to the imaginary 
forms ‘ buingor,’ ‘ singoster,’ coined by Bugge and Wimmer, out of their misreadings 
of this stone, . 

From another stone we notice: ‘.badan,’ Vsp, 45, Vpm, 181, Grimn. 85, Hyndl, 66, 
etc,, should perhaps have been written ‘panan,’ =O,E, panon; see Danish Runic 
Stone, No, 3, Reader, p. 47—is stain pansi ailti ipa aft anan traki, whosoever rolls 
this stone or draws it back from there, ‘Aft anan’=‘aft panan,’ the final ‘t’ 
causing the following ‘pb’ to be dropped, The carver represents himself as a spec- 
tator looking at the stone from afar—the mental attitude of the Latin letter-writers,— 
[Editor.] 

In such early inscriptions as this, and even in the Gothic of Ulfila, the origin of 
fi from O=6 is pretty clear, and it is a question whether it should not be read and 
transliterated (at least in all inflexions) d rather than #,—[Translator. ] 


The Wicking Songs, (p. 371.) 

v. I. Rolf, i.e, the future Duke of Normandy: Hrollaug, his brother, later an 
Icelandic settler: Thori, earl, the third brother: 1. 5, breido skeggi, cp. Lay of Righ 
92: 1. 9, Gott er vinna prek manni, a saw: |. 14, they being four brothers: 1. 15, 
skattr, A.S. sceat, here the coin. ‘The kenning ‘holund-vala geli’ may be a later 
padding, 

vv. 3, 5, 6. Bits of old Wicking Songs, of which there must have been many. 





1 Mark, however, the pret. dailidun for dailid@dun (il being written in oné rune), 
It is now certain that the alleged affinity of the weak verb-ending in preterite to did 
(heard = hear-did) is a mere illusion; in fact, this d goes far back into the hoariest 
antiquity, beyond Latin, Greek, Sanskrit. Hence dailidun need not be an abridged 
later form for dailidedun (Wulfilas), May not the Wulfilean -dedun be merely 
idiomatic, a piece of popular etymology, analogous to John his book for John’s book ? 

? We miss the names of the three daughters, ‘The stone, we now see, is a law- 
deed some fourteen or fifteen centuries old; yet: how human affairs repeat them- 
selves! The line on the Tune-stone puts one in mind of a line in Goethe’s Hermann 
und Dorothea— 


Nur drei téchter sind da, sie theilen allein das vermégen, 
The three words, ‘ three, daughters, deal,’ in one single line, witness to the unity of 
speech through all these, say forty, generations. 


574 A POETICAL MYTHIC GRADUS. 


They appear to belong to the story of the Ragnar sons (Bk. ix, § 1); but to have 
been used by a later editor for the adornment of Egil’s Saga: 1. 33, ‘ulfs tann- 
litodr’ looks like a ‘remaniement,’ so as to bring in the thyme of court-metre, 
No. 6 has entirely the ring of those in vol. ii, pp. 352, 353. 

v. 4. A classic runic ditty, also given to Egil, but, as the metre indicated, really 
of the Turf-Einar class, for the metre is none of Egil’s, 

v. 8. Add to the translation the words, So my story ends! 

v. 9. Ambh6fdi (Gzlic ?); Orkn-héfdi is a kind of seal or porpoise, 


A POETICAL MYTHIC GRADUS, 


Contains the remainder of the antique ‘ kennings’ known to us, and completes the 
lists previously given, the Gradus, vol. ii, pp. 618-620, and Excursus I to vol. ii. 
It is mainly drawn from Edda, Skaldskapar-mal, a few words gleaned from Gylfa- 
ginning. It is in contents mythological, drawn: (1) ftom poems still existing, mostly 
of the older court-poetry: (2) from poems which the compiler knew in a pure 
state, but which are now maimed (as such we recognise, Wolospa, grata god, Heljar 
sinnar ; Haleygjatal, farma god ; Lay of Righ, Hvita dss; Sons’ Wreck, farma god; 
and perhaps more): (3) from lost poems, e.g. Heimdal’s Charms, Burning of Balder 
(fostri Vingniss ok Hléro, Fégiafa god, Ar-god, Gollin-tanni, and several others; see 
under Ullr, Hoeni, Heimdal). The author, or rather compiler, seems to have been 
Snorri’s last predecessor in his task of working up the poetical gradus which we 
call Skaldskapar-mal, That he was older than Snorri seems proved by his know- 
ledge of the purer text of several poems, which we only have ina later and corrupted 
form :— 


Woden (Odinn).—Heitir Allfgdr, pviat hann er fadir allra goda; hann heitir ok 
Valfodr, pviat hans éska-synir eru allir peir er i val falla...; hann heitir ok Hanga- 
god, ok Hapta-god, Farma-god ..., Hrafna-god... Sv4 sem ver kgllom Sig-ty, eda 
Hanga-ty, Farma-ty .. ., sv& ok at kalla Reidar-ty—[Skskm., Edda Gg.] 

Poetry.—pvi kollo ver skaldskapinn, feng Odins ok fund, drykk hans, ok giof, ok 
drykk Asanna . . ., Kvdsis dreyra, ok Dverga-skip, Dverga migd, Igtna migd, Sup- 
tunga mipd, Odins-migd, Asa-migd, fodur-giold Iotna; Logr Odreriss, ok Bodnar, 
ok Sonar, ok fylli; logr Hnit-biarga ; fengr, ok fundr, ok farmr, ok giof Odins. And 
again—Af pesso kollo ver skaldskapinn . . ., Dverga drekko, eda fylli..., Eda far- 
kost Dverga .. ., eba drykk Odins, ok drykk Asanna.—[Edda, Skskm.] 

Thor.—Oko-pér (Gg.), son Odins, ok Iardar; fadir Magna, ok Méda, ok priidar; 
ver Sifjar; Stiup-fadir Ullar; styrir, ok eigandi Miollniss, ok megin-giarda, Bil- 
skirniss; verjandi As-garéz, Mid-gardz; dolgr, ok bani Igtna, ok Troll-kvenna; 
vegandi Hrungniss, Geirroedar, privalda; dréttinn pialfa, ok Rgosko; dolgr Mid- 
gardz-orms ; fdéstri Vingniss ok Hléro. 

Balder.—Son OBins, ok Friggjar; ver Ngnno; Fadir Forseta; eigandi Hring- 
hogna, ok Draupniss; dolgr Hadar; Heljar-sinni, Grata-gud. 

Niord,—Vana-god, eda Vana-nid, fodur Freyss, ok Freyjo; Fégiafa-god. 

Frey,—Son Niaréar ; brédur Freyju; ok enn, Vana-god, ok Vana-nid, ok Vanr, 
ok Ar-god, ok fé-giafa; eigandi Skid-bladniss, ok galltarins Gollin-borsta,. . .; Slid- 
rug-tanni. 

Heimdal,—Hiallin-skidi, Gollin-tanni (Gg.); Son nio medra; eda vord goda; 
eda Hvita-4s; Loka dolg; men-sekir Freyjo...; eigandi Goll-topps; til-scekir 
Vaga-skers, ok Singa-steins, 

The Head.—Heimdala sverd: sv& er sagt, at hann var lostinn mannz-hofdi i 





—e ee _— 


we ee ee 


Na i ae a Ha 


ee 


I 


- 


A POETICAL MYTHIC GRADUS. 575 


gognom, enn pat er kvedit i Heimdallar-galdri, ok er sidan kallat hofud ‘ migtudr 
Heimdallar.’ 

Tew (Tyr),—Einhenda As; Ulfs-féstra ; Viga-god; son Odins. 

Bragi.—Idunnar ver; fram-smid bragar; inn sid-skeggja As—af hans nafni er 
kalladr ‘ skegg-bragi’ er mikit skegg hefir. 

Widar.—pogla As; eiganda idrn-skéss; ok bana, ok dolg Fenriss-ulfs, 

Wali.—Son Odins, ok Rindar; stiip-son Friggjar; brédur Asanna; hefni-As 
Baldrs; dolg Hadar, ok bana hans; byggvanda fodur-tuna, 

Hoth (Hodr).—Blinda As; Baldrs-bana; skiétanda Mistil-teins; son Odins; Hel- 
jar-sinna ; Vala dolg. 

Wuldor (Ull).—Son Sifjar; stiup-son pérs; Ondor-ds, Boga-ds, veidi-ds, skialdar-ds. 

Heeni.—Sessa, eda sinna, eba mala Odins ; ok enn skidta-4s, ok enn Langa-As, ok 
aur-konung. 

Forseti.—Son Baldrs ok Nonno. 

Wloki (Loki).—Son Farbauta, ok Laufeyjar, ok Na&lar; brédor Byleistz, ok 
Helblinda; ok fodor Vanar-gandz, ok Igrmun-gandz, ok Heljar, ok Nara, ok Ala; 
frenda, ok fodur, brddur, sinna, ok sessa Odins, ok Asa; heim-sc&éki, ok kisto-skrid 
Geirrcedar ; pidfr [gtna, hafrs, ok Brisinga-~mens, ok Idunnar, epla; Sleipniss frenda ; 
ver Sigynjar; goda dolgr ; har-skadi Sifjar; bglva-smidr; enn sloegi Ass; roégjandi, 
ok vélandi godanna; [rég-bera Asanna, frumkveda flerdanna, ok vomm allra goda 
ok manna, add, Gg.]; 14d-bani Baldrs; enn bundni Ass; pretu-dolgr Heimdalar, ok 
Skada. 

Frigg.—D6ttor Fiorgyns; konu Odins; mdédur Baldrs; elju Iardar, ok Rindar, 
ok Gunniadar, ok Gerdar ; svzra Nonno ; dréttning Asa, ok Asynja, Fullo, ok Vals- 
hams, ok Fensala. 

Freyja.—Déttur Niardar; systur Freyss; kono 03s; médur Hnossar; eigandi 
val-fallz, ok Sess-rimniss, ok fressa, Brisinga-mens; Vana-god ok Vana-dis; hid 
grat-fagra god; asta-god. 

Sif—Kono pérs; mddur Ullar ; id hér-fagra god; elju Iarn-soxu; mddur pridar. 

Idwyn (1dunn).—Konu Braga ; ok gztandi eplanna; enn eplin, elli-lyf Asanna; 
ran-fengi p'azza. 

Heaven.—Y miss haus; Igtuns hauss; ok ervidi, eba byrdi Dverganna, eda hialm, 
Vestra ok Austra, Nordra, Sudra. 

Earth—Ymiss hold; ok médur Hérs; déttur Anars; bridi Odins; elju Friggjar, 
ok Rindar, ok Gunnladar; sveru Sifjar; déttir Nattar; systir Auds, ok Dags. 

Sea.—Ymiss bl64 ; heim-soekir godanna; ver Ranar; fadir Agiss doettra. 

Sun.—Déttur Mondilfcera ; systur Mana; kono Glens. 

Wind,—Son Forniétz; brédur Elldz, ok AEgiss. 

Fire.—Brédur Vindz, ok Agiss ; Halfs bani. 

Winter.—Son Vindsvals, 

Summer.—Son Svasadar. 

Gold.—Elld /Egiss, ok barr Glasiss; haddr Sifjar; hofud-band Fullu; gratr 
Freyju; munn-tal, ok ord, ok rodd Igtna; dropa Draupniss, ok regn, eda skir 
Draupniss, eda augna Freyju; otr-gidld; naud-gigld (slaug-giald, r) Asanna; fre 
Fyris-valla; s4d Kraka; haug-bak Heelga, 

Battle.-—Hiadninga vedr, eda él. 

Weapons.—Hiadninga eldar, eda vendir, 


page civ, foot-note 1, transpose ‘ hcena 
(a hen) is a cognate word’ to p. cii, 
foot-note I. 


p. cxxiii, 1. 8 from the bottom, de/e aims. 


G. W. 104, read sytir. 

» 306, read sé, 
Less. Lodd. 14, read teygdu. 
Spell S. 11, read Arvakrs, 
O. W. Pl. 120, read svimma, 
Atlakv. 146, read Eitil. 
Haméd. 43, read ferad. 
Alvm. 30, read or heimi. 
Swipd. M: 228, read sidnir. 
Lokas, 25, dele comma, 

» 54, read innan, 

» 262, read Ol, 


ERRATA TO VOLUME L. 


Helgi i. 308, read oddom, 

Rimeg. 75, read lostna. 

prymskv. 104, read né in meiri. 

Righ 35, read nidr-biugt. 

Hofudl, 42, read of sz. 

L. B. L. 273, read okkar, 

Atlam. 59, read muno. 

p- 365, l. 139, read heidar. 

Bk. vi, 1. 93, read vitta fullan, 

Ibid. No. 7, for Baut. 165 read Baut. 
720, 728. 

Wick. 55, read vestan. 

Transl., p. 119, read Though I were no 
outlaw. 

p. 521 bottom, read stein inn, 

p. 527, l. 18, read gleaning. 


END OF VOLUME I. 





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